Quebec premier says he’s ‘open’ to possibility of Quebec constitution by 2026
The Opposition Liberals passed a motion in favour of a Quebec constitution at their convention earlier this month.
MONTREAL — A Quebec government-appointed committee has recommended that the province adopt its own constitution and take additional measures to strengthen its autonomy.
Premier François Legault expressed openness to the idea of a Quebec constitution before the next provincial election in 2026 but stopped short of making any commitments. "I won’t make promises," he stated regarding the proposal.
The committee's report outlines 42 recommendations, including modernizing provincial laws to remove references to the monarchy and pursuing an agreement with the federal government on managing asylum seekers.
Earlier this month, the Opposition Liberals endorsed the idea of a Quebec constitution during their convention, passing a motion in its favor.
However, Charles Breton, a researcher from the Institute for Research on Public Policy, highlighted the challenges of drafting a constitution, suggesting that such an undertaking is unlikely to materialize in the near future.
Premier Legault originally announced the formation of the committee in June, a move widely interpreted as an effort to appeal to his nationalist supporters at a time when his party was trailing the sovereigntist Parti Québécois in the polls.
