The Road to Patriation

The Road to Patriation

  • Overview
  • Cast
  • Crew

Status

Released

Release Date

Apr 14, 1982

Runtime

1h 34m

Genres

Documentary

Original Title

The Road to Patriation

Production Companies

ONF | NFB

Director

Robert A. Duncan

Description

This feature documentary retraces the century of haggling by successive federal and provincial governments to agree on a formula to bring home the Canadian Constitution from England. This film concentrates on the politicking and lobbying that finally led to its patriation in 1982. Five prime ministers had failed before Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau took up the challenge in the early 1970s. Principal players in this documentary are federal Minister of Justice Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister Trudeau, 10 provincial premiers and a host of journalists, politicians, lawyers, and diplomats on both sides of the Atlantic.