A legal expert has taken urgent legal action to compel the incoming Parti Québécois government to pledge allegiance to King Charles. The Public Interest Litigation Institute, led by constitutional lawyer Lawrence David, filed an application for an interim stay in Quebec Superior Court. David emphasized that all political parties must adhere to Canadian democratic laws, prompting their intervention. The legal move aims to ensure governmental compliance with applicable laws.
The filed injunction seeks the immediate suspension of a 2022 provincial law that made the oath to the monarch optional for National Assembly members. This action follows the recent election victory of the Parti Québécois. Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon plans to reduce funding to the office of Quebec’s lieutenant-governor within the first 100 days in power to push for the monarchy’s abolition in the province.
The legal filing argues that MNAs who refuse to swear the oath to the King are not constitutionally eligible to serve in the legislature. It warns that laws passed by an unlawfully constituted body, particularly those aiming to abolish the lieutenant governor, would be invalid, sparking a significant legal crisis. The matter will be heard in a Montreal courtroom on Friday, with the potential outcome requiring MNAs to take the oath before resuming their legislative duties on November 17.
Constitutional law expert Karine Millaire from the Université de Montréal acknowledged the expected injunction due to the ongoing constitutional challenge of the 2022 law. Millaire highlighted the burden on the applicants to present compelling legal arguments in this case. She cautioned that debates surrounding the monarchy could escalate into a constitutional crisis, an undesirable scenario to contemplate.
