Recognize Quebec referendum rule
Petitioners ask the Prime Minister to recognize Quebec's right to self-determination, accept a referendum win as 50% plus one of valid votes, and publish 1995 'No' campaign spending documents.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would formally recognize Quebec’s self-determination and establish 50%+1 as the decisive referendum threshold, clarifying the rule for future provincial referendums.
- It would align federal recognition with Quebec’s National Assembly motion and law 99, reducing legal and political mismatch between provincial and federal positions.
- Publishing 1995 'No' campaign expenditures would increase transparency about past referendum financing and inform public debate on campaign finance rules.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- It may conflict with federal constitutional duties and prompt legal challenges over whether the federal government can unilaterally accept a provincial referendum rule.
- Formally accepting a provincial threshold could unsettle national cohesion or provoke political tensions if provinces adopt differing criteria.
- Releasing 1995 campaign records may be constrained by privacy or archival laws and could set a precedent for disclosing historical political documents.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Prime Minister On May 26, 2026, Mark Carney stated that a majority of 50% plus one vote is “absolutely not” enough to recognize a successful referendum on a province’s independence; In doing so, the Prime Minister of Canada is undermining the right of peoples to self-determination by redefining majority rule, a principle that is fundamental to democracy; This authoritarian drift not only limits a province’s ability to determine its own political status but also runs counter to Quebec’s laws and democratic values; and On May 12, 2026, the National Assembly of Quebec unanimously adopted a motion reaffirming that the applicable rule in a referendum is that of an absolute majority, namely 50% of the valid votes cast plus one. Furthermore, Bill 99, the validity of which was confirmed by the Quebec Court of Appeal, explicitly affirms this rule. We, the undersigned, citizens of Quebec, call upon the Prime Minister to: 1. Recognize the right of the Quebec people to self-determination and the implications arising from that right, including their inalienable right to freely decide the political regime and legal status of Quebec and that the Quebec people shall determine alone the mode of exercise of that right; 2. Respect the democratic principle that, when the Quebec people are consulted by way of a referendum under the Referendum Act, the winning option is the option that obtains a majority of the valid votes cast, namely 50% of the valid votes cast plus one; and 3. Make public all documents relating to expenditures incurred by the “No” campaign during the 1995 referendum. 1. Recognize the right of the Quebec people to self-determination and the implications arising from that right, including their inalienable right to freely decide the political regime and legal status of Quebec and that the Quebec people shall determine alone the mode of exercise of that right; 2. Respect the democratic principle that, when the Quebec people are consulted by way of a referendum under the Referendum Act, the winning option is the option that obtains a majority of the valid votes cast, namely 50% of the valid votes cast plus one; and 3. Make public all documents relating to expenditures incurred by the “No” campaign during the 1995 referendum.
Government response
No government response is available yet.