With four by-elections taking place Monday in Quebec, ten percent of the MNAs elected two years ago will be replaced.
Whether it is quitting to run for federal politics, for family reasons, or because of a scandal, MNAs had plenty of reasons to give up the job they were elected to do.
In one case, that of Sylvie Roy, an MNA died in office.
But the dozen other resignations from the National Assembly since April 2014 were all voluntary.
There have not been this many by-elections in one term since the early 1980s, when René Levesque was premier.
There have been five resignations each from the Liberals and the Parti Quebecois, with two more from the CAQ.
The latest annual report from the Chief Electoral Officer breaks down the expenses for eight by-elections, between March 2015 and April 2016.
Those by-elections cost taxpayers more than $4 million. Combined with a by-election held in October 2014, plus Monday's by-elections in Arthabaska, Marie-Victorin, Saint-Jerome and Verdun, taxpayers are on the hook for $7 million.
That's on top of the $84 million it cost for the general election two years ago.
The Quebec branch of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation is denouncing the costly process.
"Half a million bucks per by-election is a pretty high number," said Carl Vallée.
Vallée also said MNAs should fulfill their four-year term, out of respect for voters.
"If you're a taxpayer looking at this objectively, you're thinking 'Why aren't the MNAs respecting the mandate I gave them?' I voted for a person. You would expect them to fulfill the mandate for which they were elected," said Vallée.
CAQ leader Francois Legault said it's preferable for MNAs to step down if they're no longer committed to the the job - for personal or mental health reasons.
"It's a tough job. You have to be dedicated - on nights, on weekends. If you don't have the motivation, I think it's better for everybody to have somebody else," said Legault.
The Monday by-elections are taking place in Verdun, Marie-Victorin, Arthabaska and St. Jerome.
Who has left/date of departure?
- Christian Dubé (CAQ) – August 15, 2014
- Elaine Zakaib (PQ) – September 29, 2014
- Yves Bolduc (PLQ) – February, 26, 2015
- Gerard Deltell (CAQ) – April 7, 2015
- Gilles Ouimet (PLQ) – August 24, 2015
- Marjolain Dufour (PQ) – September 10, 2015
- Marguerite Blais (PLQ) – September 15, 2015
- Robert Dutil (PLQ) – September 26, 2015
- Stephane Bedard (PQ) – October 22, 2015
- Pierre Karl Peladeau (PQ) – May 2, 2016
- Bernard Drainville (PQ) – June 13, 2016
- Sylvie Roy (independent) – July 31, 2016 (date of death)
- Jacques Daoust (PLQ) – August 19, 2016
Cost of 8 most recent by-elections covered in the Chief Electoral Officer’s 2015-2016 annual report:
- March 9, 2015: Richelieu: $541,000
- June 8, 2105: Chauveau, Jean-Talon: $1,115,300
- Nov. 9, 2015: Beauce-Sud, Fabre, Rene-Levesque, Saint-Henri-Sainte-Anne: $2,096,300
- April 11: 2016: Chicoutimi: $515,500
TOTAL: $4,277,400
