Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette has expressed regret in the face of opposition and supports the idea of conducting a broad consultation, inviting the public to discuss his proposed Quebec constitution.
According to reports from La Presse, The Canadian Press confirmed on Thursday that the Minister’s office issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to inclusivity and unity through the draft constitution.
Initially, the plan was to hold specific consultations, but the Minister is now leaning towards a more open approach. Special consultations, typically seeking expertise from specific individuals or organizations, will be extended to a general consultation, welcoming input from the wider public.
Interested parties have until November 12 to submit their input, with the consultation scheduled to begin on November 25. The opposition, although cautiously optimistic, had expressed concerns about the lack of prior consultation on the draft constitution.
Minister Jolin-Barrette presented the draft constitution in the National Assembly last week, a move that was met with opposition parties voting against it. Despite this, Jolin-Barrette remains hopeful that he can garner support for his proposal.
The draft constitution aims to address key issues such as preventing organizations from using public funds to challenge significant Quebec laws, reinforcing gender equality, safeguarding the right to abortion, and upholding laws like Bill 96 on the French language and Bill 21 on state secularism.
The Quebec constitution project, a crucial recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Constitutional Issues, is striving for a non-partisan process.
