In addition to Benoit Charette, several elected caquistes have defended the reform of the electoral system in the past, argues Jean-Pierre Charbonneau, who advocates proportional participation in our electoral system.

• Also read: 4 challenges that await François Legault during his next term

• Also read: 53% of Quebecers in favor of reforming the electoral process

Bernard Drainville, Suzanne Roy, Shirley Dorismond, Jean-François Roberge, Simon Jolin-Barrette: François Legault is “surrounded by intellectuals”, scoffs the president of the New Democracy Movement, referring to the statements made by the CAQ boss who want the topic nobody cares except “a few intellectuals”.

He was responding to Minister Benoit Charette’s writings in favor of reforming the electoral system in 2016, which our Parliament office reported on Monday. “The status quo would be the worst case scenario for Quebec, Canada and democracy,” Mr. Charette wrote to a federal committee charged with investigating the issue.

Jean-Pierre Charbonneau also received the deputy deputy from the Caquiste at his home in Beloeil to explain the origin of the file. This was then taken over by Simon Jolin-Barrette, who continued to run it until an agreement was signed with the other parties, with the exception of the PLQ.

At that time, the CAQ vehemently advocated including a proportional share. But the Legault administration has since closed the door on any changes, having allowed a bill to die on the memorandum during its first term in office.

Bernard Drainville, newly elected under the CAQ banner, was formerly a PQ delegate on the electoral reform act, Mr Charbonneau recalls. He even proposed such measures in 2011 and 2012.

On election night two weeks ago, however, the new member for Lévis spoke out against a review of the system. “He had just seized power and said, ‘Well, I’m no longer interested in pleading the cause I was defending,'” said Mr. Charbonneau. The newly elected CAQ claimed that proportional systems introduce instability.

The former president of the Union of Québec Municipalities, who was elected for the first time on October 3, also supported the reform. Suzanne Roy co-signed an open letter in the fall of 2019 to emphasize that she will enable elected local officials from Quebec’s regions “to be heard more easily in the National Assembly and in government.”

Marie-Victorin MP Shirley Dorismond reiterated in a joint press release with Mr Charbonneau in April 2021: “For more than 6 months, the Legault government has made no effort to ensure that the legislative process continues”.

“Enough of the nice promises, the nice talk, the good intentions. Now is the time to act! The government must keep its word! ‘ she declared as vice-president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec.

The project was also defended by Caquisten from the very beginning. In opposition in spring 2018, Minister Jean-François Roberge regretted that the PLQ “elected 70 deputies and obtained 56% of the seats in the National Assembly, but received only 42% of the votes cast”.

His party just won 90 seats with less than 41% of the vote.

“Unlike the old parties, which have promised us this for decades and are resigning after seizing power, the CAQ is committed to introducing a bill from the first year of its term to ensure every voice in the National Assembly is heard and represented.” said the deputy in a press release.