On This Day

Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II sign the "Proclamation of the Constitution Act", establish

Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II sign the "Proclamation of the Constitution Act", establishing the "Charter of Rights and Freedoms" as part of the country’s new Constitution

The Constitution Act, 1982 (French: Loi constitutionnelle de 1982) is a part of the Constitution of Canada. The Act was introduced as part of Canada's process of patriating the constitution, introducing several amendments to the British North America Act, 1867, including re-naming it the Constitution Act, 1867. In addition to patriating the Constitution, the Constitution Act, 1982 enacted the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; guaranteed rights of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada; entrenched provincial jurisdiction over natural resources; provided for future constitutional conferences; and set out the procedures for amending the Constitution in the future.

This process was necessary because, after the Statute of Westminster, 1931, Canada allowed the British Parliament to retain the...

Historical Significance

The Constitution Act, 1982 (French: Loi constitutionnelle de 1982) is a part of the Constitution of Canada.

Key People

Pierre Trudeau

Elizabeth II

Events Before

  1. Greece becomes the 10th country to join the European Economic Community

    Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia...

  2. Police drama "Hill Street Blues" premieres on NBC

    "Hill Street Station" is the first episode of the first season of the American serial police drama Hill Street Blues.

  3. Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States

    The first inauguration of Ronald Reagan as the 40th president of the United States was held on Tuesday, January 20, 1981, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

  4. Twenty-year-old Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky becomes the first player in NHL history to score five career hat tricks be

    Twenty-year-old Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky becomes the first player in NHL history to score five career hat tricks before age 21, scoring five goals and two assists in a 9-2 Oilers home win against St. Louis

  5. George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of his song "My Sweet Lord" from Ro

    George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of his song "My Sweet Lord" from Ronnie Mack's song "He's So Fine"

Events After

  1. 'New Age' music radio program "Hearts of Space," hosted by Stephen Hill, makes its national syndication debut on U.S. Na

    'New Age' music radio program "Hearts of Space," hosted by Stephen Hill, makes its national syndication debut on U.S. National Public Radio

  2. IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals for his pentathlon and decathlon victories, 70 years after they were stripped f

    IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals for his pentathlon and decathlon victories, 70 years after they were stripped from him for accepting $25 to play semi-pro baseball

  3. Film genius Jerry Lewis (56) marries 2nd wife dancer SanDee Pitnick

    Film genius Jerry Lewis (56) marries 2nd wife dancer SanDee Pitnick

  4. Final TV episode of "M*A*S*H" airs on CBS, a two-hour special directed by series star Alan Alda titled "Goodbye, Farewel

    Final TV episode of "M*A*S*H" airs on CBS, a two-hour special directed by series star Alan Alda titled "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"; a record 125 million viewers watch in the US

  5. Actor Harrison Ford marries screenwriter Melissa Mathison (divorced 2004)

    Francis Ford Coppola ( KOH-pə-lə; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. One of the leading figures of the New Hollywood, Coppola is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential...

More from the 1980s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 17, 1982?
The Constitution Act, 1982 (French: Loi constitutionnelle de 1982) is a part of the Constitution of Canada. The Act was introduced as part of Canada's process of patriating the constitution, introducing several amendments to the British North America Act, 1867, including re-naming it the Constitution Act, 1867. In addition to patriating the Constitution, the Constitution Act, 1982 enacted the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; guaranteed rights of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada; entrenched provincial jurisdiction over natural resources; provided for future constitutional conferences; and set out the procedures for amending the Constitution in the future.
Why is Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II sign the "Procl... significant?
The Constitution Act, 1982 (French: Loi constitutionnelle de 1982) is a part of the Constitution of Canada.
Who was involved in Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II sign the "Procl...?
Key figures include Pierre Trudeau, Elizabeth II.

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