Enthusiasm for the reform of the voting system

Today, October 22, in Mount Royal Park, a rally of about fifty people was held demanding a reform of the voting system in Quebec elections; a cause with which 53% agree, according to a Léger poll.

In an interview, the organization reveals that the passion for the cause came to them during the election night of October 3rd. For them, the disparity between the number of votes for the different parties and the number of those elected by these parties is an attack on democracy.

A cause that has the wind in its sails…

Following the last election, several other similar groups have emerged. The most important of these is the Facebook group “Mobilization for a reform of the voting system”. Less than a month after its formation, it already has nearly 3,500 members and is planning a demonstration in front of the National Assembly on November 29. The group defines itself as a popular movement with no political affiliation and which demands only one thing: the establishment of a mixed proportional voting system with national compensation and regional distribution.

By its speed of growth, we can see a certain enthusiasm for the cause. Mouvement Démocratie Directe (MDN), an organization that has existed for more than 20 years to promote the reform of the electoral system, is not unaware of the momentum of the new group and of the cause in general. MDN even wants to let the new mobilization “take the lead in the fight”, confirm us separately Raphael Canet, coordinator of the MDN and Maël Ferland-Paquette, spokesperson for the mobilization.

…but which is far from the port.

With such popular enthusiasm, we might think we are closer than ever to making electoral reform a reality.

Not so fast, warns Raphael Canet, DND coordinator. Even if it is true that we sense an undeniable popular enthusiasm for the reform of the electoral system, the goal is currently further from being achieved than it was in the past.

For Mr. Canet, whose organization was behind the agreement signed between the opposition parties for a reform of the voting system in May 2018, the fact that the cause has already gone to the National Assembly, but that she left because of the CAQ’s broken promise, constitutes a major setback.

It is more difficult now, because there was an ongoing parliamentary process that could have succeeded. Since the political parties have backed down, the cause is back in the streets

Raphael Canet, coordinator of the New Democracy Movement.

Are we still going to go there, to the port?

For Mr. Ferland-Paquette, spokesperson for the Mobilization for a Reform of the Voting System, in addition to the demonstration, several activities are to be planned to bring the cause back to the political backstage. One of them would be an official petition tabled in the National Assembly.