Some are still debating English-language debate
Some are still debating the English debate.
At least four columnists in French-language newspapers on Wednesday focused on whether or not Monday’s English-language televised debate (the first ever in a Quebec election) should have taken place.
In the Journal de Montréal, two writers (Mathieu Bock–Côté and Mario Dumont) suggested the English debate was a mistake that sets a terrible precedent because it put English on the same footing as French.
In Le Devoir, one columnist was vehemently against the English debate and one was all for it.
Louise Beaudoin suggested it was “a step toward bilingualism.” And Francine Pelletier said anglophones have a place in Quebec and addressing them in English “does not send a message of excessive bilingualism, but simply a message of democracy.”
WHO’S RUNNING?
A total of 940 candidates are in the race to win the 125 seats in the National Assembly, according to Elections Quebec.
Candidates tend to be male and over 40 years old.
The average age is 45.
The proportion of female candidates has jumped — to 40 per cent, compared to 30 per cent in the 2014 election.
Only two of the four main parties — Québec solidaire and the Coalition Avenir Québec — have more women than men on their slates.
The PQ is the most male-dominated party, with 74 male and 51 female candidates. The Liberals are only slightly more balanced, with 70 men and 55 women.
As for young people, only 18 per cent of hopefuls are aged 18 to 29, compared to 23 per cent in 2014. More than six in 10 candidates are over 40.
FOR THE RECORD
■ Manon Massé of QS is 55.
■ Jean-François Lisée of the PQ is 60.
■ Philippe Couillard of the Liberals is 61.
■ François Legault of the CAQ is 61 (one month older than Couillard).
CAQ FREE FALL?
Qc125.com uses polls and previous election results to forecast the election.
It just served up more bad news for faltering CAQ Leader François Legault, who started the campaign with a comfortable lead.
In an update Wednesday, based on the two most recent surveys, the site has calculated that the CAQ would win about 52 seats today, down from the 60 predicted only a few days ago. A party needs 63 to win a majority.
Meanwhile, the Liberals would win about 47 seats (up from 44), the PQ 21 (up from 15) and QS six (up from five). (The numbers don’t add up to 125 due to rounding.)
The chance of a CAQ victory has dropped to 59 per cent, down from 78 per cent, according to the site. The chances of a Liberal win jumped to 40 per cent, from 20 per cent.
With four parties in the mix, many tight races, vote splitting among sovereignists and 38 per cent of voters still wavering, the debate on Thursday night — the final face-to-face confrontation of the campaign — could be decisive.
WHO’S VOTING?
Elections Quebec is hip with the kids.
It’s giving away Snapchat filters, T-shirts and coffee-cup sleeves in an effort to woo young voters.
Sixty-one per cent of Montrealers between the ages of 18 and 34 voted in the 2014 election, compared to 75 per cent of those 35 and older, a Université Laval study found.