Fréchette to renew notwithstanding clause for Bill 96 as legislature resumes

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette speaks at a pre-session caucus meeting in Rivière-du-Loup, Que., Friday, May 1, 2026. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot)

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette intends to renew the Charter’s override clause to protect one of the province’s French-language laws from court challenges.

The legislation to renew the notwithstanding clause will be the first bill her party introduces since she was sworn into office last month.

The government pre-emptively invoked the override clause in 2022 on Bill 96, which reinforces the province’s French-language rules by expanding the powers of the language watchdog, among other measures.

Legislation that invokes the notwithstanding clause must be renewed every five years but Fréchette’s bill would renew it early — and force the Liberals to take a position on it ahead of October’s general election.

Liberal Leader Charles Milliard has been facing pressure in recent weeks to clarify his stance on the use of the clause, as members of his political base have publicly criticized Bill 96.

The new legislature session will start today with a speech from Fréchette in which she’ll outline her priorities for the coming weeks.

The bill renewing the notwithstanding clause is expected on Wednesday. Fréchette won’t have much time to make her mark, since the legislature will only be sitting for 17 days before breaking for the summer ahead of the Oct. 5 election.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2026.