electoral map

Electoral map: process is still being challenged

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – A coalition of elected officials from the Laurentians, Centre-du-Québec, and Estrie regions is seeking permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal the trial Superior Court’s decision that rejected the motion to challenge the adoption of Bill 59, the legislation that ended the electoral map revision process.

This May 29 ruling allowed the two ridings of Bonaventure and Gaspé to be retained for the October 2026 election.

At that time, Judge Alexander Pless rejected the request by elected officials from the Laurentides, Centre-du-Québec, the Brome-Missisquoi MRC, and the City of Sherbrooke against the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec and the Attorney General of Quebec to revoke the Act to interrupt the electoral district delimitation process, which was adopted by the National Assembly of Quebec in a unanimous vote on May 2, 2024.

The commission responsible for redrawing the electoral map for the 2026 and 2030 elections had proposed removing one riding in Gaspésie to create Gaspé-Bonaventure and eliminating another on the island of Montreal to establish new ridings in the Laurentians and Centre-du-Québec.

During hearings held from May 8 to 14, the Gaspésie MRCs argued that the proposed electoral map would seriously undermine the principle of effective representation and significantly harm the region’s voice in Quebec’s democratic institutions.

In the notice of appeal filed on June 27, the appellant argued that the Superior Court recognized that Bill 59 infringed on the right to vote, as protected by section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but ruled that this infringement was justified under section 1 of the Charter.

In his decision, the judge noted that “in principle, everyone’s vote must carry equal weight. However, section 3 of the Charter guarantees the right to effective representation. This requires taking into account other factors that conflict with the strict arithmetic equivalence of votes.”

However, he also concluded that the Attorney General of Quebec had successfully demonstrated that the Act was justified under section 1 of the Charter.

The appellants also note that the trial judge dismissed the option of adding ridings on the grounds that it did not have strong majority support in the National Assembly and intend to demonstrate that the judge ignored the possibility of adding four ridings without imposing on the Electoral Representation Commission where to add them, an option that was nevertheless raised by two opposition parties and for which the Attorney General of Quebec never explained why it was rejected.

The group of elected officials also explains that the trial court failed to analyze the fact that, in order to protect a single riding in Gaspésie, the legislature significantly infringed on the right to effective representation of half a million voters in constituencies in a positive exception situation and committed a mixed error of law and fact in concluding that the measure is proportional despite the detrimental effects, which it describes as significant.

The mayor of Gaspé, Daniel Côté, who is a party to the litigation, said he had received the proceedings and that his lawyers are currently reviewing the case.

“We may contest the appeal. Our lawyers are looking into the merits of the case to help us decide how to proceed. I still believe that the trial court’s decision was very well-founded and essentially echoed the Supreme Court’s Carter decision,” said Mr. Côté.

The decision upheld Bonaventure and Gaspé for the 2026 election, but the judge warned that for the subsequent election, the National Assembly would have to review the electoral law to protect what little democratic weight remains in the regions.

“I continue to believe in the principle of effective representation, which goes far beyond the number of voters in a given territory,” the mayor continued.

If the Court of Appeal hears the case, it could go all the way to the Supreme Court, but Daniel Côté does not believe that the country’s highest court will revisit the case.

“It’s possible, but the Supreme Court has already ruled on similar appeals. Unless the basis of the Carter Decision [of 1991] is called into question, that society is so different today that the Supreme Court would revisit it. But we’re not there yet,” he says.

“But the ruling is solid and was not written on the back of a napkin. It is a ruling that reflects the essence of the Supreme Court and other case law. The ruling goes into great depth. Any ruling can be challenged before the Court of Appeals, but I find the trial court’s ruling to be solid,” said the mayor of Gaspé, who is waiting for the prosecutors to take a position before going any further.
It should be noted that the commission suggested merging the ridings of Gaspé and Bonaventure, bringing together the MRCs of Côte-de-Gaspé, Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure, and Avignon to create Gaspé-Bonaventure, while Haute-Gaspésie would be transferred to the riding of Matane-Matapédia, a riding in the Lower St. Lawrence region.

As of April 30, 2023, Bonaventure had 35,898 voters and Gaspé had 30,131, far below the minimum threshold. The gap was -29.2% and -40.6%, respectively.

Gaspé ranked third among the least populous ridings, behind the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, which has exceptional status, and Ungava.

According to vote projections based on data from the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the gap between Gaspé and the average is expected to soon exceed that of Ungava.

In 2017, the commission maintained Gaspé’s negative exception status and granted the same status to Bonaventure.

