Quebec Premier Francois Legault present the inaugural speech to members of the National Assembly, at the legislature in Quebec City, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. The legislature has passed a law putting an end to a requirement to swear an oath to the King to sit in the legislature.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Quebec’s legislature has passed a law putting an end to the requirement that members swear an oath to the King.
The Coalition Avenir Québec government had tabled a bill on Tuesday making the oath to the monarch optional after three members of the opposition Parti Québécois refused to swear the oath and were barred from sitting.
The law adds to the Constitution Act of 1867 a section exempting Quebec from the application of the section that requires the oath.
Constitutional scholars differ on whether the Quebec legislature has the power to allow members to participate in legislative debates and votes without taking the oath.
Previously, Quebec members of the legislature had to swear two oaths – one to the people of Quebec and one to the Crown.
The bill was fast-tracked this week after all parties waived consultations in order to have it adopted quickly.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2022.
