Quebec chief electoral officer releases report

Quebec chief electoral officer releases detailed report on MMP system (December 21, 2007)

Marcel Blanchet, Quebec’s Chief Electoral Officer, today issued a detailed 400 page report analyzing various features for a mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system for Quebec. His report responded to a government request to examine eight specific issues, including proportionality, geographic representation, and better representation for women and enthnocultural minorities.

The prior Liberal government had tabled draft legislation for an MMP system, but a subsequent all-party special committee failed to reach agreement on specific  features of the proposed system.

MMP for Quebec National Assembly?

While the report does not make specific recommendations, it favourably presented the arguments for having nine regions for the list (or at-large) candidates. The report also highlighted that the percentage of women parliamentarians could easily be boosted by requiring parties to alternate men and women on the regional candidate lists, and requiring that half the regional lists have a woman at the top.

When first elected premier in 2003, Jean Charest promised to introduce a proportional voting system within two years. While draft legislation for an MMP system was prepared in 2006, the government has done little to honour its commitment on electoral reform.

The full report and summary documents from the Chief Electoral Officer are available here:

http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca:80/en/nouvelleDetail.asp?id=117&typeN=1