**Justice Minister Rejects Premiers' Request on Notwithstanding Clause** OTTAWA - Justice Minister Sean Fraser has dismissed requests from five provincial premiers for the federal government to withdraw its legal argument regarding the Constitution's notwithstanding clause. Fraser stated that it would be "unimaginable" for the federal government to avoid involvement in a case that impacts Charter rights and could have significant long-term effects. He characterized the premiers' position as "untenable."

Fraser, who also serves as attorney general, emphasized that this issue should be resolved in the courts rather than through political discourse. "The interplay of the notwithstanding clause, vis-a-vis the rights and freedoms that the Charter guarantees to all Canadians, is something that will be of national importance, that will have lasting impacts," he said.

The federal government submitted a filing to the Supreme Court of Canada last month concerning Quebec's secularism law. In this filing, Ottawa argues that constitutional limits on the notwithstanding clause should prevent it from being used to override rights protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The notwithstanding clause allows provincial legislatures or Parliament to enact laws that effectively bypass certain Charter provisions for a period of five years.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney, the premiers of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia urged the federal government to retract its court submission. They argued that Ottawa's stance represents a "complete disavowal of the constitutional bargain that brought the Charter into being" and poses a threat to national unity. The letter described the federal government's position as a "direct attack on the foundational constitutional principles of federalism and democracy."

Fraser cautioned that Canada must be vigilant against the erosion of rights. He warned that the potential downfall of the nation would not come from external threats but from a government that undermines rights today. "If we are not very careful, we are going to see, bit by bit, the rights that we enjoy as Canadians will come to cease to exist and we will have no one but ourselves to blame," he said.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford previously criticized the court intervention, calling it "the worst decision" made by Carney. He argued that elected provincial legislatures should not be hindered by unelected judges.

The ongoing debate highlights the tension between provincial autonomy and federal oversight regarding the interpretation and application of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada.