Quebec’s National Assembly will witness the swearing-in of the recently elected Parti Québécois legislators on October 15, amidst an ongoing legal battle over the law that exempts them from pledging allegiance to the King. The PQ’s new cabinet unveiling is scheduled for October 21.
Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, reiterating his stance from 2022, has affirmed his refusal to swear an oath of loyalty to the monarch. Previously, members of the National Assembly (MNAs) were obligated to do so under the Constitution Act of 1867.
In December 2022, Quebec’s Bill 4 was unanimously passed by the provincial government, amending the 1867 Act to remove the requirement of pledging allegiance to the monarch for Quebec legislators. This change enabled select Parti Québécois and Québec Solidaire MNAs to take office by swearing allegiance solely to the people of Quebec.
However, the legality of the 2022 law is being contested in court, primarily by law professor Lawrence David, who has also submitted an emergency injunction request to reinstate the oath requirement for incoming MNAs. The case was addressed in Quebec Superior Court recently, with a definitive hearing date anticipated between October 19 and November 9.
During the election campaign’s final stages, St-Pierre Plamondon declared that Lt.-Gov. Manon Jeannotte, the monarch’s representative in Quebec, would not be invited to the next legislature’s opening speech if the PQ assumed power. He pledged to eliminate the monarchy in Quebec and redirect the lieutenant-governor’s office funding towards combating homelessness, with a budget of $1.3 million for 2026-27. As the premier-designate, St-Pierre Plamondon has sought legal advice from government attorneys to assess the feasibility of these commitments.
Louise Arbour, Canada’s Governor General, expressed doubts about the PQ’s initiative on Thursday. Newly elected opposition party members are set to be sworn in on a later date.
