Rules governing interventions in the political debate

Applicable rules

During an election period

During the election period, various rules control election expenses, regulate the political debate, and govern political financing.

A key objective of the control of election expenses is to ensure that all candidates and parties enjoy fair and equal opportunities. It is also intended to limit the influence of money in the political debate and to ensure that parties and candidates have greater visibility during the election period. That is why third parties are limited in the interventions they may make: they may not use their financial capacity to intervene in the political debate.

Any expense incurred to give visibility to a candidate or political party constitutes an election expense, regardless of whether that visibility is positive, neutral, or negative. Even if the visibility given to all candidates or parties is fair, it still constitutes an election expense.

Any reference, even an indirect one, to one or more candidates, their actions, or their positions may constitute an election expense.

All third parties must comply with these rules, regardless of their field of activity or their desire to act in the public interest.

However, Québec’s electoral legislation provides for exceptions to the concept of election expenses. These exceptions allow third parties to participate in the political debate, under certain conditions.

Before the election period

Before the start of the election period, interventions that involve costs and that have a partisan effect or give visibility to candidates or political parties are allowed. At that time, they do not constitute election expenses.

Conditions for expressing your preferences or contribute to the political debate

The electoral legislation does not require individuals or organizations to remain neutral during an election period.

During this period, you may express your preferences, share your partisan opinions, or give visibility to a candidate, a political party, or its program, provided that doing so does not involve any cost. There must be absolutely no costs associated with the design, production, and broadcast of your message.

This rule applies to all third parties: citizens, groups, businesses, unions, non-profit organizations, associations, etc.

Using social media during an election period

A no-cost partisan post on social media, such as Facebook or X, does not constitute an election expense, since the costs associated with it are nil or nearly nil. A person or organization may therefore make an organic post (free of charge) in which they share their opinion about a candidate, for example.

A person or organization may also share campaign material from a political party or candidate on social media, provided that no fees are paid to do so. This does not constitute a new election expense.

However, costs related to the design, production, distribution, or promotion of partisan content (text, graphic, or video) or content giving visibility to a party or candidate are election expenses. These expenses may only be incurred by the official agent of a political party or candidate. For example, posting a video montage on YouTube that includes images purchased from a photographer could be considered an election expense.

Examples of partisan interventions prohibited during an election period

Examples of partisan interventions permitted during an election period

Other interventions allowed in the political debate

The free exchange of ideas is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. To promote the dissemination of information for electors, Québec’s electoral legislation provides for exceptions to the notion of election expenses that allow individuals and organizations to participate in the political debate.

In this context, certain conditions must be complied with. Otherwise, the costs associated with the interventions constitute election expenses; only the official agent of a political party or a candidate may incur such expenses.

A guide explains the rules related to the control of election expenses (PDF – in French, translation coming soon). You may obtain a copy of this guide if you plan to intervene in the political debate during a provincial election.

Organizing and holding a public meeting or assembly during an election period

Public meetings

Under certain conditions, a non-partisan organization may hold a public meeting, that is, a meeting that is generally open to the public. For example, this meeting might feature a debate, a roundtable discussion or a speech.

The public meeting must be held as part of the organization’s regular activities. The topics discussed must be related to the organization’s mission. The meeting must not be organized, directly or indirectly, on behalf of any party or candidate. In addition, no partisan advertising is allowed at this meeting.

The organizers may determine most of the arrangements for the event, including whom to invite, the format and the duration. However, during a provincial election, all candidates must be invited to participate in the public meeting when it is intended for a single electoral division.

The public meeting may be held virtually. It may also be broadcast live or later.

Meetings

A non-partisan organization may spend up to $200 to organize meetings during an election period. However, it may not organize them on behalf of a candidate or party, directly or indirectly.

When a partisan organization (such as a party’s youth wing) organizes an activity during an election period, the official agent of the party or candidate must pay the related costs and treat them as election expenses.

Publishing and broadcasting political program comparisons during an election period

Provided it meets the following conditions, a non-partisan organization may publish or broadcast a political program comparison intended to inform electors about the positions of candidates or political parties.

• The comparison must be published or broadcast as part of the regular activities of the organization that produces it and must address topics related to its mission.
• It should cover all candidates in an electoral division or all authorized political parties that have nominated at least two candidates in a provincial general election (it may not be limited to parties represented in the Assemblée nationale).
• It must provide fair representation of the parties or candidates, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

The information may be gathered by means of a questionnaire sent to political parties or candidates, or through excerpts from their official documents or websites. The organization must ensure that this information is accurate. A text explaining the methodology used to compile the comparison should be included.

The comparison cannot be accompanied by elements (such as photos, videos, comments, or analyses) that endorse or criticize the content of the political programs.

Hyperlink referral

A political program comparison may also consist of hyperlinks leading to the platforms of candidates or political parties. No partisan commentary or analysis may accompany such a comparison.

Expressing yourself in the media

Electoral legislation provides for certain exceptions allowing media outlets (newspapers, periodicals, radio or television stations) to publish and broadcast partisan content in the form of articles, editorials, news reports, columns, interviews, letters to the editor and public affairs programs.

In this context, media outlets must comply with the following conditions.

• The publication or broadcast must be done in the same manner and following the same rules as it would have been outside the election period, without payment or reward, or the promise of payment or reward.
• The newspaper, periodical, or printed medium must not have been established for the purpose of, or in preparation for, the election. The circulation and frequency of publication must be the same as outside the election period.

The above exceptions also apply to the digital equivalents of newspapers, periodicals, radio stations and television stations. These media outlets may therefore produce podcast episodes and broadcast video features on the Web, provided they comply with the same conditions.

See the guidelines for the media during elections for a full overview of the rules applicable to media outlets during provincial, municipal, and school elections.

Obtaining authorization as a private intervenor

An individual elector or a group primarily composed of electors may be authorized as a private intervenor.

Provided certain conditions are met, a private intervenor may incur advertising expenses of up to $300 in order to broadcast opinions on a matter of public interest during an election period. The private intervenor must not promote or oppose any candidate or party.

A business, an association, a union, or a legal person cannot be a private intervenor or form part of a group holding such authorization.