Forty per cent of Quebec candidates are women

The percentage of women seeking office in Quebec’s fall election has jumped to 40 per cent, the highest in the province’s history. With registration now closed for the Oct. 1 vote, Elections Quebec says it’s the first time the province has reached the “parity zone” when it comes to gender representation. Québec solidaire boasts the most female candidates with 66, while the Coalition Avenir Quebec leads the three major parties with 65 women compared with 60 men. The Quebec Liberal party, the Coalition, the Parti Québécois and Québec solidaire will all be running a full slate of 125 candidates.