Peter G. White argues that Canada’s most enduring constitutional challenge lies in the persistently unequal relationship between francophones and non-francophones. He demonstrates why issues of recognition, consent, and equality of status remain central to Quebec’s place within the federation—and why they continue to dominate Canadian politics decades later.

Drawing on constitutional history and minority rights theory, White explains how cultural insecurity can undermine even the most well-intentioned federal arrangements. He explores why constitutional changes imposed without the clear consent of the partners concerned leave lasting scars—and why, as the idea of a possible third Quebec referendum quietly resurfaces, these unresolved questions could once again move from theory into political reality.

White brings rare authority to this debate. A former principal secretary to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and adviser to Premier Daniel Johnson Sr., founding president of the Public Policy Forum, and former president of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, he has spent his career at the heart of Canadian debates on public policy and national unity. His text remains essential reading for anyone interested in Quebec, constitutional reform, and the future of unity in Quebec and Canada.