As happens from time to time, the Quebec electoral map is being redrawn according to updated population data. Montreal is set to lose one of its 27 provincial ridings and Mayor Martinez Ferrada is not happy and neither are several other worthies mentioned in the item.
Interestingly, the item reminds us that the National Assembly voted last year to delay redistribution to preserve a riding in the Gaspésie, but last week the appeals court declared this law unconstitutional. Will Quebec resort to the notwithstanding clause if it wants to hold off riding redistribution? The rules for determining riding sizes are pretty basic to our form of democracy.
H. John 00:04 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
The notwithstanding clause, Section 33, is not an option.
“Section 33 allows Parliament or the legislature of a province to derogate from certain sections of the Charter, namely section 2 (fundamental freedoms), sections 7 to 14 (legal rights) and section 15 (equality rights).
It does not apply to democratic rights (section 3 — the right to vote, or sections 4 and 5 — the sitting of the House of Commons or other Canadian legislatures)….”
Kate 00:10 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
As always, thank you for putting me right, H. John.
H. John 00:29 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
Here’s the very long decision, in French:
https://www.canlii.org/fr/qc/qcca/doc/2025/2025qcca1558/2025qcca1558.html
At the top right the is an AI analysis button that provides a précis, less than a page long, of the decision – arguments and findings.
Nicholas 03:56 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
The court did the right thing, and the unanimous vote of the National Assembly to not just protect this one in the Gaspé (they didn’t care about Montreal), but to delay redistricting for another four years province-wide, meaning the imbalance between ridings will last even longer, is shameful, just straight up political (not partisan) gerrymandering. Ontario did this too. This kind of thing was ruled unconstitutional in the US in 1962 (the Supreme Court of Canada ruled we don’t have “one person, one vote”, so we can get these kinds of undemocratic distributions), and if this happened in a developing country we would describe it in withering, patronizing terms, but it’s normal here and the politicians defend it!
And to the mayor, and all the politicians complaining about losing seats: if you want more seats then build more housing and allow more people to live here.
jeather 07:50 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
The article said that the problem is that seats are based on the population eligible to vote, not the population.
Kate 10:43 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
Thank you for the decision, H. John. The AI précis button was down the left side though.
MarcG 10:46 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
The button is in the left side panel on desktop.
H. John 11:05 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
It seems the panel of buttons, which includes the AI précis, moves depending on the width of your browser window.
Kate 11:34 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
Thank you, H. John
So, riding sizes are based on eligible voters, not the population. I suppose this principle is fixed, even though the mayor wants to see it based on the general population.
I imagine Montreal would be due several more seats if that were to change, given that we’re probably the hot spot in Quebec for recent immigrants, refugees and external students all without the right to vote.
Nicholas 15:18 on 2025-12-09 Permalink
Quebec provincial ridings have been based on registered voters, not population, for a long time, so nothing is changed here between the old and new maps. But it’s the east end of Montreal that lost a seat, not the more central areas where there are more non-citizens (children also aren’t counted). I highly doubt anyone will change this, but it’s possible, though it requires changes by the National Assembly. And I agree, Montreal would likely get a few more seats, as would areas with more families, likely the suburbs.