Quebec Liberals say province needs own constitution to affirm 'who we are'

The Quebec Liberal Party is proposing that the province adopt its own constitution, a project it says will be "unifying."

The idea was announced this morning by members of the party's policy commission Julie White and Antoine Dionne Charest, son of former Quebec Liberal premier Jean Charest.

In a video released on social media they say a constitution would assert key elements of "who we are," including the province's language, the powers of the Quebec government and the distinct Civil Code used in civil litigation.

Charest says the proposal is in response to polices of the governing Coalition Avenir Québec that he says divide Quebecers, and to the Parti Québécois plan to "separate us from Canada."

The proposal for a constitution was introduced last year by a Liberal committee seeking to relaunch the party, which has seen support among the province's francophone majority crumble.

The Liberals are to choose a new leader next June, ahead of a general provincial election scheduled for October 2026.