Province of Quebec in Canada: Lawmakers refuse to swear oath to King Charles III.

Controversy in Quebec’s Territorial Parliament over Britain’s King Charles III: Several Canadian lawmakers have refused to take the oath required for their new head of state. It is not clear what the consequences will be.

Canada is one of them 14 former British colonies, in which the British monarch – now the new King Charles III. – Still the head of state. Canada’s constitution requires the country’s lawmakers to be sworn in as the new head of state.

In contrast, many members of a regional parliament have now refused. In the province of Quebec, 11 newly elected Quebec Solidaire MPs join three party Québecois lawmakers who refused to be sworn in last week. Instead, he swore an oath on Quebecers.

Ambiguous legal position regarding consequences

Quebec Solidaire spokesman Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois told reporters that 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 the windows,” he said.

The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, described the oath as “a reminder of colonial rule”. In addition, the cost of the monarchy is “67 million Canadian dollars per year”.

According to legal experts, it is controversial whether he can take his seat in the provincial National Assembly.

controversial pledge of allegiance

The oath of allegiance to the British Crown in predominantly French-speaking Quebec has always been controversial. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on the controversy that the regional parliament in Quebec would have to decide “how they want to organize their swearing-in process”.