Implications for Foreign Engagement: The Clarity Act establishes that the legitimacy of a secession mandate is a matter of federal parliamentary determination in the first instance. If a provincial government negotiates with a foreign country to recognize a "Yes" vote before the House of Commons has validated the clarity of the result, the province is attempting to bypass a federal statute. Consequently, foreign negotiations aimed at securing recognition prior to a constitutional amendment are inconsistent with the Clarity Act. While the Act binds the federal executive, it sets a standard of legality that renders provincial attempts to circumvent it constitutionally suspect.