Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette has announced that the contentious abortion rights provision will be removed from Quebec’s proposed constitution, which was presented by the CAQ government.
In a letter published in Le Journal de Montréal, Jolin-Barrette acknowledged the difficulty of this decision but stressed the government’s commitment to upholding women’s freedom of choice. He stated that in response to women’s concerns, the government had to reconsider the inclusion of the article.
Originally, the minister aimed to protect women’s abortion rights in Quebec’s future constitution. However, legal experts and women’s advocacy groups cautioned that such enshrinement might expose the right to legal challenges, despite existing protections through judicial rulings, including those from the Supreme Court of Canada.
During public consultations on Bill 1, various groups urged the minister to retract the proposal. Opposition parties highlighted the widespread disapproval of the legislative initiative.
