C-210 An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 (Oath of Office)
Bill Type: Private Member’s
Bill Sponsor: Xavier Barsalou-Duval (Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères)
First Reading: June 16, 2025
This Bill is about the oath MPs and Senators take before they can serve. Right now the only option is an Oath of Allegiance to the King. This Bill would let them choose a different oath — one about doing their job — without swearing loyalty to the monarchy.
WHO GAINS POWER
- Members of Parliament and Senators — gain the option to swear an oath to their duties and constituents rather than — or in addition to — an oath to the Crown
- Bloc Québécois and sovereigntist MPs specifically — can now take their seats without swearing allegiance to the King
WHO LOSES POWER
- The Crown — the oath of allegiance to the King is no longer the sole mandatory requirement to take a seat in Parliament
- Parliament as an institution — the symbolic unity of a single oath is replaced with individual choice
WHO GAINS MONEY
- No direct financial impact
WHO LOSES MONEY
- No direct financial impact
THE CATCH
- This is a constitutional amendment — it amends the Constitution Act, 1867 directly, which is significant
- The Bill is sponsored by a Bloc Québécois MP — the political motivation is transparent: allow sovereigntist MPs to serve without swearing loyalty to a monarchy they reject
- The new Oath of Office commits to executing "powers and trusts" as a Member — but contains no reference to Canada, Canadians, or the Constitution
- MPs could take only the Oath of Office and skip the Oath of Allegiance entirely
Source: https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/bill/C-210/first-reading