2009 Municipal Elections To Be Delayed?

The next municipal elections in the province of Quebec are scheduled to take place in November 2009. But according to my sources, they may be delayed until November 2011 in order to coincide with school board elections.  That would mean that city and town councils presently in office across the province would enjoy  unprecedented six year mandates.

Let me go on record again as stating that I strongly oppose the amalgamation of school board and municipal elections. I passed a resolution at our June council meeting, which was subsequently forwarded to  the Quebec Union of Municipalities, the Association of Suburban Municipalities, the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Michelle Courchesne,  the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Nathalie Normandeau, the Chairman of the committee studying Bill 88, Pierre Arcand,  the MNA for D’Arcy McGee, Lawrence Bergman and municipal councils in Quebec. This is the same position espoused by the English Montreal School Board, where I serve as communications and marketing specialist and by the Quebec English School Boards Association – the umbrella body for the province’s nine English boards.

Last May the Quebec government tabled Bill 88— An Act to amend the Education Act and the Act respecting school elections —to modify the laws governing public school boards and school board elections.

I have personally spoken to several Members of the National Assembly on this subject, trying to convince them that the presence of separate English and French voting lists at school board elections would create confusion at the polling stations. Let us remember that in the 2005 municipal election, there were already significant problems and delays at the polling stations. Both municipal and school board elections deserve proper attention paid to the candidates and the issues involved. The merger of these elections would be unfair to the candidates and the voters.”

We should learn very soon what Minister Courchesne has in mind. But I am told she seems convinced that the merger route is the way to go. Since it would be very difficult to do this in time for November 2009, she is apparently looking at 2011.

If the federal elections occur in October 2009, which is what a bill adopted by the Conservative government spells out, then that would be another reason to delay municipal elections.

There is still time to hopefully get the Minister to change her mind. If Premier Jean Charest would like to look into the crystal ball, he would see an embarrassing disaster unfolding at polling stations in November 2011. This is a very very bad idea. Once again, I call upon my muncipal colleagues across the province to speak up..