Prefects in the Laurentians denounce postponement of electoral map revision

A person votes in the Quebec election. (LA PRESSE CANADIENNE/Jacques Boissinot)

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government's decision to postpone reform of the provincial electoral map has raised the ire of prefects in the Laurentians region.

They claim that maintaining the current map until 2030 will undermine the weight of their electors' votes.

Last fall, the Commission de la représentation électorale presented a proposal to revise the electoral map to eliminate one riding in Gaspésie and one in the east end of Montreal.

On the other hand, two new ridings would be created: Marie-Lacoste-Gérin-Lajoie in Centre-du-Québec and Bellefeuille in the Laurentians.

In February, politicians from all parties denounced the proposed revision, saying Gaspésie was gradually losing its political weight and that the size of the ridings was becoming disproportionate.

At the end of March, Quebec's minister responsible for democratic institutions, Jean-François Roberge, accepted the opposition parties' request to postpone the electoral map reform.

The government is now expected to table a bill to maintain the current electoral map for the 2026 elections.

It says it will then launch a study on criteria to consider when drawing up the 2030 map.

In a press release issued Monday morning, the seven Laurentian prefects and the mayor of Mirabel denounced the government's decision.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 8, 2024.