Right after King Charles waves goodbye, Quebec lawmakers vote unanimously to end ties with British monarchy

Time of India

28-05-2025

On May 27, 2025, King Charles III gave a speech in Ottawa to start Canada's 45th Parliament. He even quoted the national anthem, saying, 'The True North is indeed strong and free.' That same day, Quebec's National Assembly voted to end all ties with the British monarchy, as per reports.
The motion was brought by Parti Quebecois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. The motion said Quebec is the only true voice of its people and that most Quebecers feel no connection to the monarchy. The motion was passed unanimously, all 106 Members of the National Assembly from CAQ, Liberals, and Quebec solidaire voted for it. There was no debate before passing the motion, it was quick and unanimous, according to the Gazette report.
Premier François Legault didn't seem interested in the King's speech. He said he didn't listen to it because he was in meetings. Simon Jolin-Barrette, the minister in charge of Canadian relations, also didn't listen to it but said he might later. Ruba Ghazal, Quebec solidaire co-leader, called Canada a 'bizarre country' for inviting a foreign monarch to talk about its future.
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QS was the first party to push for ending the oath to the monarchy that MNAs used to take. In December 2022, Quebec passed a law making the oath to the monarch optional, after PQ MNAs were temporarily banned for refusing to swear it.
As per the reports now, QS wants to go further and stop public money going to the lieutenant-governor's office, the King's rep in Quebec. This office costs $758,000/year for things like office, staff, and driver. The salary of the lieutenant-governor is paid by Ottawa, The current lieutenant-governor is Manon Jeannotte, appointed in December 2023.
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A day after Jeannotte was appointed, the National Assembly passed a motion to abolish the position, but nothing changed, since it's legally complex. Even though the job is mostly ceremonial, Quebec laws still need the royal seal to become official. QS says that instead of a lieutenant-governor, Quebec could have an administrator, but this needs support from Ottawa and other provinces.
Ruba Ghazal said the first step is just to start the conversation. She gave an example, people once said ending the oath was impossible, but it happened, as mentioned in the Gazette report. Until then, QS says Quebec could at least stop funding the lieutenant-governor's office on its own. Ghazal said she has told this idea to Jolin-Barrette, and he's noted it.
Back in 2015, CAQ's platform also said they wanted to remove the lieutenant-governor's post. St-Pierre Plamondon mocked the idea that U.S. President Donald Trump would be influenced by the King's visit, saying it's absurd and outdated. He said inviting King Charles to Canada, based on a colonial tradition, is offensive to francophones and Indigenous people. He questioned how Charles could help deal with Trump's random or hostile comments about Canada, as per reports.
Marc Tanguay, interim Liberal leader, said he's not a fan of the monarchy either but warned that removing it needs a constitutional change, which is very hard. He also said, 'When I wake up in the morning, I am not thinking about King Charles III. My loyalty is to Quebec's people', as stated in the Gazette.
FAQs
Q1. Why did Quebec vote to cut ties with the British monarchy?
Most Quebecers feel no connection to it, and leaders want Quebec to stand on its own.
Q2. Can Quebec remove the lieutenant-governor post on its own?
No, it needs support from Ottawa and other provinces to change that legally.