F.A.Q

• Precedence exists for the transfer of original documents constituting Acts of British Parliament used to establish a former British Colony into a self-governing entity to the former colony in recognition of ongoing co-operation and friendship between sovereign nations.
  
  LINK: Documenting a Democracy: National Archives of Australia

• Australia's independence was secured with the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act introduced in British Parliament in 1900. In 1988, the original of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act from the Public Records Office in London was lent to Australia and the Australian government requested permission to keep the copy in 1990. The British Parliament agreed by passing the Australian Constitution (Public Record Copy) Act 1990.

• The BNA Act is a document of the British parliament. Why should it come to Canada?
  
  The British North America Act was actually developed and proposed by John A. Macdonald and the other Fathers of Confederation. It reflects their vision of our country in the making. In effect, BringBackTheAct.ca aims to bring the constitution home to Canada, where it was conceived.
  
  For the British, the Act is only a record of legislation to be stored by their bureaucracy. To Canadians it's the foundation of our country. It created Canada and it's still largely guides the development of our country today.

• Why a petition? Why not just ask Britain for the Act?
  
  We want our founding constitution here as a living symbol of our heritage, of what our country means to us as Canadians. To this end we want to engage all Canadians in this process - to get as many Canadians as possible involved in the discussion about the historical documents and about what it means to Canadians.
  
  We also want to show that large numbers of Canadians do care about our evolutionary and peaceful historical heritage.

• If we get the Act, what are we going to do with it?
  
  We are asking for the original British North America Act to be turned over to the Canadian government who will use it as the centrepiece of a display on our founding for all to see.
  
  We'd also like to see a cross-country touring exhibition featuring our founding constitution prominently. After this the BNA Act would take a proud place in a permanent exhibition in Ottawa for all citizens and visitors to see when they visit our country's capital, similar to the display of the American Declaration of Independence in Washington. D.C.

• This is a country of immigrant families who came here long after 1867. Do we care about this country's ancient history?
  
  BringBackTheAct.ca evolved out of a yearlong series of articles, called The Canadian Experience. These are articles on Canadian history and culture running in over 65 print publications and 40 websites in 24 languages, most of which are based in Canada's multicultural communities.
  
  We have found in these communities the greatest support and enthusiasm for this project. New Canadians are eager to learn about the historical heritage of the country they have chosen to be their home. Many earlier immigrants still have questions about why our country is the way it is and have found this information helpful in cementing their understanding of the society in which they live.
  
  We have seen this in the grateful letters and emails they wrote about The Canadian Experience and in the comments posted on this website shortly after its launch.
  
  With Lori Abittan and her diversity publishing company Multimedia Nova initiating this project, it is true to say BringBackTheAct.ca came out of Canada's multicultural communities - and it continues to draw enthusiastic response.

• Why do we need the original document from the U.K.? Don't we have a perfectly good copy of it here?
  
  Would the Americans put a facsimile of the Declaration of Independence on display in Washington for American to see and revere?
  
  This is a matter of national pride.
  
  Yes, the original document of the constitution is of mainly symbolic value. But it's a symbol of tremendous value to us.
  
  Our constitution is not like a coupon on a cereal box - you know, "facsimiles are accepted".
  
  We want to have the original act here on display as a matter of Canadian pride. That's what Canadians will want to see. That's what will help bring the most important historical event in the formation of our country alive for Canadians.
  
  A photocopy won't do.

• It's the British North America Act. It's entirely in English. Won't this alienate francophones in Canada?
  
  First, it's just an historical fact. This is the document that created Canada - in whatever language it was written.
  
  Of course, the 1867 constitution was written in English because it was passed by Britain whose official language is English. If it were passed later in Canada, like our 1982 constitution, it would be in both of our official languages: French and English.
  
  But this is the document that first allowed us to have a country enshrining both languages as official, so that all future documents would be in both languages.
  
  It's a document that makes the transition from us being British colonies to becoming an independent country founded on two peoples and two languages. We hope francophones, and all Canadians, see the BNA Act as a giant step in securing their equal place in this country, independent of British colonial status.

• Is this an anti-monarchist move?
  
  Not at all. This would be a complete misreading of both the BNA Act and the movement to bring it to Canada.
  
  The BNA Act itself did not change our relationship with the British monarchy. What it changed was our status as a collection of colonies to that of an independent country under the crown.
  
  It set up Canada as a constitutional monarchy with the King or Queen as head of state, represented here by the Governor General and Leiutenant Governors.
  
  Our movement to bring home the act just reinforces our pride in our democratic evolution into a self-determining constitutional monarchy.

• The BNA Act is not inspiring like the American Declaration of Independence. Why should Canadians get excited about it?
  
  Because it's who we are.
  
  The United States arose out of a revolution. Its constitution starts with "We the people" because it was written by representatives of the people who had just freed themselves from colonialism through a bloody war.
  
  Our constitution of 1867 starts with a request from our provinces to unite peacefully. It famously calls for "peace, order, and good government". It came out of not a revolution but an evolution.
  
  That's our great heritage. We are a democratic, respectful, peace-loving people.
  
  It's important that we see this in our history if we are to further evolve along this path.
  
  To understand where we are going, we have to understand where we are. To understand where we are, we have to understand where we have been.
  
  The BNA Act is where we have been. This is who we are.

• Do you think you will succeed? Has this ever been done before?
  
  Obviously, we believe that we will be successful in convincing the British Parliament to give the British North America Act to Canada and precedence exists when it comes to transferring such an important document between the U.K. and one of its former colonies.
  
  In 1988 the British government loaned Australia its founding document the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act. After exhibiting the document for four years the Australian government requested permission to keep it in 1990. The British Parliament agreed by passing the Australian Constitution (Public Record Copy) Act 1990.
  
  If Australia can have the original copy of its constitution then why can't Canada?