Members of the Parti Québécois (PQ) minority government, who won seats in the general election on October 5, were officially sworn in today at Quebec’s National Assembly. The swearing-in ceremony occurred amidst a legal dispute over the legislation that permits Quebec legislators to forego swearing allegiance to the King.
Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon had made a commitment to abstain from taking an oath of allegiance to the King prior to the ceremony, a promise he upheld. This was not the first time he had refused to take the oath, having also declined in 2022.
Addressing the newly appointed MNAs, St-Pierre Plamondon expressed the significance of the moment, describing it as emotional. He highlighted the trust Quebecers had placed in the Parti Québécois by electing at least 59 MNAs to represent them in the National Assembly, referencing a recount in the Vachon riding.
During his speech, St-Pierre Plamondon praised Quebecers for choosing hope and change over fearmongering during the recent electoral campaign. He emphasized the party’s achievements in the past four years, noting a substantial increase in the number of PQ MNAs and the party’s success in various regions of the province.
Looking ahead, St-Pierre Plamondon acknowledged that there is still significant work to be done. To equip the new team for their political responsibilities, he announced plans for a specialized training program described as a “mini MBA for elected officials,” led by former politicians Pauline Marois and Jean Boyer.
While members of other political parties are scheduled to be sworn in next week, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) party, which did not secure any seats in the general election, will not be part of the swearing-in ceremony. The Quebec Liberal Party emerged as the Official Opposition with 40 seats, followed by the Conservative Party of Quebec with 19 seats and Québec Solidaire with nine.
In a related development, the CAQ held its final cabinet meeting in Quebec City, where outgoing Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette indicated his interest in succeeding Christine Fréchette as the CAQ leader. He emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough assessment within the party. Outgoing Domestic Security Minister Ian Lafrenière also confirmed that he is exploring his options.
The CAQ’s executive council is expected to appoint an interim leader by the end of the week, with the announcement of the interim leader’s identity scheduled for next Monday. The PQ cabinet is set to be sworn in on October 21.
