The Canadian province of Quebec has passed a bill making it optional for legislators to take an oath of fealty to the monarch.
After the accession of King Charles III, when three parliamentarians refused to pledge allegiance, the law was introduced.
In October, the Canadian federal parliament voted against cutting ties with the Crown.
Quebec is the province in Canada most in favor of eliminating the constitutional monarchy.
The law was introduced by Premier Francois Legault on Tuesday.
In October, following provincial elections, fourteen legislators refused to take the oath. 11 of them complied after being told they could not serve in the legislature without doing so.
However, three detractors did not, and have been prohibited from the National Assembly since late November, awaiting Mr. Legault’s introduction of the bill. It was expedited after all legislative parties agreed to forego consultation.
In Quebec, members of the legislature were required to take two oaths, to the people of Quebec and to the Crown, the latter of which has a long history of controversy.
The new provincial law modifies the Canadian Constitution Act of 1867 by adding a section exempting Quebec from the Pledge of Loyalty to the King. This is a prerequisite for all provincial legislature members in Canada.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, a co-spokesman for the Quebec solidaire party, stated in early December that the oath to King Charles is a vestige from the past.
“I believe there is substantial support in Quebec for modernizing our institutions so that representatives of the people are not required to take an oath to a foreign monarch in 2022.”
Philippe Lagasse, a constitutional researcher, told that Quebec lacked the authority to modify the constitution by law alone.
He stated that a reform of this nature would require the approval of seven provinces with a combined population of more than fifty percent of Canada’s population, or the federal parliament would have to agree with Quebec to approve the change in Quebec alone.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau might oppose this new law in court, or the court could grant standing to a private citizen to do so.
The king, currently King Charles, is the head of state in Canada. The monarchy plays a primarily symbolic role, with the Canadian government holding the ability to govern.
According to opinion polls, Canadians remain divided on the monarchy. Approximately 54% of Canadian respondents to an Ipsos study conducted after the death of Queen Elizabeth II believed their country should terminate its links with the Crown.
This opinion is most prevalent in Quebec, where 79% concur.
