CORONAVIRUS CRISIS – MDN CONFERENCES POSTPONED
Due to the current environment and the government’s emergency measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, most of our March electoral reform conferences have been cancelled. They will be rescheduled for later dates that are not yet determined.
REFORM OF THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND THE MDN – A HISTORIC BILL, BUT ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED

MDN President Jean-Pierre Charbonneau and Vice-President Françoise David today submitted the organization’s brief to the Commission on Institutions of the Quebec National Assembly, which is studying the draft Act 39, The Act establishing a new electoral system. At the outset, MDN representatives emphasized the historic nature of this exercise.
A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON ELECTORAL REFORM IS URGENTLY NEEDED!
LET’S GET MOVING ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE
MDN MEMBERS MET AT A SPECIAL ASSEMBLY TO DISCUSS BILL 39

At the last annual meeting held in January 2019, it was agreed that a special assembly should be convened on the subject of Bill 39 alone, after the expected tabling of a reform bill. Bill 39, the Act to establish a new electoral system, was made public on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. Three days later, members convened in advance and met at the St-Pierre Centre in Montreal to discuss the issue.
BONUSES TO WINNERS ARE UNACCEPTABLE

Last week, after the CAQ government introduced its fine-tuned Bill 39, “An Act to Establish a New Voting System”, the Mouvement Démocratie Nouvelle (MDN) spotted what looks like an attempt to favour established parties, especially the dominant party. In article 156, the bill provides that the parties that win the most local constituencies under the current system, will be given the advantage when allocating regional seats. This is a flagrant violation of the spirit of proportional representation.