Bill Allows MPs and Senators to Choose Oath Type
An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 (oath of office)
Summary
- The bill amends section 128 of the Constitution Act, 1867 to let Senators and MPs choose between taking an oath of allegiance to the Crown, an oath of office, or both before taking their seats.
- It adds a new Oath of Office in the Fifth Schedule, committing members to faithfully execute their duties to the best of their skill and knowledge.
- This change makes the swearing-in process more flexible by removing the mandatory allegiance requirement.
- The measure is largely symbolic and procedural, with no direct fiscal or economic provisions.
Builder Assessment
Overall, the bill is largely symbolic and does not advance core economic objectives, with a minor modernization benefit offset by its incremental scope. It neither drives growth nor efficiency and may divert attention from prosperity-focused reforms.
- Pros: Increases choice for MPs/Senators; modest modernization of institutions (Tenet 2).
- Cons: No impact on productivity, investment, exports, taxes, or public-sector efficiency; incremental symbolism over material prosperity (Tenet 8 conflict).
- To better align: Pair constitutional or procedural modernization with substantive reforms that cut red tape, accelerate project approvals, or streamline public-sector operations tied to productivity and investment.
Principles Analysis
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Canada should aim to be the world's most prosperous country.
No direct impact on income, growth, or national wealth.
✓
Promote economic freedom, ambition, and breaking from bureaucratic inertia (reduce red tape).
Expands choice for elected members and removes anachronistic constraints, modestly modernizing parliamentary procedure.
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Drive national productivity and global competitiveness, including removing interprovincial trade barriers and improving labour mobility (one country, one market).
No effect on productivity drivers such as capital deepening, skills, competition, or regulation.
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Grow exports of Canadian products and resources, and move up the value chain by processing resources domestically rather than exporting them raw.
No trade, infrastructure, or market-access provisions.
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Encourage investment, innovation, and resource development.
No changes to permitting, IP, capital formation, or resource policy.
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Deliver better public services at lower cost (government efficiency).
Procedural change with negligible fiscal or service-delivery implications.
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Reform taxes to incentivize work, risk-taking, and innovation.
No tax policy changes.
✗
Focus on large-scale prosperity, not incrementalism.
Primarily symbolic and incremental; expends constitutional attention without advancing growth or prosperity.
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PartyBloc Québécois
StatusOutside the Order of Precedence
Last updatedJun 16, 2025
TopicsSocial Issues
Parliament45