The Statute of Westminster signed by the British Parliament in 1931 has been 90 years old by 2021. Since this Act was signed on December 11, each year on this day, we celebrate the signing of the Statute of Westminster and its significant role in the development of Canada's independence. The beginning of the 20th century was accompanied by the collapse of the Ottoman Turk Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Qing Empire. The British Empire wanted to ensure it did not repeat the same fate. As a result, they embarked on a series of reforms to the colonies. The Balfour Declaration was unanimously approved by the prime ministers of the British Empire on November 15, 1926. However, a political declaration alone did not have teeth. The next step is to turn this declaration into a bill with constitutional status. Five years later, in 1931, the Statute of Westminster was born.
Canada was established in 1867 with the British North America Act as its founding constitution which was granted Royal Assent from Queen Victoria on March 29, 1867, and came into effect on July 1 in the same year. At the time of the founding of our country, the full name of the country was The Dominion of Canada and its territory was only about one-tenth of its current size. In the following 150 years, it gradually expanded to a country nowadays of nearly 10 million square kilometres. Before Canada's most recent constitution amendment in 1982, Canada's National Day on July 1 was originally called Dominion Day.
From a dominion in 1867 to true autonomy in 1982, Canada has experienced not only a process of territorial growth, but also a process of continuous improvement of the country's legal status. The Statute of Westminster in 1931 is one of a handful of milestones that testify the independent of Canada. - Jimmy Yan |
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