For the first time in a general election, Élections Québec will mail election information documents to voters exclusively in French. This change has been imposed on Élections Québec as a result of amendments made to the Charter of the French language by the current Quebec government. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) sees this as an erosion of the democratic process.
“The right to vote is a cornerstone of a democratic society,” said Anaïs Bussières McNicoll, Quebec Spokesperson and Director of Fundamental Freedoms at the CCLA. “This constitutional right – which is not subject to the notwithstanding clause – protects voters’ ability to participate meaningfully in the electoral process.”
The election documents in question inform voters about how they can exercise their right to vote. They include the provincial election guide, which provides information on voting options; the notice of entry, which lists the people registered on the voter rolls and the address of the advance polling location; and the reminder card, which includes the list of candidates in the electoral division and indicates the polling place on election day.
“When a government passes a law that limits certain voters’ access to relevant information and makes their participation in elections more difficult, democratic rights are at stake,” Bussières McNicoll added. “By prohibiting Élections Québec from distributing its election information materials in English, the Quebec government is threatening the democratic rights of English-speaking Quebecers.”
Existing accommodations — namely, a QR code providing online access to information in English and certain statutory exceptions for eligible English speakers and Indigenous peoples — are simply insufficient to address this significant democratic threat.
“QR codes present accessibility challenges for certain groups, particularly seniors, people with low digital literacy, and those who do not have easy access to a smartphone or the internet,” said Bussières McNicoll. “The statutory exceptions are impractical – they place the burden on eligible voters to submit a request to Élections Québec, which then has to process the request and provide the necessary documents, all before Election Day.”
“We urge the Quebec government to stop prohibiting Élections Québec from mailing election information documents to voters in English,” Bussières McNicoll concluded.
