Quebec's new cabinet will be sworn in Wednesday without the lieutenant governor, at the premier-designate's request
Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, asked Lieutenant Governor Manon Jeannotte not to attend the swearing-in of the new Council of Ministers on Wednesday 21 October, Le Devoir, La Presse, Radio-Canada and CBC News reported. Le Devoir said the request was made in a formal letter that cited the commitments on which his party was elected. Jeannotte agreed. The oath will be received by the secretary general of the government, and Radio-Canada reported she will watch on a screen from a neighbouring office. L'actualité reported she will sign the appointments as each oath is taken. The reporting described it as the first time a lieutenant governor will not preside over a new cabinet's swearing-in at the National Assembly. The party won the 5 October election with a minority government.
The swearing-in is where the Crown's representative formally appoints a government, so removing her from the room is a visible step on a promise to abolish the monarchy in Quebec. The arrangement keeps her signature on the appointments, which means the constitutional mechanism still runs through her office even though she is absent from the ceremony.
If you follow Quebec politics, the ceremony on Wednesday will show how the new minority government handles the oath, which ministers are named and whether the Crown's role in appointments is challenged. Residents should not expect an immediate change to services, since the appointments remain legally valid.
The premier-designate's side presents the move as keeping a campaign promise and respecting the voters who elected the party, as the letter cited the commitments on which it was elected. The party has said it wants to cut ties with the monarchy.
The reporting noted that her signature on the appointments is retained, so her formal role in the nominations continues, and CBC News mentioned a legal challenge linked to the election without detailing it.
Confirmed: the request, her agreement, the secretary general receiving the oaths and her signing from another room. Not confirmed: the details of the legal challenge CBC mentioned and the full cabinet list. Watch Wednesday's ceremony for the wording of the oath and whether any minister swears allegiance to the king.
DailyDrop Canada edition No. 16 · Morning · TUE., OCT. 20, 2026