PQ pleading with Quebec Liberals for 'humility' as it seeks official party status
The Parti Québécois (PQ) is appealing to other political parties to grant them official party status, something that would give them more money and more visibility in the national assembly.
Following Monday night's election, they say the system is unfair, as other parties have also complained that the current electoral system is "broken" and is in need of an update.
The current rules state that a party needs at least 12 seats or 20 per cent of the vote but the PQ won only three seats on Oct. 3 and just under 14.61 per cent of the vote.
The PQ said it makes little sense that the Quebec Liberal Party got official party status even though the PQ got more votes — and a higher percentage of the vote — than the Liberals. The party is also deploring Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade for getting in the way of the separatist party from gaining the official status, and is calling on her to show some "introspection" and "humility."
After Monday's election, the Liberals got 591,077 votes (14.37 per cent of the vote) and 21 seats, whereas the PQ got 600,708 votes but won just three ridings. It harkens back to the old seats versus votes debate that was once again reignited after the 2022 election results came in.
"Given these results, we cannot accept that a party that got less votes than us considers itself legitimate to prevent us from representing more votes than them," said Pascal Bérubé, the PQ MNA for Matane-Matapédia, on Friday.
By comparison, Québec solidaire also got more votes than the Liberals — 634,535 votes or 15.43 per cent, according to Elections Quebec.
The breakdown of voter support for the major political parties in Quebec after the Oct. 3, 2022 election. (Source: Elections Quebec)
With official party status, the PQ would get about $1 million more to pay for things like additional national assembly staff, research staff, as well as more time in the Salon Bleu to ask questions.
Bérubé said the system is unfair.
"We can't stand this kind of system that doesn't count every vote in democracy. So the winner takes it all. If you win the seat, you have 100 [per cent] of the power. It cannot work that way anymore," he said Friday.
"And I feel like we're going to have this discussion sooner than later and we're going to be part of that discussion."
In order to be given official party status, MNAs in the national assembly would have to vote unanimously in favour of it. The PQ says for now, the Liberals are holding out.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.