OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that a future Quebec independence referendum could not automatically be decided by a simple “50% plus one” result, defending the federal Clarity Act during an exchange with the Bloc Québécois.The comments came after Christine Normandin challenged Carney in the House of Commons over whether the Liberal government would repeal the Clarity Act, legislation governing the federal response to a potential provincial secession referendum.“A clear majority is 50% of the votes plus one,” Normandin said. “That is democracy. Except for referenda because of the Clarity Act.” Normandin argued that federal legislation and parliamentary votes are routinely decided by simple majority thresholds and accused Ottawa of applying different standards to Quebec sovereignty referendums.In response, Carney defended both the Clarity Act and past Supreme Court rulings surrounding Quebec secession.“You have to respect democracy. You have to respect parliamentary legislation and the decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada,” Carney said. .Carney added that under the Clarity Act, the House of Commons must consider multiple factors in determining whether a referendum result constitutes a “clear expression” of support for secession.“The House of Commons must consider the following factors to establish this determination of a clear vote — the scope of the majority that are valid, expressed in favor of the successionistic option and the percentage of eligible electors who took part in the referendum,” Carney said. “It is not 50% plus one,” he added. The Clarity Act was introduced by former prime minister Jean Chrétien’s Liberal government following the Supreme Court’s 1998 ruling on Quebec secession. The law gives the House of Commons authority to determine whether a referendum question and result are sufficiently clear before Ottawa would enter negotiations on separation.
