LET’S RESPECT THE CONSTITUTION
Maxime Bernier Announces Plan for Free Trade within Canada
August 22, 2016
For Immediate Release
OTTAWA – Maxime Bernier, Leadership Candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada, today announced his plan to break down needless trade barriers between Canadian provinces.
As Prime Minister, Bernier would adopt the radical notion of respecting Article 121 of the Canadian Constitution, which says:
“All Articles of the Growth, Produce, or Manufacture of any one of the Provinces shall, from and after the Union, be admitted free into each of the other Provinces.”
The first concrete step to respect the Constitution will be the introduction of legislation to establish the Canadian Charter of Economic Rights. This Charter will lay out the rights of Canadians to pursue their own economic prosperity, without needless red tape getting in their way.
The second step will be to establish the Economic Freedom Commission. This Commission will have the power to investigate breaches of the Charter by the provinces, to recommend arbitration, to help citizens and businesses take court action or to take legal action on Canada’s behalf.
According to a recent report from the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, breaking down internal trade barriers could add as much as $130 billion to the Canadian economy each year.
Key Quotes from Maxime Bernier
“The problem of interprovincial trade barriers would not exist if we respected our Constitution.”
“Freeing our economy from internal trade barriers will help Canadian families and businesses. It will create jobs. It will increase government revenues. And it will make our country more united.”
“If I am elected Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, and then Prime Minister of Canada, I will take the necessary steps to force provinces to respect our Constitution, and to give back to Canadians the economic freedom that is their birthright.”
Leave a Reply