Quebec Contingency Act
Encyclopedia
The Quebec Contingency Act (Bill C-341) was a private member's bill
tabled in Canada
's federal Parliament
in 1996 to establish the conditions which would apply to a referendum regarding the separation of Quebec
from Canada. It was a precursor to the Clarity Act
of 2000.
Bill C-341 was introduced by future Prime Minister
and then Reform
MP Stephen Harper
, and reached First Reading on October 30, 1996. Its full title was "An Act to establish the terms and conditions that must apply to a referendum relating to the separation of Quebec from Canada before it may be recognized as a proper expression of the will of the people of Quebec."
Bill C-341 did not proceed any further in Parliament following First Reading.
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
tabled in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's federal Parliament
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
in 1996 to establish the conditions which would apply to a referendum regarding the separation of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
from Canada. It was a precursor to the Clarity Act
Clarity Act
The Clarity Act is legislation passed by the Parliament of Canada that established the conditions under which the Government of Canada would enter into negotiations that might lead to secession following such a vote by one of the provinces. The Clarity Bill was tabled for first reading in the...
of 2000.
Bill C-341 was introduced by future Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
and then Reform
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
MP Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
, and reached First Reading on October 30, 1996. Its full title was "An Act to establish the terms and conditions that must apply to a referendum relating to the separation of Quebec from Canada before it may be recognized as a proper expression of the will of the people of Quebec."
Bill C-341 did not proceed any further in Parliament following First Reading.
Summary
"This enactment allows the Government of Canada to determine whether a referendum question in Quebec is clear and unambiguous.
If an affirmative answer is given to a clear question, the enactment authorizes the negotiation of separation, subject to the approval of the rest of Canada by referendum.
It affirms that a unilateral declaration of independence is ineffective with respect to Canadian law and does not affect the functioning of the Canadian Parliament, Government and courts with respect to Quebec."