The introduction of Bill 1 in Quebec's National Assembly on October 9, 2025, marks a pivotal moment in the province's political evolution. This legislation, which aims to establish Quebec's first written constitution, is building significant momentum toward formal adoption. While British Columbia has had a provincial constitution since 1996, Quebec is now seriously embarking on this constitutional path.
A Moment of Opportunity Amid Concerns
For many in Quebec's English-speaking community, this development naturally provokes unease. After years of intense debate and new provincial laws concerning immigration, religious identity, and language, it's understandable that any constitutional initiative might be viewed as another step toward minority marginalization. The recent legislative landscape has created an environment where suspicion toward further constitutional changes runs deep among anglophones and other minority groups.
However, as author Richard Walsh Smith argues, this moment also presents a significant opportunity to reimagine the relationship between Quebec's two major linguistic communities. Rather than viewing the constitution solely as a threat, minorities might consider what lasting linguistic peace could actually look like in practice.
Constitutional Protections Beyond Ordinary Law
The fundamental difference between a constitution and ordinary legislation lies in its entrenched nature. Quebec's current legal framework offers no mechanism to provide enduring protection for minority rights that can withstand shifting political majorities. A constitution belongs to an entirely different category of law altogether, with the potential to include entrenched amendment procedures that prevent changes by simple majority vote in the National Assembly.
When Pierre Trudeau's government adopted the Constitution Act of 1982, it included five distinct amending procedures. Trudeau justified these measures partly to strengthen protections for French Canadians—a minority within Canada—preventing a simple majority in the largely anglophone Parliament from overriding their rights. In a similar spirit, a Quebec constitution could potentially offer comparable protection for minorities within Quebec itself.
Addressing Flaws and Shaping the Future
Bill 1 in its current form has notable flaws, including the absence of a proposed amending formula. This presents a crucial opportunity for Quebec's English-speaking community and other minorities to advocate for inclusion of such a clause in any final constitutional document. Such protection would be fully consistent with Canada's constitutional traditions and international democratic norms.
With all parties in the National Assembly expressing support in principle for an eventual Quebec constitution, this direction appears to be the province's political future. The Legault government, as a majority, can pass Bill 1 on its own terms, but that need not be considered the final word. The document could be amended once the Coalition Avenir Québec is no longer in power.
Smith suggests that anglophones and other minorities should approach Bill 1 with both patience and perspective. While it doesn't represent a peace treaty today, it could eventually form the foundation for one—if communities participate constructively in coming hearings and focus on possibilities rather than exclusively on risks.
Through openness, empathy, and creativity, Quebecers can help ensure that a provincial constitution becomes not a new symbol of division, but a framework for mutual belonging that affirms attachment to the shared homeland. The current moment offers a chance to shape Quebec's constitutional evolution proactively, ensuring any new architecture reflects the pluralism and shared citizenship that already define Quebec society.