However, as the representation disparities have increased, the commission declined to renew this status.

Electoral map: process is still being challenged Read More »

Gaspé Peninsula will keep two ridings in the 2026 provincial election

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula will retain its two provincial ridings – Bonaventure and Gaspé – in the next election, scheduled for October 2026. 

Judge Alexander Pless dismissed the application by elected officials from the Laurentians and Central Quebec regions against the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec and the Attorney General of Quebec to revoke the Act to interrupt the process of delimitation of electoral districts, adopted unanimously by the National Assembly of Quebec on May 2, 2024. 

The Regroupement of Gaspesian MRCs argued during the hearings held from May 8 to 14 that the electoral map on the table was highly detrimental to the principle of effective representativeness, directly impacting the representation of the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec’s democratic institutions. In his decision rendered on May 29, the judge noted that “In principle, everyone’s vote must carry equal weight. However, Section 3 of the Charter guarantees the right to effective representation. This requires consideration of other factors that conflict with the strict arithmetical equivalence of votes.” 

“I am of the opinion that the impugned law does indeed infringe the applicants’ right to vote, as guaranteed by Section 3 of the Charter. However, the Attorney General of Quebec demonstrates that the law is justified under Section 1 of the Charter. The application for a declaration of invalidity must be dismissed,” noted Justice Press. 

“This is a lengthy 43-page judgment that truly covers the state of the law on the issue of electoral districts. Its interpretation of the 1991 Carter decision on effective representativeness is exactly the same interpretation that we have,” responded Gaspé Mayor Daniel Côté. The decision upholds Bonaventure and Gaspé, but the judge warns that for the subsequent election, the National Assembly must review the electoral law to protect the little democratic weight remaining in the regions. 

“That leaves a little time, but the process for reviewing the electoral law is long because the MNAs are both judge and jury. That said, there was a commitment from all political parties to ensure a certain lasting influence for the regions of Quebec whose populations are growing less rapidly than urban centres. If we want to avoid finding ourselves in 100 years with 100 MNAs (Members of the National Assembly) in the Montreal region and 25 for all regions of Quebec, there are principles that must be reviewed in the electoral law to ensure that the regions maintain a minimum weight,” states the mayor, who is also a lawyer by training. 

The elected officials of the Laurentians and Central Quebec regions still have the option of appealing the decision. “They have the right to appeal if they believe they have been wronged. This isn’t a decision made on the spur of the moment. The judge really delves into case law and cites decisions made by the Speaker of the National Assembly where he had to rule on principles,” notes Mr. Côté. 

The deadlines for achieving their goals are very tight, particularly for the Electoral Commission, which was told in November to continue its review work while keeping its report secret. 

“For now, that’s what the judge says because the 2017 map will prevail in 2026,” explains Mr. Côté. What the judge is saying is what is more damaging? Removing one of the two ridings in the Gaspé Peninsula or ensuring the principle of one voter, one vote for the regions surrounding Montreal? He concludes that what is more damaging is removing a riding in the Gaspé Peninsula,” the mayor quotes. 

Prior to the court’s decision, Quebec had indicated it was waiting for the ruling before taking a position, while elected officials in the region hoped the National Assembly would adopt a revision of the electoral law before the court’s decision. 

“The judgment that will be rendered will be important, crucial for the future. We will wait for the judgment to be rendered. Considering the nature of the judgment, we will see what options will be presented to us. Our intention remains the same: to impose the known framework for the next election and promote new inputs on regional representation. The process is underway; we are awaiting the judgment,” stated Gaspé Member of the National Assembly Stéphane Sainte-Croix on May 23. 

In December, Judge Annie Breault of the Superior Court of the District of Terrebonne partially granted the interlocutory injunction requested by elected officials from the Laurentides and Centre-du-Québec regions and ordered the Commission on Representation on the Electoral Map to continue its work, but maintained in force for the time being the Act that halted the revision of the electoral map. 

The court allowed the Director General of Elections, or Quebec’s Electoral Officer, to complete its work and eventually file a second report, as required by the electoral law, should the court rule that the Act adopted in May to suspend the electoral law was invalid. 

The MRC group pointed out that the electoral map on the table was highly detrimental to the principle of effective representation, directly impacting the representation of the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec’s democratic institutions. 

The group made representations to the court on November 28, 2024, to become a stakeholder in the case. 

