Access to the Blue Room prohibited to elected PQ officials
The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon./Josie Desmarais/Metro
The Parti Québécois loses its bet. Access to the Blue Room was denied to the three PQ members because they refused to take the oath to King Charles III.
It’s the new President of the National Assembly, Nathalie Roy, who made this decision. It therefore maintains the verdict of the former president in place, François Paradis.
“[Whether to take an oath to the king or not] is a legitimate question that one can agree with or disagree with,” explained Ms. Roy. It is not up to the Chair to change this rule. You cannot derogate from a legislative provision.”
“To avoid legal challenges, it takes a bill,” commented Prime Minister François Legault. The CAQ is also committed to submitting a project during the next week. “Me, the first, I don't like to take an oath,” he adds.
We want to work to help Quebecers deal with inflation. If the PQ has other priorities, that's their choice.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
Québec solidaire also opposes the oath to the king. But the elected officials preferred to take an oath, then commit to proposing a bill to make this provision optional. The left party could file this project this week.
The Liberals' position on the oath to the king remained unclear for several weeks. But a stalwart of the party, André Fortin, publicly displayed his opposition to the oath on Thursday. “I have nothing against the king himself, I'm sure he's a good person. But the monarchy is not something that I particularly carry in my heart, ”commented the deputy for Pontiac.
More details to come
