Canada as seen through the Eyes of New Brunswick Editorial Cartoonists:
The Insight and Humour of Josh Beutel and Bill Hogan
Preface |
Introduction |
Editorial Cartoon Database |
Classroom Activities
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Josh Beutel, Telegraph Journal, 1979-2-3
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Reference number: MC2806-50
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Scope and Content
This illustration characterizes government commissioned studies as being dismissed as soon as they are published by showing Richard Hatfield pushing a wheelbarrow full of books and binders entitled Unity Task Force.
Title
Hatfield Unity Study
Caption
"The Unity Task Force was a waste of time… and I've commissioned a study to prove it."
Note
Jean-Luc Pépin and John Robarts were appointed to head the "Task Force on Canadian Unity" in 1977 in response to the election of the Parti Québécois in the 1977 Quebec provincial election. They issued their report in 1979, recommending the reduction of federal powers and the inclusion of language rights in the Canadian Constitution.
Persons
Richard Hatfield
- Born in Woodstock, NB, April 9, 1931
- Longest-serving premier of New Brunswick, starting in 1970, stayed four terms until 1987
- Progressive Conservative
- Leader of Progressive Conservatives in NB, 1969 to 1987
- Promoted national unity and linguistic equality
- Worked for the patriation of the Constitution and a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as a constitutional accord, 1987
- Controversies include the Bricklin car venture, Point Lepreau nuclear power plant, spruce-budworm spraying and party fund-raising activities
- Arrested (and acquitted) for marijuana possession shortly before 1987 election (Marijuana allegedly found in his briefcase during the Queen’s visit)
- Defeated by Liberals 1987 (losing every seat), resigned as leader of the party
- Appointed to Senate by Brian Mulroney, 1990
- Died April 26, 1991