News archives

Quebec City, April 3, 2013 – In the current context of the work of the Charbonneau Commission, the Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, Jacques Drouin, is releasing the results of audits uncovering sectoral financing practices more widespread than revealed to date, benefiting some of Québec’s provincial and municipal political parties.

Québec, February 26th 2013–– Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, has made public the Summary of the returns of election expenses of the parties and candidates having run in the general election held on September 4th, 2012. The figures appearing in this summary were taken from the returns of election expenses submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer by the official agents of the parties and the candidates.

Québec City, January 1, 2013 – The reform of provincial political funding that has seen the maximum allowed contribution to a political party, an independent member or an authorized independent candidate decreased from $1,000 to $100 is now in force. An important part of the new Act modifying the Election Act in order to reduce the limit of contributions per elector, reducing the ceiling for election expenses and increasing the public financing of Québec political parties is therefore implemented. This is also so for the measures that will increase the public financing of parties, along with those which will eventually limit their electoral expenses. Except in the case of contributions made during leadership campaigns for political parties that are currently underway, the tax credit granted to electors who contribute to provincial politics is abolished from today.

The National Assembly recently increased many of the fines for offences against the provisions governing voting, political party financing and the control of election expenses. The increases were triggered by a variety of circumstances, and clearly illustrate the importance ascribed by the National Assembly to the Election Act.

 

Québec, May 9, 2011 – Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer is launching a major information campaign on the rules that govern the financing of political parties in Québec. New provisions are found in the three Acts passed last December by the Québec National Assembly and are now in force. The payment of political contributions is at the heart of the legislative amendments, and in particular the rules concerning the prevention of the practice of contributing in the name of another. Advertising in newspapers, a presence on the Web and messages disseminated to certain target publics, such as professional associations, will be the main means of communication deployed in the upcoming weeks.

Québec, June 21, 2010 –– Marcel Blanchet, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, today announces the publication of the financial reports of Québec’s political parties for the  fiscal year ended on December 31, 2009. In accordance with the provisions of the Election Act, the deadline for filing financial reports for 2009 for political parties was April 30th of this year, whereas it was April 1st for authorities and other authorized entities. The Chief Electoral Officer presents these reports in a document with over 900 pages which also contains information on the financial position of provincial political parties. To learn more about the financial reports, interested persons can consult the document entitled "Statistiques sur les rapports financiers des partis politiques," which is notably available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at www.electionsquebec.qc.ca.

 

Quebec, January 8, 2010 – The Chief Electoral Officer of Québec (DGE) and the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM) invite the public to attend hearings concerning the Citizen's jury on political party financing. The hearings will take place on January 16th and 17th, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, at the Musée national des Beaux-arts du Québec, in Quebec City.  

Quebec City, November 3, 2009 – Québec’s Chief Electoral Officer, Marcel Blanchet, held a press conference earlier today to announce a citizens’ jury on political party financing, which will take place in January. The mandate for this activity has been entrusted to the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM). The process is intended to fuel the debate on the financing of Quebec’s provincial and municipal political parties.

Québec City, November 1, 2007 – In a report published today, the Think Tank created on the initiative of the Chief Electoral Officer of Québec to review political financing has proposed various measures aimed at reinforcing the system for authorizing and financing parties, Members and independent candidates. Greater accountability by the various actors, broader powers for the Chief Electoral Officer, the clarification of certain rules and the addition of new ones, greater transparency, as well as better information of the various stakeholders in an election are some of the strategies proposed to make financing rules more effective.

Québec City, November 1, 2007 – In a report published today, the Think Tank created on the initiative of the Chief Electoral Officer of Québec to review political financing has proposed various measures aimed at reinforcing the system for authorizing and financing parties, Members and independent candidates. Greater accountability by the various actors, broader powers for the Chief Electoral Officer, the clarification of certain rules and the addition of new ones, greater transparency, as well as better information of the various stakeholders in an election are some of the strategies proposed to make financing rules more effective.

Québec City, June 21, 2006 – Following an investigation that led him to conclude that contributions were made to provincial political parties in violation of the Election Act, M^e Jean Moisan has recommended certain modifications to the rules governing political party financing. The report containing the conclusions of this inquiry and M^e Moisan's recommendations was published today by the Chief Electoral Officer, M^e Marcel Blanchet, who appointed M^e Moisan as an investigating commissioner last November.

Québec, April 28, 2005 – Mr. Marcel Blanchet, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, announces that a group made up of representatives of the three parties with seats in the National Assembly will examine over the upcoming months the financing of political parties and will propose, if necessary, amendments to the Election Act. A proposal along these lines has been made to the Advisory Committee which includes representatives of the Liberal Party of Québec, the Parti québécois and the Action démocratique du Québec, who have agreed to implement the Chief Electoral Officer's recommendation.