Donald James JOHNSTON

JOHNSTON, The Hon. Donald James, P.C., O.C., Q.C., B.A., B.C.L., D.C.L.(Hon.), D.Econ.(Hon.)

Personal Data

Party
Independent Liberal
Constituency
Saint-Henri--Westmount (Quebec)
Birth Date
June 26, 1936
Website
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Johnston
PARLINFO
http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=363f81c5-9312-4ed1-b6cd-5d268d6d5a4f&Language=E&Section=ALL
Profession
lawyer, teacher, writer

Parliamentary Career

October 16, 1978 - March 26, 1979
LIB
  Westmount (Quebec)
May 22, 1979 - December 14, 1979
LIB
  Saint-Henri--Westmount (Quebec)
February 18, 1980 - July 9, 1984
LIB
  Saint-Henri--Westmount (Quebec)
  • President of the Treasury Board (March 3, 1980 - September 29, 1982)
  • Minister of State for Science and Technology (September 30, 1982 - June 29, 1984)
  • Minister of State for Economic Development (September 30, 1982 - December 6, 1983)
  • Minister of State for Economic and Regional Development (December 7, 1983 - June 29, 1984)
  • Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (June 30, 1984 - September 16, 1984)
September 4, 1984 - October 1, 1988
LIB
  Saint-Henri--Westmount (Quebec)
  • Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (June 30, 1984 - September 16, 1984)
January 18, 1988 - October 1, 1988
IND
  Saint-Henri--Westmount (Quebec)

Most Recent Speeches (Page 4 of 385)


May 19, 1988

Mr. Johnston:

I appreciated the fact that the Minister of Justice (Mr. Hnatyshyn) took less time than I thought had been allotted. I would be quite happy to limit myself to one question, because he has raised a point which I believe requires some clarification. It should not take more than three minutes, Mr. Speaker, to have that exchange.

Topic:   GOVERNMENT ORDERS
Subtopic:   THE CONSTITUTION ACT, 1867 CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT, 1987
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April 27, 1988

Hon. Donald J. Johnston (Saint-Henri-Westmount):

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion. Regarding the potential acquisition of control of CDC Life Services by a French state controlled corporation, Institut Merieux, could the Minister tell us what steps are being taken to preserve for Canada and Canadians the critical, and I might say, unique manufacturing and biotechnology research capacities of the two subsidiaries, Connaught Laboratories of Toronto, and Bio Research Laboratories of Montreal?

Topic:   ORAL QUESTION PERIOD
Subtopic:   INDUSTRY
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April 26, 1988

Mr. Johnston:

I hope the answer will merit as much applause, Mr. Speaker.

My question is directed to the Deputy Prime Minister. The Senate has now adopted a resolution authorizing the issuance of a proclamation to amend the Constitution as prescribed by Section 47 of the Constitution Act of 1982, as the Deputy Prime Minister knows. There is no requirement in that Section that the resolution be the same as the one adopted by this House.

I ask the Deputy Prime Minister, why has the Government today, as a matter of fact, given notice that it will introduce the same resolution as that passed in the House last October, instead of trying to work out a consensus resolution with the Senate?

Topic:   ORAL QUESTION PERIOD
Subtopic:   THE CONSTITUTION
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April 26, 1988

Hon. Donald J. Johnston (Saint-Henri-Westmount):

Mr. Speaker, I was not asking for a political speech; I was asking for an opinion on the legality of the procedure.

If the Minister of Justice were to take the time to study the provisions involved in this particular procedure, he would recognize that some day the procedure will be challenged before the courts, and until that time we will not know whether the resolution has been validly adopted. The Minister of Justice could forestall that possibility by immediately referring the issue of the procedure to the Supreme Court of Canada on a reference case.

April 26, 1988

Topic:   ORAL QUESTION PERIOD
Subtopic:   REQUEST FOR SUPREME COURT REFERRAL
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April 26, 1988

Hon. Donald J. Johnston (Saint-Henri-Westmount):

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the-

Topic:   ORAL QUESTION PERIOD
Subtopic:   THE CONSTITUTION
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