Economy, language and health on Quebec voters' minds at advanced polling

Economy, language and health on Quebec voters' minds at advanced polling

Advance polls will be open on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Along the St. Lawrence River, with a view of the Montreal skyline, voters gathered at advance polling stations like one at the Montreal science centre to cast early ballots ahead of the province’s Oct. 5 general election.

Marc Fortin and Denise Tremblay, accompanied by their two grandchildren, were among the early voters headed to the first day of advance polling on Sunday.

“We wanted to take part in ‘Électeurs en herbe’ [a youth voting simulation program] to start preparing the civic action of the future,” said Fortin, who voted in the downtown riding of Sainte-Marie–Saint-Jacques.

Tremblay proudly noted that their nine-year-old grandson Louis-Samuel knew all the party leaders.

“I watched the debate,” the boy replied.

Five parties are expecting to win seats in the election — Christine Fréchette's Coalition Avenir Québec, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon's Parti Québécois, Charles Milliard's Quebec Liberals, Éric Duhaime's Quebec Conservatives and Ruba Ghazal's Québec Solidaire.

Voters have the option of voting early Sunday and Monday, from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

When, where and how to vote: Everything you need to know to cast your ballot in Quebec

The economy, the cost of living and relations with the United States were important issues for Fortin this election, he said. Tremblay said she wanted to encourage continued reform to government systems, like the CAQ’s health-care reform, and digital transition projects.

“It’s off to a good start. We need to keep it going,” she said.

Asked who had got their vote, the pair were quick to reply: “Madame Fréchette.”

For other early voters who spoke to The Canadian Press on Sunday, the issue of language came up often.

Yasemin Kahyaoglu, a university lecturer who also voted at the science centre, called on politicians to recognize the value of English universities, where tuition went up in recent years for out-of-province and international students.

“Pushing people out of the province, pushing universities out of province, that doesn't make sense to me,” she said.

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In a polling station in Westmount, a bilingual city on the island of Montreal, voters spoke out against the sending of election documents only in French this election, in accordance with the province’s new language law.

However, they said they had no problem getting bilingual service from poll workers.

Élections Québec has told employees not to speak English. Does that violate Anglos' rights?

David Freedman, a voter at the Westmount polling station, said language was the single big issue he was following this election.

“I'd like to combine the English and the French together. I think it's important,” he said, adding that he had cast his vote for the Liberals.

Advance polling gaining in popularity

In the 2022 Quebec elections, one-third of the 66 per cent of eligible voters who cast ballots voted early, said Élections Québec spokesperson Julie St-Arnaud-Drolet.

“Advance polling is getting more popular with every election,” she said.

Take a look behind the scenes at Élections Québec

Despite the growing popularity, there are only about a quarter the number of polling stations during advance voting as there are on election day.

“There’s an enduring myth that it’s faster to vote during advance polling, but that isn’t the case, because there are much fewer polling stations,” she said, encouraging people to vote on election day if they can.

For Réjean Matte, another voter in Westmount, casting his ballot early was the end of a too-long election season.

“We get sick of it. [Politicians] start repeating the same thing. And the more they debate on TV, the more they resort to low blows,” he said.

Fréchette disqualified herself from leadership, rivals say

Meanwhile, on the campaign trail, reactions to Fréchette’s claims of foreign interference continued to dominate the discussion.

On Friday, Fréchette said she was concerned Americans might try to support the sovereigntist Parti Québécois to destabilize Canada.

Federal intelligence agency contacted as U.S. interference claims swirl in Quebec election

Her rivals were skeptical about the warnings, and Fréchette later seemed to backtrack, saying there was no indication of interference in the current campaign.

On Sunday, party leaders continued to attack Fréchette on the claims. Liberal and Parti Québecois leaders Milliard and St-Pierre Plamondon said the affair disqualified Fréchette from leadership.

The five major party leaders were set to meet Sunday night on the set of Radio-Canada's popular weekly French-language talk show Tout le monde en parle.