Quebec election: PQ worried 'people from rest of Canada' will decide outcome
CBC News | Posted: March 23, 2014 2:43 PM | Last Updated: March 24, 2014
Parti Québécois asks for daily voter registation updates from Chief Electoral Officer
The Parti Québécois said it is "extremely worried" about concerns raised over increased anglophone and allophone voter registrations in two Montreal-area ridings.
"We want to make sure the [Chief Electoral Officer] takes the measures that we need to make sure it’s Quebecers that vote and that the election is not being decided by people from the rest of Canada," said PQ candidate Léo Bureau-Blouin, at a news conference the morning.
We want to make sure it’s Quebecers who choose their government. - Leo Bureau-Blouin, Parti Québécois candidate
As a result of the concerns, the PQ presented a list of demands to the Chief Electoral Officer, which include daily reports on voter registration and a "verification following the revision period.'
"We want to make sure it’s Quebecers who choose their government," said Bureau-Blouin.
Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Amir Khadir responded by saying that although voter registration should be careful, it is unfair to suppose every new applicant is trying to influence the election without having a legitimate right.
"I see in that a bit of fear-mongering, which is not maybe justified," said Khadir. "Those who want to vote in the Quebec election, legitimately we have to know if they intend to live here, so if there is a legitimate basis on that ground no one should be deprived of their right."
Confidence in Elections Quebec
Quebec's Chief Electoral Officer says electoral list revisers have the power to use their discretion when determining who is eligible to vote.
In a statement released yesterday, the Chief Electoral Officer said staff are trained and tested to make decisions regarding voter eligibility, and "given directives to which they may refer for guidance."
"They form an independent authority and have full jurisdiction and competency to enter new electors on the lists of electors, make corrections to the lists, or strike names from the lists," said the statement from the Directeur général des élections.
The former president of Sainte–Marie–Saint–Jacques riding's board of revisors, Mathieu Vandal, was so worried about the risk of voter fraud he quit Friday.
The domicile is the place a person considers to be his or her principal establishment, gives as a reference for the exercise of his or her civil rights. - Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
Vandal said the documents people wanting to register can provide often don't show without a doubt that they are in fact legally allowed to vote in Quebec.
The debate has revolved around the notion of where people consider to be their "domicile," and whether they intend to make Quebec their permanent place of residence.
"The notion of domicile can be complex, and questions may be raised as to its interpretation," said the Chief Electoral
What the other parties are saying:
- Liberal leader Philippe Couillard says he has confidence in Quebec's Chief Electoral officer to oversee the registration process. He says he's not surprised that more people are attempting to vote in this election.
- Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault says he believes it is the job of the Chief Electoral Officer to register everyone in Quebec who is eligible to vote. He says he has not seen anything that would suggest voter fraud.
Officer in the statement. "In other words, the domicile is the place a person considers to be his or her principal establishment, gives as a reference for the exercise of his or her civil rights, and indicates publicly as being his or her domicile."
Students refused
Meanwhile, more non-francophones — particularly students — are claiming they are being refused when trying to register.
In the riding of Saint–Henri–Sainte–Anne the president of the board of revisors, Roger Rivard, admits he's turned dozens of them away.
"Our decision is quite important because if we enter someone who is not eligible to vote, he's on the list forever and we have no right to take him off," said Rivard.
Rivard said he prefers to play it safe than to make a mistake.