Charles Milliard ‘in favour’ of maintaining notwithstanding clause for Bill 96

New Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard surprised many by signalling support for the notwithstanding clause to protect parts of Bill 96.

The leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ), Charles Milliard, said he is “in favour” of maintaining the notwithstanding clause for Bill 96, the province’s French-language law, if he can make changes to it, breaking his party’s 2022 election promise.

Milliard was pressed Thursday morning at a press briefing on his intentions regarding the renewal of the notwithstanding clause for Bill 96 on the French language as well as those concerning state secularism (Bills 9 and 21).

The use of the parliamentary tool allows the government to exempt legislative measures that infringe on certain fundamental rights from judicial review for a maximum of five years. The clause may, however, be renewed after this period expires.

Regarding Bills 9 and 21, the Liberal leader stated unequivocally that the notwithstanding clause would be repealed once its term expires, if his party is elected next October.

Regarding Bill 96, his response was more hesitant. After several follow-up questions from journalists on the subject, Milliard finally clarified his position.

“The Quebec Liberal Party has used the notwithstanding clause in the past, so we’re not opposed to it … I think it’s an important tool. I think it has been used too often preemptively, but protecting the French language in Quebec is paramount to the Quebec Liberal Party. And it is paramount for all Quebecers, including many cultural communities, despite what our opponents say,” he said.

“So, yes, I would be in favour of keeping it if I can make the changes I want,” Milliard said in the National Assembly. He would like to modify elements related to the administrative burden on businesses and those “that do not improve the quality of French.”

Milliard’s position contrasts sharply with that of the former PLQ leader Dominique Anglade. During the 2022 election campaign, Anglade had argued that a Liberal government would eliminate the notwithstanding clause for Bill 96 and 21.

Standing alongside Milliard at a press briefing Thursday morning, Liberal MNA Jennifer Maccarone stated that she was “comfortable with her leader’s position” and that it is not new and has already been the subject of discussions.

However, Milliard’s stance has raised questions within the Liberal caucus, according to The Canadian Press, prompting members to call for a meeting on Thursday.

New polls puts Liberals in the lead

Milliard makes no secret of the fact that the latest Pallas Data–Qc125–L’actualité poll, which places his political party in the lead with 32 per cent of voting intentions, ahead of the Parti Québécois (PQ) at 29 per cent, is “good news.”

“The real poll is obviously on Oct. 5, but it confirms what I’ve observed in my door-to-door canvassing and my work on the ground in Quebec,” the Liberal leader said.

He acknowledges that there remains a significant gap between the PQ and the PLQ among francophones.

The Parti Québécois remains the favourite among these voters with 34 per cent, compared to 21 per cent for the Liberals, according to the poll released Wednesday. This still represents a three-point drop for the sovereignist party compared to Pallas’s previous poll in February.

The numbers will continue to fluctuate in upcoming polls, but everything will come down to the election campaign starting next August, said PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon during a press briefing in Montreal.

“Some parties are currently riding on the vagueness of their proposals on just about every issue. It’s easy to throw in the words ‘all together,’ ‘unifying,’ and ‘caring’ in every speech,” said St-Pierre Plamondon.

“But that won’t last long because at some point, every party has to answer questions and define its policies. And that’s what the election campaign will reveal.”

In the Quebec City region, the Quebec Conservative Party (PCQ) leads with 34 per cent, according to the Pallas poll. Party leader Éric Duhaime welcomed the result.

“We’re more than happy. Yesterday was my birthday. It was the best gift I could have asked for. The 34 per cent in the Quebec City region is significantly higher than even what we had in the last election,” Duhaime told reporters in Quebec City.

Across Quebec, the PCQ garnered 14 per cent support, tied with the Coalition Avenir Québec but ahead of Québec solidaire (11 per cent), according to the Pallas poll.

With information from Thomas Laberge in Quebec City

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 16, 2026.

Frédéric Lacroix-Couture, The Canadian Press