November 6, 1998

Ungava Liberals still searching for candidate

Though nominations close in just eight days, the Liberal party has yet to announce a candidate to run in Quebec's huge Ungava riding, which includes Nunavik and the territory of the James Bay Cree.

JANE GEORGE
Nunatsiaq News

MONTREAL — Quebecers will go to the polls Monday, November 30, to elect a new provincial government.

That's the date made official on Wednesday, October 28, when Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard issued the election writs for a provincial election.

Yet it's possible that Nunavik's voters will have a limited roster of candidates to chose from — and may not even get a chance to cast a ballot.

Jean Charest's provincial Liberal Party had approached several Nunavik leaders, including the regional government's former head, Jean Dupuis, to run for them, but, as of press time, the Liberals still hadn't found a candidate in the Ungava riding.

Ungava is widely considered to be one of the 25 swing ridings that the Liberals need to win in order to defeat the Parti Québecois.

According to Jocelyn Levasseur, Quebec's director of elections in Ungava, candidates have until the November 14 at 2 o'clock in the afternoon to officially submit their candidacy.

Levasseur, who has overseen provincial elections in the riding since 1981, said he expects other candidates besides the PQ incumbent, Michel Létourneau, to run in the riding.

"If there is only one candidate, he will be elected by acclamation," said Levasseur.

In that case, electoral lists would be updated, but on the day of the election, voters in the Ungava riding wouldn't be called to the polls.

At least three weeks before the election, all of the 26,500 eligible voters in northern Quebec's Ungava riding will receive an updated elector list. Anyone not appearing on this list or wanting to make a change can apply to revise it.

Voter turnout crucial in Ungava

If the Liberals and other parties do eventually run candidates in Ungava, voter turnout may decide their fate.

Most Cree, who traditionally support Liberals, boycotted the 1994 election. Only 22 per cent of 5,600 eligible voters on Cree reserves cast ballots.

In Whapmagoostui, only 10 of 354 eligible electors actually voted. In the neighboring Inuit community of Kuujjuaraapik, 225 of 396 eligible voters turned out.

Throughout Nunavik, where approximately 5,000 residents were eligible to vote, slightly more than 49 per cent voted. Most supported the Liberals.

The PQ was still able to win the riding with 54 per cent of the vote because residents in the southern portion of Ungava, which includes the communities of Chibougamou, Chapais, Matagami and Quevillion, strongly support the PQ.

Former residents of Quebec who have been out of the province for two years, but intend to return, can also register to vote in the election before November 12. This limit does not apply to electors who work outside Quebec on behalf of the government.

A registration form can be easily accessed through the Internet, at the Quebec Director General of Election's web site at www.dgeq.qc.ca or by calling 1-418-528-0422.

This site also provides practical information on voting, elections past and present, ridings, election organization, election rules and party financing regulations.

For anyone wishing to find out more about the Quebec provincial election, several other web sites provide information or, as in the case of the political parties' sites, partisan views, in both French and English.

Election info on the Web

The PQ's site is at www.pq.org/ , the Liberal's site is at www.plq.org/, ND the Action Démocratique's site at www.adq.qc.ca/ .

Quebec's CBC radio web site, www.quebec98.cbc.ca, carries up-to-date reports on the election's daily progress.

During such a short campaign, only 33 days long, the major parties are trying to make every day count. During its first week, the Parti Québécois, the Liberal Party and the Action Démocratique each tried to stake out their political territory.

The PQ has styled itself as the defender of French Quebec.

"Jean Charest doesn't like Quebec, in its profound reality," said Bouchard of his Liberal rival for premier in a comment that would dog him for days. "He's refusing everything that differentiates Quebec."

Bouchard also condemned the Liberal leader's plan to weaken the government's role in the economic and social affairs. He said that would undermine Quebec's "compassionate society."

The PQ has said that it will not hold another referendum on Quebec sovereignty unless "winning conditions" are present, Bouchard couldn't shy away from the possibility.

"Someday Quebec will be and will have to sovereign," he told one group. "I strongly think that we have to create the winning conditions before launching such a referendum, and I trust it will be done as soon as possible."

Charest, whose party lagged in some opinion polls, told Quebecers that the election means opting for change or the status quo.

"It's true I'm here today because there are things I don't like in Quebec." He said. "That's why I want to be premier."

Charest said that the present PQ policies have eroded health services, created poverty and fostered uncertainty about Quebec's future within Canada.

"If you continue with the same recipes, with the same team, you'll get the same results," said Charest.

Mario Dumont from the Action Démocratique called for smaller government and reducing the provincial debt. Dumont promised no referendum on sovereignty for a generation.

The election is expected to heat up after November 5 when the political parties' first campaign advertisements appear. The major party leaders have also been invited to participate in a televised debate.