It should be mentioned that the Commission suggested merging the ridings of Gaspé and Bonaventure, bringing together the MRCs of Côte-de-Gaspé, Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure, and Avignon, to create Gaspé-Bonaventure, while Haute-Gaspésie would be transferred to the riding of Matane-Matapédia, a Lower St. Lawrence riding. As of April 30, 2023, Bonaventure had 35,898 voters and Gaspé 30,131, far from the minimum threshold. The gap was -29.2% and -40.6%, respectively. 

Gaspé ranked third among the least populous ridings, behind the Magdalen Islands, which has exceptional status, and Ungava. According to projections of the number of voters based on data from the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the gap compared to the average in Gaspé should soon surpass that of Ungava. 

In 2017, the commission maintained the negative exceptional status for Gaspé and granted the same status for Bonaventure. 

However, since the inequalities in representation in these ridings are increasing, the commission did not wish to renew this status. In addition to removing a riding in the Gaspésie, the commission suggested doing the same thing in Montreal to create a riding in the Laurentians and another in Central Quebec. 

Gaspé Peninsula will keep two ridings in the 2026 provincial election Read More »

Federal election: Jean-Pierre Pigeon tries his luck for the fourth time

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

SAINTE-ANNE-DES-MONTS – Defeated in his first three attempts, longtime Conservative activist Jean-Pierre Pigeon will once again be a candidate for the party in the next election in Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine-Listuguj. 

“I don’t know if this time will be the right one. It will be up to the people of our riding to decide. I’ve been ready since 2015,” says the man who lost each time to Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) Diane Lebouthillier. The man who served under Dr. Charles-Eugène Marin between 1984 and 1993 notes that it will be necessary to focus on the challenges in the riding at a time when a tariff war triggered by the United States is raging. 

“People are worried. But it’s not just this economic crisis that’s likely to happen. We need to talk about the needs of our population versus what Ottawa will do for our riding. That requires someone who will be in power,” says Mr. Pigeon. 

However, the Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine MP has been in power since 2015, and Mr. Pigeon maintains that the Liberal representative “has done her job.” 

Jean-Pierre Pigeon believes he has the necessary connections to move the riding forward if the Conservatives take power. “With the contacts I’ve had in the Conservative Party for nearly five decades, people in Ottawa know me. I know the vast majority of the people in the shadow cabinets.” I know how to do politics. I had a mentor named Charles-Eugène Marin who showed me how to do politics,” recalls the man who has been involved in politics at the school, municipal, and sports levels. 

Public finances, with the significant deficits left by the Liberals for the past 10 years, will be a major issue.  “When Stephen Harper left power in 2015, there was no credit card for everyday needs. There is a way to do things, and I am confident that the people who will form the government will be able to reconcile the elements to strike a balance between paying off the credit card, which has been staggering for the past 10 years, and meeting people’s needs. But we will have to make some sacrifices,” warns Mr. Pigeon.  “But we will have to help the Gaspé,” he adds. 

The Liberals have a renewed energy with the arrival of Mark Carney. 

“We remember that in the United States, there was a certain Mr. Biden who took his time leaving. “It’s similar to what Mr. Trudeau did. Ms. Harris came in and boosted the polls, and what happened? The polls collapsed because the Republicans had done the long-term work. We might see the same scenario in Canada. Mr. Carney is the flavour of the month, but it won’t last,” says Mr. Pigeon, who has supported the Conservatives since Joe Clark in the late 1970s. 

Given the size of the newly redrawn riding. Mr. Pigeon plans to focus on technological tools to connect voters rather than relying solely on traditional in-person visits. 

Federal election: Jean-Pierre Pigeon tries his luck for the fourth time Read More »

Federal map: Gaspesian politicians are disappointed

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – Elected officials in the Gaspé Peninsula are disappointed with the Federal Court’s decision on February 21 to reject the judicial review of the decision of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the province of Quebec, which eliminated the riding of Avignon–La Mitis–Matane–Matapédia on April 24, 2024. 

“It hurts the heart. It hurts the region. All we want is to be represented like the other regions. If our territory is too large, which does not respect the characteristics, the administrative boundaries, the natural borders, it means that our region cannot be well represented,” says Gaspé Mayor Daniel Côté. 

“What the court has just rendered as a decision is that we will apply the purely mathematical accounting principle and the effective representativeness recognized by the Carter Decision of the Supreme Court, we will put that aside and that will end there. I respect the courts. I hope that this decision will be appealed,” adds the mayor. 

The parties have 30 days to file an appeal. 

Mathieu Lepointe, the president of the Gaspé Peninsula Table of Prefects, shares the disappointment. 

“It is disappointing for the Gaspésie but also for all the regions of the country. It is always a challenge to properly represent our issues and our realities within Parliament in Ottawa, it requires a decent number of MPs,” says Mathieu Lapointe. 

“We saw it recently with the announcement of Kristina Michaud’s departure. We see that it will have concrete impacts on the ground. It will be an even greater challenge for the people who will have to represent these territories that will be immense,” notes the president. 

As a result of the decision, the Matanie and Avignon MRCs have been merged into the Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine-Listuguj riding, while Matapédia and La Mitis have been incorporated into the Rimouski-La Matapédia riding. 

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Diane Lebouthillier, said she was reserving her comments for the moment. 

Provincial boundaries 

also in question 

The situation is happening again at the provincial level. “We see the same kind of situation happening again. That is why the Table of prefects is very present, even at the legal level, to make our concerns heard and ensure that the Gaspésie does not lose another riding at the provincial level. With two MNAs, it is not too many for the Gaspésie,” says Mr. Lapointe. 

Meanwhile, elected officials of the Laurentides and Centre-du-Québec are contesting the Act that suspended the revision of the map. 

The Quebec Electoral Representation Commission has proposed merging the ridings of Gaspé and Bonaventure, combining the MRCs of Côte-de-Gaspé, Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure and Avignon, into a new Gaspé-Bonaventure riding, while Haute-Gaspésie would be transferred to the riding of Matane-Matapédia, a Lower St. Lawrence riding. 

As of April 30, 2023, Bonaventure had 35,898 registered voters, while Gaspé had 30,131, both well below the minimum threshold. The gap was -29.2% and -40.6% respectively. 

Gaspé ranked as the third least populous riding, behind the Magdalen Islands, which has exceptional status, and Ungava. 

According to projections of the number of voters based on data from the Quebec Institute of Statistics, the gap with respect to the average for Gaspé should soon surpass that of Ungava. 

In 2017, the Commission had maintained Gaspé’s negative exception status and granted the same status to Bonaventure. 

Federal map: Gaspesian politicians are disappointed Read More »

Court rejects bid to restore riding 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

CARLETON-SUR-MER – On February 21, the Federal Court rejected the request by lawyer Alexis Deschênes and Droits collectifs Québec for judicial review of the decision of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the province of Quebec that eliminated the riding of Avignon–La Mitis–Matane–Matapédia on April 24, 2024. 

In his 32-page ruling, Judge Sébastien Grammond stated that “The reasons given by the Commission to justify the elimination of the riding of Avignon–La Mitis–Matane–Matapédia were reasonable and consistent with the principle of effective representation developed by the Supreme Court. Indeed, the relative parity of electoral power is the essential component. The Commission was aware of the issues related to the size of the constituencies in rural or remote regions, but it was reasonable to conclude that these issues no longer justified the existence of a constituency whose population was nearly 36% lower than the average population of Quebec constituencies.” 

The judge recalled the entire procedure that led the commission to develop its conclusions. 

In his analysis, he added that “The Commission clearly understood the legal principles that governed its mission. It took into consideration the arguments presented to it during the public hearings. It retained certain suggestions that were made to it and it modified the boundary between the proposed constituencies of Rimouski–La Matapédia and Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine–Listuguj in order to respect the boundaries of the MRCs. However, it maintained its recommendation to eliminate the constituency of Avignon–La Mitis Matane–Matapédia. Although the applicants disagree, this is a reasonable decision. I was not convinced that the Commission made the errors that the applicants accuse it of,” continued Justice Grammond. He also ordered the applicants to pay $6,000 to the Attorney General and $2,000 to Elections Canada for costs, including taxes and expenses. 

“When you file a judicial review, you analyze the decision made by the commission and conclude that the decision is unreasonable. It is always a very difficult remedy to obtain because the judge could be of the opinion that the decision is not the best, but the burden is higher. The judge had to decide whether the decision was reasonable. And that is what he concluded,” responded Mr. Deschênes after reading the decision. 

An appeal is not out of the question. “The fight is not over and we will continue to fight for the political weight of our regions. We will analyze the possibility of appealing the judgment. We have 30 days to do it. And if I am elected, I promise to bring this battle to the political stage and, as an MP, to introduce a bill that will aim to protect Quebec’s political weight and ensure better representation of the regions in Ottawa,” says the Bloc candidate for Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine-Listuguj in preparation for the next election. 

Even if an election is held under the new electoral map, it could still be reversed. “It’s an outcome that is possible. Of course it takes a little time, but it’s not impossible,” says Mr. Deschênes. 

The hearing took place on February 5. The judge had indicated that a decision would be made quickly due to the potential for an imminent federal election. 

Court rejects bid to restore riding  Read More »

Abolition of Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia riding 

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Droits collectifs Québec confident of reversing the decision 

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – Droits collectifs Québec remains confident following the February 3 hearing before the Federal Court regarding the judicial review application challenging the abolition of the federal riding of Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia. 

“We come out of this quite confident. We have presented the arguments of fact and law for maintaining the riding of Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia. The Attorney General of Canada and Elections Canada have done their job. There was a good exchange of arguments,” notes the attorney for Droits collectifs Québec, François Côté. 

“Is Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia a riding that is characterized by distinctive elements? Is there really a prejudice suffered by voters in the electoral division? The opposing parties argued the opposite. It remains to be seen how the judge will weigh the arguments,” adds Mr. Côté, noting that the magistrate was very attentive and interested in the debate before him. 

The judge is aware that time is of the essence, as elections could occur fairly quickly. 

“He openly said that he was sensitive to time in the case and would try to render a decision as soon as possible. We sense a desire on the part of all parties to settle this matter before the elections,” maintains the attorney. 

The big question raised by Droits collectifs Québec is: do the voters of the Gaspésie have the right, in the name of the principle of elective representation, to have their own constituency or not? 

The application for judicial review is based on an opinion formulated by the Supreme Court of Canada in the context of the Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries in Saskatchewan and the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act. 

Before the debate, Mr. Côté indicated that “We had to ask ourselves the question of whether democracy and life across a state is only a matter of absolute numbers, or is there such a thing as regional interests, that local particularities deserve to have a distinct voice even though numerically, they would not be on an equal footing. And the answer to this question for more than 300 years in our modern democracies is yes, they deserve it,” he said. 

Regions, communities, geographic areas and regional histories also count in the debate. The Attorney General of Canada, in his brief, argued instead for numerical parity. 

The adopted map, presented in the summer of 2022, provoked an outcry of protest from the entire political class in Gaspésie. 

Avignon and Matanie are included in the new riding of Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine-Listuguj while Matapédia and Mitis are in Rimouski-La Matapédia. 

The Federal Court had not granted a stay to maintain Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia pending a decision on the merits. 

Abolition of Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia riding  Read More »

FEDERAL RIDInG MODIFICATIONS: Application for judicial review heard by federal court

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPE – On February 3, the application for judicial review challenging the decision to abolish the federal riding of Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia was heard before the Federal Court. 

On January 22, Droits collectifs Québec received the court summons to present legal arguments, which are expected to take the entire day, as both parties filed their briefs last fall. 

“There will be exhibits, factual elements, but above all, it will be a major legal debate on whether the voters of Gaspésie have the right, in the name of the principle of elective representation, to have their own riding or not. This is the issue that will be debated before the courts and that will be decided later, quickly, we hope, by the Federal Court,” notes attorney François Côté for Droits collectifs Québec. 

The application for judicial review is based on an opinion given by the Supreme Court of Canada in the Saskatchewan Provincial Electoral Districts and Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act Reference. 

“We ask ourselves whether democracy and life across a state is only a matter of absolute numbers or is there such a thing as regional interests, that local particularities deserve to have a distinct voice even though numerically, they would not be on par. And the answer to this question for more than 300 years in our modern democracies is ‘yes, they do,’” argues Mr. Côté. 

In the debate, regions, communities, geographic areas and regional histories also play a significant role. 

However, the Attorney General of Canada, in his factum, argues for numerical parity. “The argument of the Attorney General of Canada and Elections Canada is numerical parity. In theory, the argument is not without validity in an absolute world. If you have 100 voters for one MP (Member of Parliament) while in another riding, you have 50 voters for one MP, the voters in the second riding have twice as much power. This is the calculation made by the Attorney General and Elections Canada: the population density of the Gaspésie does not justify having so many ridings,” says Mr. Côté. 

The prosecutor notes that at the provincial level, Quebec backed down on its electoral map revision and maintained the riding of Gaspé for the moment with the same concept of elective representation. 

The adopted map that was presented in the summer of 2022 provoked much protest from the entire political class in the Gaspé Peninsula. 

Avignon and Matanie are sent to the new riding of Gaspésie-Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine-Listuguj while Matapédia and Mitis are in Rimouski-La Matapédia. 

The Federal Court had not granted a stay to maintain Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia pending a decision on the merits. With elections likely in the spring, the matter remains urgent. 

“Given the urgency of the situation, we made it clear to the Federal Court. We made representations. Everyone understands that there is an imperative to decide the matter quickly. We hope that the deliberations will not take too long. With a hearing on February 3, we can hope for a judgment before the election is called,” says the prosecutor. 

The possibility of filing an urgent motion remains if circumstances require it. 

“Initially, we filed a stay that was refused by the court because we did not meet the urgency criterion. However, as soon as an election is called, it would be possible to obtain a stay during the deliberations. The option is always there,” he believes. 

FEDERAL RIDInG MODIFICATIONS: Application for judicial review heard by federal court Read More »

Bloc leader understands Kristina Michaud’s decision 

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

OTTAWA – The leader of the Bloc Québécois understands Member of Parliament (MP) Kristina Michaud’s decision to devote herself to motherhood rather than the next electoral campaign. Yves-François Blanchet points out that the two have been discussing the situation for several weeks. 

“The timing is simply bad. The election is coming at the end of her pregnancy, which is not ideal for Kristina. It’s a new riding which reaches the Magdalen Islands and then, with a baby, to travel regularly to Ottawa. It’s huge,” mentions the Bloc leader. 

Usually, accommodations are possible to support young mothers. “Here, we are in an unreal situation. I understand the situation very well,” adds Mr. Blanchet. He notes that six or seven MPs have had children during the current legislature. “It works very well, but Kristina Michaud’s case is something else,” continues the Bloc leader. 

“Kristina was very brilliant in the political world and she will come back, I am convinced of it,” praises Mr. Blanchette. 

Without belittling the other members of his caucus, replacing Ms. Michaud at short notice will be a challenge. “We have an obligation to have a candidacy that will be brilliant. It’s a challenge that we will overcome in the coming days with enthusiasm,” he assures, adding that he does not want to drag things out, especially since an election could come quickly.  “We have so much momentum that the choice of candidates is going very well,” says the leader. 

Several names have been suggested 

Asked whether Guy Bernatchez, who was a Bloc candidate in the last two elections, was approached, Mr. Blanchet remains reserved. “I am not mentioning any names because only one candidate will emerge at the end of the process and I do not want to overshadow those who will not be candidates,” explains the Bloc leader. 

When contacted, Mr. Bernatchez, who was in the running in 2019 and 2021, finishing behind Liberal MP Diane Lebouthillier, did not want to give an interview. He simply mentioned that he would have to think about it. 

The withdrawal of Ms. Michaud, who had indicated last April in Grande-Rivière that she was in the race in the new riding of Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine-Listuguj, has also sparked discussions within the Conservatives. 

A Conservative candidate in 2015, 2019 and 2021 in Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Jean-Pierre Pigeon indicates that he is in discussions with the senior authorities of his party about a possible candidacy for the next election. 

Having worked in the insurance industry for 50 years, Mr. Pigeon is focusing first on the end of his career as he has sold his firm. The transaction will be effective on March 1. If he decides to run, the man who has been campaigning for the party since the days of Joe Clark would be in his fourth fight against Liberal MP Diane Lebouthillier, first elected in 2015. 

Asked to comment on Ms. Michaud’s departure, the Liberal MP sent a short reaction. “We hope she has a good end to her pregnancy and that she fully enjoys this precious moment as a mother,” said Ms. Lebouthillier from Newfoundland and Labrador, where she was on tour as the Minister of Fisheries. 

Bloc leader understands Kristina Michaud’s decision  Read More »

The Act suspending the revision of the electoral map remains valid… for now

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Superior Court is not suspending the Act adopted by Quebec that put the revision of the Quebec electoral map on hold. 

However, Judge Annie Breault of the Superior Court of the District of Terrebonne partially grants the interlocutory injunction requested by elected officials from the Laurentians, and Central Quebec, ordering the Commission de la représentation sur la carte électorale to continue its work. 

“When you look at the first reading, you would have the impression of having lost. But, honestly, the Act that stopped the revision of the electoral map remains in force. The only thing the judgment says is that the Commission de la représentation électorale can finish its report. Period. And it (the Commission) must keep its report secret and not submit it to the National Assembly,” comments the mayor of Gaspé and spokesperson for the file for the Gaspé Peninsula Table of Prefects, Daniel Côté. 

He is listed as a respondent in the request filed for the table to be an intervening party in the debate. 

The elected officials of the Laurentides and Centre-du-Québec regions have filed a legal action against the Director General of Elections of Quebec and the Attorney General of Quebec to have this law revoked and for the process of revising the electoral map to resume. 

On May 2, the National Assembly of Quebec, in a unanimous vote, adopted the Act to interrupt the process of delimiting electoral districts. 

The group of MRCs pointed out that the electoral map on the table was then highly detrimental to the principle of effective representation, directly affecting the representation of Gaspésie in the democratic institutions of Quebec. 

The group made representations before the court on November 28 to become a stakeholder in the case. 

“I assume that the decision that was rendered does not add much more. We could ultimately qualify it as a kind of first victory for our region, even if upon reading the judgment, one might think otherwise. The only victory for our counterparts in the Laurentians and Central Quebec is that the Chief Electoral Officer has the right to finish his report, but must keep it to himself,” analyzes Mr. Côté, who is also a lawyer. 

The court, therefore, allows the Chief Electoral Officer to complete his work and eventually file his second report as provided for in the electoral law if the court were to rule that the Act adopted in May to suspend the electoral law was invalid. 

“This is how we are preserving the two Gaspésie ridings, at least for now. There will be a trial on the merits of the matter and a decision will be made in the coming weeks or months. At the same time, in the National Assembly, we continue to believe that the government is doing the work promised, that is to say, to thoroughly review the electoral law. If a new version arrives somewhere in the spring, the appeal will become unfounded,” mentions the elected official from Gaspé. 

He hopes that the law will include the concept of elective representation with criteria such as geographic extent or belonging to a territory. 

“If the law provides for these elements, we could achieve our ends and end the debate,” he believes. 

The pressure is now on the Parliamentarians to resolve the matter quickly. Mr. Côté also adds that the elected officials unanimously resolved to review the electoral law. “If they agreed that the current electoral law should be reviewed, I dare to hope that they will agree on a new law quickly rather than letting the judiciary do the work of the legislator,” he says. 

“For a region like ours that already suffers from democratic underweight, it becomes one of our priorities to have a law that will respect the Gaspé reality and that will ensure us two votes in the National Assembly rather than one,” analyzes Mr. Côté. 

Could the Gaspé Peninsula or the other two regions appeal? 

“The court came to split the difference. It did not say a categorical ‘yes’ to one party and a categorical ‘no’ to another party. Our colleagues wanted the process to resume. A small part can resume. For our part, we wanted the law that suspends the overhaul of the map to remain in force. For us, it is also a bit of a victory,” says the mayor. 

Prosecutors and elected officials from the prefects’ table will be consulted to see if an appeal could be possible, but Mr. Côté doubts that the Gaspésie will go in this direction. 

Recall that the commission suggested merging the counties of Gaspé and Bonaventure, grouping the MRCs of Côte-de-Gaspé, Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure and Avignon, to create Gaspé-Bonaventure, while Haute-Gaspésie would be transferred to the riding of Matane-Matapédia, a Lower St. Lawrence riding. 

As of April 30, 2023, Bonaventure had 35,898 voters and Gaspé had 30,131, far from the minimum threshold planned. The gap was -29.2% and -40.6% respectively. Gaspé was ranked third among the least populous ridings, behind the Magdalen Islands, which has an exceptional status, and Ungava. 

According to projections of the number of voters based on data from the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the gap with respect to the average for Gaspé should soon surpass that of Ungava. 

In 2017, the commission maintained the negative exceptional status for Gaspé and granted the same status to Bonaventure. However, since the inequalities in representation of these ridings are increasing, the Commission did not wish to renew this status. 

In addition to removing a riding in the Gaspésie, the Commission suggested doing the same thing in Montreal, while creating a riding in the Laurentians and another in Central Quebec.

The Act suspending the revision of the electoral map remains valid… for now Read More »

The Gaspé Peninsula will be heard in the legal debate on the provincial electoral map

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula will finally be heard in the challenge of elected officials from the Laurentians and Centre-du-Québec who are seeking to cancel the law that suspends the process of reforming the electoral map. 

The court accepted the request of the elected officials of the region during a hearing in Saint-Jérôme, in the Laurentians, on November 27. 

“The court accepted that the Gaspésie be an integral part of the upcoming judicial start. It was the first fight that we had to give. We received 100% of what we asked for: we wanted a so-called conservative intervention. That is to say, to be able to produce evidence and hear witnesses when we get to the debate on the merits,” explains Daniel Côté, spokesperson for the electoral map file for the Table des préfets de la Gaspésie. 

Mr. Côte who is also the mayor of Gaspé points out that the proposal for the new electoral map would result in the Gaspésie losing a riding. 

“I have nothing against Drummondville, but the new map would give the city of Drummondville and the surrounding villages three members of the National Assembly while Gaspésie would only have one member. That’s what doesn’t make sense in the current debate,” says the mayor, who once again refers to effective representation, a principle that is not defined in the electoral law. 

“That’s what the Carter decision of the Supreme Court said in 1991: it’s about something other than one voter, one vote. It is also the geographical area, the administrative boundaries, belonging to the territory, and access to the members of the National Assembly. This is the kind of thing that must be taken into account and the electoral law should be written down in black and white. I think that is what the National Assembly wanted to do by suspending the process,” Mr. Côté adds. 

According to him, the judge who heard the case was a great listener and understood the issue. “In her opinion, not hearing from Gaspésie didn’t make sense. Just being heard by the court, being able to support an argument that will probably support that of the Attorney General of Quebec by providing regional insight, will give a boost to the debate,” he believes. 

The hearing on the merits will likely be held next May. “This is the kind of constitutional case that could end up before the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court. It could happen that we have years of legal debate,” says the mayor. 

The elected officials of the Laurentides and Centre-du-Québec were requesting, while waiting for the substantive debate, an interlocutory injunction to suspend the Act that suspended the revision of the map. 

A decision could be rendered soon on the injunction or the judge will give the time when she plans to do so. 

“If the judge does not grant the interlocutory injunction, we will wait a few more months before having a legal debate. This is time gained for the National Assembly to consider the revision of the Election Act,” continued the mayor. 

On May 2, 2024, the National Assembly of Quebec, in a unanimous vote, adopted the Act to interrupt the process of delimitation of electoral districts. 

The commission suggested merging the ridings of Gaspé and Bonaventure, bringing together the MRCs of Côte-de-Gaspé, Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure and Avignon to create Gaspé-Bonaventure, while Haute-Gaspésie would be transferred to the riding of Matane-Matapédia in the Lower St. Lawrence region. 

The Gaspé Peninsula will be heard in the legal debate on the provincial electoral map Read More »

Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia abolition contested – not before 2025

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The judicial review request following the decision to abolish the federal riding of Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia will not be heard before the beginning of 2025 according to a report by Droits collectifs Québec following a management conference on July 25.

The judge asked the attorney for Droits collectifs Québec, François Côté, to file his brief on August 16.
“The case is continuing but, unfortunately, for a hearing in the fall, hopes have been dashed out of hand by the length of the legal proceedings,” explains Mr. Côté. The Attorney General of Canada contested Droits collectifs Québec’s right to act, a motion that Justice Alexandra Steele dismissed in July.

Thus, the Attorney General and Elections Canada will have until November 15 to file their complete case to defend the abolition of the riding.

“We must file a request for a hearing by November 29, 2024, at the latest. We have completed our steps and the ball is now in the court of the Attorney General and Elections Canada,” said Mr. Côté.
“I don’t expect to get through (to be heard) before November 29, even with a miracle. I would be surprised if there were dates available between November 29 and December 31. We are heading towards something a little later than I had hoped,” notes the lawyer.

In the event of an early election call, the application for judicial review may not have been heard. Voting is scheduled for October 2025.

“We can only find it unfortunate that the courts did not uphold our request for a stay during the proceedings. If we find ourselves in a situation where we win our case while an election is called, there are questions to be asked about the speed and manner in which the rights of voters will be guaranteed by the Attorney General and Elections Canada. For the moment, we are in a hypothetical situation. We will hope for a resolution in the best-case scenario and everything is going well,” says Mr. Côté.

The application for judicial review is based on an opinion rendered by the Supreme Court of Canada referencing the Provincial Electoral Boundaries in Saskatchewan and the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act.

“The basic argument is that of effective representation and effective representation is not just a question of numbers. Regions, communities, geographic areas and regional histories also matter. If we only had a system with one head, one vote, we would have a democracy where the large metropolises have all the political power, which means that the less dense regional entities could not make their voices heard in a democracy,” argues Mr. Côté.

“Our parliamentary system tries to balance the two by having a system based on the right to vote, but which also takes into account the regions, the regional specificities, so that the diversity of everything that makes up a society does not only take into account the simple number of the population, but also its variety,” he maintains.

The adopted map presented in the summer of 2022 provoked an outcry from the entire political community in the Gaspé Peninsula.

Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia abolition contested – not before 2025 Read More »

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