By Canadian Press

Quebec politicians must swear oath to King Charles to sit in legislature: Speaker

Nov 1, 2022 | 2:23 PM

QUEBEC — The Speaker of Quebec’s legislature says elected politicians must swear an oath to the King before taking office, after members of two parties refused to do so last month.

François Paradis today submitted his decision to Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.

The 11 Québec solidaire and the three PQ members recently elected to the legislature swore oaths of loyalty to the Quebec people last month, but not to King Charles III, as required by the Canadian Constitution.

The two opposition parties — both of which advocate for Quebec’s sovereignty from Canada — have described the practice of swearing an oath to the monarch as archaic and have asked the other parties to help find a workaround.

Paradis says the requirement to swear the oath would be enforced, adding that members who don’t comply could be expelled from the legislature.

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Québec solidaire finished third and the Parti Québécois finished fourth in the Oct. 3 election, which was won by François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2022.

The Canadian Press