Groupeyes changes to ‘unfair’ electoral map

A group of citizens, supported by Montreal-area mayors and councillors, is reiterating calls to have Quebec’s electoral map redrawn, claiming the current map is unfair and unreasonable.

The group had launched a court challenge last year against electoral boundary changes finalized in 2017, but the case won’t be heard until 2019.

It’s now calling on all provincial party leaders to commit to making the changes once the current election is done and before the next one is held.

According to the group, changes made to the electoral map led to a “significant disparity” in the number of voters in each riding, reduced the city of Montreal’s electoral clout and weakened the voice of minority communities.

The changes have led to “the overrepresentation of rural ridings to the detriment of city voters,” the group said in a statement released Tuesday.

The group is supported by Côte- St-Luc Mayor Mitchell Brownstein, Hampstead Mayor William Steinberg, Town of Mount Royal Mayor Philippe Roy and Montreal city councillor Marvin Rotrand, among others.

The group cites modifications to certain Montrealarea ridings as examples, including how the changes altered the D’Arcy-McGee riding, merged the ridings of Mount Royal and Outremont and transferred voters to Mercier.

The current electoral map maintains 125 ridings across the province, with an average of 48,952 voters per riding. By law, a riding can have 25 per cent more or fewer voters than the average. The group argues the disparity gives some voters more power than others.

In the statement, former Liberal MNA Lawrence Bergman, who is part of the group, said letters have been sent to party leaders asking them to agree to fix the situation.

“We hope to meet the leaders of the major parties in the coming days,” Bergman said, “and obtain assurances from them that Quebec will ultimately have a more equitable electoral map, based on fairer criteria.”