In 2026 a lawyer has lodged a constitutional challenge seeking to overturn Quebec's 2022 legislation that ended the mandatory oath of allegiance to the King for members of the National Assembly.
The 2022 act, approved by the Quebec provincial government, removed the requirement that elected legislators swear allegiance to the British monarch, a practice that had formed part of the province's parliamentary protocol for decades.
The filing argues that the province exceeded its constitutional authority by unilaterally eliminating the oath, contending that the requirement is embedded in the broader constitutional framework governing Canada's parliamentary institutions.
Under Canada's constitution, the Crown remains the symbolic head of state, and oaths of allegiance are standard for legislators at both federal and provincial levels. The plaintiff maintains that Quebec cannot change that requirement without federal consent or a formal constitutional amendment.
The challenge will be heard in a Quebec court, where the lawyer seeks a declaration that the 2022 legislation is invalid and, if successful, an order to reinstate the oath for future members of the National Assembly.
The case revives discussion about the balance between provincial autonomy and constitutional uniformity, and may lead to further legal scrutiny of other Quebec reforms that involve symbols of the Crown.
No judicial decision has been issued yet, and the matter remains pending.