▁federal ▁government ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁reply ▁by ▁ 1 0 ▁October , ▁with ▁another ▁month ▁for ▁a ▁reply ▁from ▁the ▁challeng ing ▁parties . ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁B ouch ard ▁ruled ▁that ▁Canada ▁" did ▁not ▁have ▁to ▁change ▁its ▁laws ▁nor ▁its ▁Constitution ▁for ▁the ▁British ▁royal ▁succession ▁rules ▁to ▁be ▁am ended ▁and ▁effective " ▁and ▁constitution al ▁convention ▁committed ▁Canada ▁to ▁having ▁a ▁lines ▁of ▁succession ▁symmet rical ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁other ▁Commonwealth ▁real ms . ▁The ▁r uling ▁was ▁appe aled ▁by ▁the ▁pla int iffs ▁and ▁a ▁hearing ▁was ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Quebec ▁Court ▁of ▁App e al ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁The ▁court ▁released ▁its ▁decision ▁u ph old ing ▁the ▁lower ▁court ▁jud g ement ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁pla int iffs ▁completed ▁an ▁application ▁for ▁leave ▁to ▁appeal ▁the ▁Court ▁of ▁App e al ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁of ▁Canada ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁April , ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁of ▁Canada ▁decl ined ▁the ▁application ▁for ▁leave ▁to ▁appeal , ▁ ▁bringing ▁the ▁matter ▁to ▁a ▁close . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Canadian ▁constitution al ▁law ▁ ▁Canadian ▁federal ism ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Su cc ession ▁to ▁the ▁Th r one ▁Act , ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁Justice ▁La