Liberal, solidarity and PQ elected officials united their voices on Friday in Montreal to denounce the electoral reform planned in Quebec, which they describe as “catastrophic”. If this materializes in the version envisaged by the Electoral Representation Commission (CRE), the task of elected officials in eastern Montreal will be increased and the quality of services provided to citizens reduced, they said. warned.
In its preliminary report, the CRE, which was summoned to a parliamentary committee last month, proposes modifying the borders of 55 electoral districts in Quebec, which has 125. The organization, which is currently working on a revised report expected on next fall, plans to be able to determine a new electoral map in time for the 2026 general elections.
However, this electoral map, if it is based on the model provided for in the preliminary report of the CRE, would disrupt the daily lives of several elected officials, starting with that of the member for Rosemont, whose constituency could be renamed Rosemont–Louis-Riel following the disappearance of the current constituency of Anjou–Louis-Riel.
However, the east of Montreal is currently at the heart of several projects aimed at revitalizing its economy, while the extension of the blue metro line to Anjou as well as the expected arrival of other structuring modes of transport will not do anything. so as to contribute to an increase in the population of this sector.
The solidarity deputy for Rosemont, Vincent Marissal, as well as the PQ leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, and the liberal elected official Madwa-Nika Cadet thus in turn expressed on Friday their fears that by losing a constituency, residents from the east of Montreal are no longer able to be adequately served by their provincial elected officials. At the same time, the latter would see the burden of their work increase, they stressed.
“But it’s not just my constituency that would be affected. There are several constituencies which are almost devastated by what was proposed to us,” noted Mr. Marissal, during a press conference held in his constituency. He then recalled in particular that the elimination of a constituency in Gaspésie is also envisaged as part of this reform of the electoral map, which the MP did not hesitate to describe as “catastrophic”.
Elected officials are therefore calling for a moratorium on this reform while changes are made to the Electoral Act, in particular so that the growth of the entire population of constituencies – and not just the number of voters – is taken into account. in the process of reform of the electoral map. This process would thus resume in 2026 so that a new electoral map is determined in time for the general elections of 2030, proposed Madwa-Nika Cadet.
More details will follow.