Feds to protect number of Quebec’s Commons seats, stop province losing MP
Summary
The federal government is preparing to take action to ensure that Quebec does not lose a seat when Canada’s electoral map is redrawn. Jean-Sébastien Comeau, press secretary to Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, says the government rejects any scenario where […]
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The federal government is preparing to take action to ensure that Quebec does not lose a seat when Canada’s electoral map is redrawn.
Jean-Sébastien Comeau, press secretary to Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, says the government rejects any scenario where Quebec loses a seat and is working on a way to ensure that does not happen.
His remarks follow the passing this week of a Commons motion tabled by the Bloc Québécois rejecting a proposal to redistribute parliamentary seats in a way that means Quebec loses an MP.
Canada’s chief electoral officer calculated the proposed redistribution of seats last year based on a mathematical model applied to population.
Quebec’s 78 MPs would be reduced to 77 — the first time since 1966 that a province would lose a seat during redistribution — while the overall number of seats in the House of Commons would increase by four.
The Bloc Québécois says the proposal fails to acknowledge Quebec’s official status as a nation and would reduce the power of Quebecers in Parliament.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2022.
