Bill 108, Protecting Ontario by Upholding Honesty and Integrity Act, 2026
Chamber
ontario
Stage
Introduced
This bill requires all newly elected Ontario MPPs to take an oath of honesty and integrity before they can sit and vote.
Key Changes
- Adds a new section to the Legislative Assembly Act requiring an oath or affirmation of office for all newly elected MPPs
- MPPs must take the oath before sitting or voting in the Legislature for the first time after an election
- The oath requires MPPs to promise honesty, fairness, impartiality, and to avoid personal gain from their office
- MPPs must swear they have not accepted and will not accept bribes or improper payments
- MPPs must promise not to make statements they know to be false
- Any MPP who does not take the oath is not entitled to take their seat in the Legislature
Gotchas
- The oath applies only to MPPs elected on or after the polling day of the next general election after the bill comes into force — current sitting MPPs are not required to take it
- The bill does not specify any penalty or enforcement mechanism if an MPP violates the oath after taking it — it is unclear what consequences, if any, would follow a breach
- Ontario MPPs already take an oath of allegiance to the Crown under existing law; this bill adds a separate, additional oath focused on conduct and integrity
- The oath includes a promise not to make statements the member 'knows to be false,' but there is no defined process in the bill for investigating or acting on such violations
Who's Affected
- All newly elected Ontario MPPs starting from the next general election after the bill becomes law
- The Clerk of the Assembly, who administers the oath
- Ontario voters, who would have added assurance that their representatives are formally sworn to act with integrity
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The oath applies only to MPPs elected on or after the polling day of the next general election after the bill comes into force — current sitting MPPs are not required to take it
- The bill does not specify any penalty or enforcement mechanism if an MPP violates the oath after taking it — it is unclear what consequences, if any, would follow a breach
- Ontario MPPs already take an oath of allegiance to the Crown under existing law; this bill adds a separate, additional oath focused on conduct and integrity
- The oath includes a promise not to make statements the member 'knows to be false,' but there is no defined process in the bill for investigating or acting on such violations
Summary
Bill 108 changes the Legislative Assembly Act to make every newly elected Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) take a formal oath or affirmation before they are allowed to sit and vote in the Ontario Legislature for the first time. The oath requires them to promise to act honestly, fairly, and in the public interest — and to never accept bribes or make statements they know to be false. Right now, Ontario MPPs are not required to take this kind of specific integrity oath before taking their seat. This bill would add that requirement. The oath covers things like representing constituents fairly, not using their position for personal gain, and respecting the rules of the Legislature and the laws of Ontario and Canada. The bill was introduced by MPP Adil Shamji. It appears to be aimed at strengthening public trust in elected officials by holding them to a formal, sworn standard of conduct before they begin their duties.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses