The PQ bypassed the monarchy. It was met with a shrug in Quebec and Ottawa

OTTAWA — The Parti Québécois’ decision to have the swearing-in ceremony of its cabinet ministers on Wednesday without the Quebec Lieutenant-Governor physically present in the room did not cause as much as a ripple from political friends and foes.

Quebec Premier-elect Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who has promised to cut ties with the monarchy, wrote to Manon Jeannotte earlier this week to ask her to not attend the ceremony and to instead sign the necessary documents from her office.

In a statement to National Post, Jeannotte’s office confirmed that she will abide by the incoming government’s wishes and will follow the ceremony with a television feed.

“There is no requirement for the Lieutenant-Governor to attend, and she does not wish to become the focus of attention. Her priority is the continuity of government in accordance with the Constitution,” said Ian Préfontaine, her media relations manager.

St-Pierre Plamondon’s request does not come as a total surprise, as he has vowed to defund her office, but he still must contend with the current constitutional realities.

That means the lieutenant-governor’s signature is still needed to appoint the premier and his cabinet ministers, to ratify orders-in-council issued by the cabinet and, most importantly, to grant royal assent to bills passed in the Quebec provincial legislature.

Still, many politicians in Quebec and Ottawa did not have a strong reaction when questioned about the PQ’s decision to push Jeannotte to the sidelines.

Reacting to the news, Quebec Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime said he has “no problem” with the PQ government going ahead with this symbolic gesture.

“Well, it’s certainly true that I’m not a monarchist — I don’t think that comes as any surprise to you,” he told reporters in Quebec City on Tuesday.

That said, Duhaime said he has questions should the PQ be tempted to permanently remove the role of lieutenant-governor which would require constitutional changes.

“I don’t think there’s much appetite in Quebec for heading down that path,” he added.

In Ottawa, the reactions to the news from Quebec MPs were a mix of disinterest and apathy — a sign of just how much the monarchy means to people in the province.

“We will let Quebec make its own decisions, and for our part, we will promote cooperative federalism, because we believe we can work effectively with the government,” said Industry Minister Mélanie Joly on her way to a cabinet meeting.

Liberal MP Jean-Yves Duclos, who briefly served as Quebec lieutenant under Justin Trudeau, echoed Joly’s comments that it is the Quebec government’s decision.

Duclos said the federal government will focus “on what we believe is important.”

“Personally, it doesn’t bother me. I’m a Quebecer,” said Conservative MP Jacques Gourde of the PQ’s decision to exclude Jeannotte from their swearing-in ceremony. “I understand those who like the monarchy, and it doesn’t bother me if others don’t.”

Even Bloc Québécois MPs — who support the idea of abolishing the monarchy — had a relatively muted reaction, with some refusing to comment or politely endorsing it.

The exclusion of the Quebec Lieutenant-Governor from the swearing-in ceremony for ministers is just the latest in a series of affronts to the monarchy.

Jeannotte was also excluded from swearing-in ceremonies for members of the National Assembly to date as all of them chose to swear an oath to “the people of Quebec” instead of King Charles III — as it is possible to do since a law was passed in 2022.

The law, known as Bill 4, added a clause to the Constitution Act of 1867 stating that the oath to the monarch is optional as it no longer applies to Quebec legislators.

On Monday, even the very federalist Quebec Liberals opted to swear an oath to “the people of Quebec” at the behest of its leader Charles Milliard. He said he thought it was a “good idea” and that there was consensus inside his caucus to follow his example.

There is, however, a legal challenge of Bill 4 underway that could ultimately force the incoming MNAs to swear an oath to the King — whether they like it or not.

On Tuesday, the Quebec Superior Court heard from Lawrence David, a professor at the University of Ottawa’s faculty of law and founder of the Public Interest Litigation Institute, who filed an emergency injunction claiming Bill 4 is unconstitutional.

David said in an email he expects a “possible urgent appeal” by either side once a decision will be rendered by Justice Ian Demers in the following days.

The Quebec legislature is expected to reconvene on Nov. 24.

National Post
calevesque@postmedia.com

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