Why Is Nobody Talking About Quebec?
In October 2025, Quebec Premier François Legault tabled Bill 1, the Quebec Constitution Act, 2025, marking a significant shift from the referendum-based independence movements of the past. Rather than asking permission to leave, the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government is “openly plotting to unilaterally adopt a new constitution” that declares Quebec a “free national state” capable of assuming its own destiny, while legally remaining within the Canadian federation.
Legault’s strategy is one of the legislative “coups,” aiming to secure the powers of a sovereign nation without the “headaches” of a formal divorce, such as Brexit. This approach allows Quebec to claim supremacy over its own laws while maintaining the financial benefits of Canada, including billions in federal transfers. The proposed constitution outlines a radical restructuring of Canadian institutions within the province. This begins with the rejection of the Monarchy; the bill explicitly states that Quebec “has no attachment to the monarchical system.” It proposes abolishing the position of Lieutenant Governor and replacing it with an “Officer of Quebec” appointed directly by the provincial government. Quebec then wants to seize federal appointments; the legislation demands that the Quebec government, not the Canadian Prime Minister, select the province’s representatives in the Senate and appoint the three Quebec Justices to the Supreme Court of Canada. The government of Quebec would also like to consolidate collective rights supremacy, validating controversial measures like Bill 21, a bill which restricts or bans the wearing of religious symbolism by public sector employees. The new constitution places the “collective rights of the Quebec nation” above individual freedoms. It asserts that Quebec laws have "primacy over any inconsistent rule of law,” effectively shielding the province from the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Despite the audacity of these moves, the federal reaction has been largely muted. Prime Minister Legault is betting that the Canadian political establishment is “too passive to push back,” a theory supported by the reluctance of federal leaders to alienate Quebec voters ahead of their own elections. However, internal opposition is mounting; groups like TALQ have vowed to “resist” what they view as a power grab that weakens checks and balances. With the CAQ trailing in polls behind the openly separatist Parti Québécois for the upcoming 2026 election, this constitutional gamble represents a volatile new chapter in Canadian history, threatening to transform the country into a loose confederation where the rule of law is applied unevenly across borders.
Quebec’s unilateral move to become a “Free National State” represents a constitutional coup in plain sight. By claiming sovereign powers over courts and treaties while retaining federal funding, Legault is effectively breaking the federation without a vote. This sets a fatal precedent; as Western provinces mimic these tactics, Canada risks quietly devolving from a unified nation into a loose alliance of rule-breaking fiefdoms.