As required by the Canadian Constitution, members of a second Quebec opposition group are refusing to swear allegiance to King Charles III.
The three Parti Québécois members elected to the province’s legislature earlier this month are taking an oath of loyalty to the people of Quebec, but not to the monarch, as they are being sworn in this morning.
Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says it doesn’t make sense to swear allegiance to both the people of Quebec and what he considers a foreign monarch, adding that swearing the oath would be a form of perjury.
Before taking office, members of all provincial legislatures, the federal Parliament, and Quebec’s elected representatives must take an oath to the Crown and an additional oath to the people of Quebec.
Earlier this week, the 11 members of Québec solidaire — which like the PQ supports Quebec sovereignty — also refused to swear allegiance to the King.
On the question of whether the Quebec legislature has the authority to let members to participate in legislative debates and votes without taking the oath, constitutional academics disagree.
The Parti Québécois refuses to take the King’s pledge of allegiance that is required by law.
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