Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette has launched a vigorous defence of the CAQ government's proposed provincial constitution, known as Bill 1, as legislative hearings commence amid significant opposition. The minister is pushing back against claims that the project is a partisan electoral tool, asserting it belongs to all citizens of the province.
Minister Rejects Partisan Label for Constitutional Project
On Wednesday, December 4, 2025, as committee hearings opened at the National Assembly, Jolin-Barrette took to social media with a video message. He directly addressed accusations that Bill 1 was hastily crafted in the final months of the Coalition Avenir Québec's mandate to rally nationalist voters ahead of an election.
"The constitution is not partisan," Jolin-Barrette stated firmly. "It is not a Caquiste constitution, nor Liberal, nor Péquiste, nor Solidaire or Conservative. It's a Quebec constitution." He emphasized that the proposed document draws from laws enacted by various political parties, including the Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms (adopted under Liberal Premier Robert Bourassa in 1975) and the Charter of the French Language (from Parti Québécois Premier René Lévesque).
Broad Participation Meets Vocal Criticism
The hearings are set to feature input from a wide array of voices. A total of 211 groups have officially registered to express their views on the landmark legislation in the coming weeks. However, the process is facing substantial headwinds from influential organizations.
Both the Barreau du Québec (Quebec's bar association) and the First Nations of Quebec have denounced the government's approach. They argue that drafting a foundational document like a constitution requires extensive, upfront consultations with all affected communities, a step they say was skipped.
Jolin-Barrette also faced specific criticism on Wednesday for including the right to abortion in the draft text. Some groups warned that enshrining the right in this manner could ironically open it to legal challenges, potentially undermining the very protection it seeks to guarantee.
Political Maneuvering and Reluctant Participation
The opposition parties, while participating in the hearings, have done so reluctantly. They have consistently blasted the CAQ government for what they see as an insufficient consultative process prior to tabling the bill. During Wednesday's session, Liberal MNA André Albert Morin urged the minister to scrap the entire project and start over to ensure a genuinely non-partisan exercise.
Despite the criticism, the issue has become a political battleground. Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is preparing to unveil his own party's vision for a Quebec constitution, signaling a race to claim ownership of the nationalist narrative. The hearings into Bill 1 continue, promising weeks of intense debate over Quebec's future legal and symbolic foundations.
