Quebec premier to prorogue legislature, with new session starting Oct. 19

Quebec Premier Franois Legault says he will prorogue the province's legislature and a new session will begin Oct. 19.

Legault made the announced Thursday afternoon in a news release, but the decision must be approved by his cabinet and it won't be official until it is proclaimed by the lieutenant-governor.

The premier says it's time to begin planning for what's to come after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new session will begin with an inauguralspeech, which will outline the government's priorities for the final months of its current mandate. A provincial election must take place on or before Oct. 3, 2022.

Prorogation ends work on all bills before the legislature, though the government can bring back legislation it considers essential and pick up where it left off.

The premier's office confirmed that Bill 96,the reform of the province's Charter of the French language, would be among the bills revived in a new session.

This will be the first time a Quebec premier has prorogued the legislature since Jean Charest used the procedural mechanism in February 2011.