Quebec’s ‘none of the above’ election

“None of the above.”

It’s a refrain heard often in this Quebec election campaign, as a substantial minority of voters — nearly 20 per cent who are undecided, at last count — can’t bring themselves to endorse one party over another.

Jean Charest’s Liberals? Tired, some say. Corrupt, accuse others. Pauline Marois’s separatist Parti Québécois? It brings the risk of another sovereignty referendum and economic disaster. The pro-business Coalition Avenir Québec? A wolf ’s party in sheep’s clothing. Québec solidaire? A red brigade that has no chance of winning.

So what’s a voter unhappy with all the existing choices to do?

There’s no point in waiting for a betterthan-the-rest choice to magically appear. Instead, get involved and do your research. Attend all-candidates’ meetings, compare party platforms, read up on what interest groups have to say about the platforms, examine your current MNA’s record – and, in the end, vote.

“None of the above” isn’t good enough. It accomplishes nothing except more of the same.

And yet, judging by conversations one hears and the sentiments expressed in many letters to the editor and online comments, that option seems to appeal to many voters this time around. It seems that if they could, many Quebecers would be tempted to commit an act of voter disobedience on Sept. 4, drawing in their own “NOTA” box at the bottom of their ballot and ticking that.

A poll published Thursday in La Presse indicates that 19 per cent of voters are undecided, a huge jump from 11 per cent from the week before.

Polls are fluid, of course, and it’s still too early in the campaign to tell whether people will remain undecided on election day. For now, the CROP poll suggests a PQ lead overall: 34 per cent vs. 27 for the Liberals, 25 for the CAQ and seven for QS.

Voters still have three weeks to read up and ask questions and get decisive. There’s no ex- cuse not to, as a wealth of resources allows everyone to get informed.

A good place to start (and your federal tax dollars are paying for it anyway) is the CBC’s Vote Compass (cbc.ca/votecompass), a poll that asks your opinion on a series of 30 issues and then shows you how your opinions line up with the various parties.

There are questions on the economy, on education, on the environment, minorities and immigrants, social programs, law and order, language policy, and arts and heritage — including hot-button issues like whether the crucifix should hang in the National Assembly. After you’re done, a comparative graphic plots your answers next to where the parties stand on the issues, so you get an idea of the different party platforms and how they stack up against your own view of Quebec society.

Next, you should get to know the candidates in your riding. (If you don’t know your riding, just type your postal code into the Elections Quebec website, electionsquebec.qc.ca.)

You might think you know where the party leaders stand — they get the most coverage in the media, after all — but do you know the positions of your candidates for MNA? Check out the website of your local newspaper (such as, for the West Island, westislandgazette.com) for articles and upcoming debate dates, for a start.

Continue your research on the official party websites, Facebook pages and Twitter feeds, and consult such interest groups as Greenpeace and the Montreal Board of Trade (which, as it happens, is hosting a candidates debate Friday morning).

If, after all this effort, your brain is exhausted by too much policy and opinion, take a break and let it all sink in.

Don’t leave it too late, or you risk being more confused than ever.

Talk your choices over with friends and family and colleagues. Parse. Decide. Then go vote. All of the above should help you on your way.