REACTION: Eastern Townships candidates and English-language groups welcome bilingual voter card ruling

Eastern Townships election candidates and English-language community representatives are welcoming a Quebec Superior Court order requiring Élections Québec to prepare its election-day reminder card for mailing in French and English, with several pointing to seniors and voters who struggle with digital technology as examples of why mailed English information still matters.

Justice Sylvain Lussier partially granted a provisional injunction Wednesday, Sept. 16, temporarily suspending the relevant provision of Quebec’s Charter of the French Language for 10 days.

The order requires the Chief Electoral Officer to prepare the reminder card in both languages. It does not require Élections Québec to resend the provincial election guide or notice of entry in English, which the court found would be unrealistic and extremely costly at this stage.

The yellow reminder card, expected during the week of Sept. 28, provides election-day information including the polling location, voting hours and candidates in the riding.