Status: 10/20/2022 4:36 p.m
Controversy in Québec’s regional parliament over Britain’s King Charles III: Several Canadian MPs have refused to swear the required oath to their new head of state. It is unclear what the consequences of this will be.
Canada is one of the 14 former British colonies in which the British monarch – now the new King Charles III. – is still the head of state. Canada’s constitution requires MPs in the country to take an oath of oath to the new head of state.
In contrast, several members of a regional parliament have now refused. In the province of Quebec, 11 newly elected Québec Solidaire MPs joined three Parti Québécois MPs who refused to take the oath last week. Instead, they swore an oath on Quebecers.
Unclear legal situation about consequences
Québec Solidaire spokesman Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois told reporters his party colleagues acted “with full knowledge of the facts”. “We worked to change the times in Quebec, and if we were elected to Parliament, it was to open windows,” he said.
The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, had described the oath as “a reminder of colonial rule”. In addition, the monarchy costs “67 million Canadian dollars a year”.
According to legal experts, it is controversial whether they can take their seats in the provincial National Assembly.
Controversial Pledge of Allegiance
The oath of allegiance to the British Crown has always been controversial in predominantly French-speaking Quebec. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on the dispute that the regional parliament in Québec must decide “how they want to organize their swearing-in process”.