Overview

• Premiers of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney demanding the immediate withdrawal of Ottawa’s Supreme Court submission.
• The letter calls the federal position a complete disavowal of the constitutional bargain, warns of threats to provincial sovereignty and national unity, and flags the issue for the Council of the Federation.
• Canada’s filing argues the clause’s temporary character bars uses that irreparably impair Charter rights and says courts must retain jurisdiction because such uses would indirectly amend the Constitution.
• The case arises from Quebec’s secularism law, Bill 21, with Quebec’s attorney general as respondent and the attorneys general of Canada, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta intervening.
• Justice Minister Sean Fraser says the ruling will shape how governments use Section 33 for years, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford denounced Ottawa’s stance, and the Supreme Court appeal remains pending without a hearing date.