Recent bills signal a ‘drift towards authoritarianism,’ says Barreau du Québec

Critics say the bills would weaken the ability of citizens and organizations to challenge laws that infringe on the rights of Quebecers

Three bills recently presented at Quebec’s National Assembly, including one that was quickly adopted, show signs of an authoritarian drift that threatens the rule of law, according to the head of the organization that regulates lawyers in the province.  Marcel-Olivier Nadeau, the bâtonnier of the Barreau du Québec, said elements in the proposed Quebec constitution, union governance bill and the law reforming doctor pay, commonly known as Bill 2, will weaken the ability of civil society to challenge government power and, in the case of doctors, impose undue limits on freedom of expression.