Saturday, October 11, 2014

THAT'S HOW IT GOES IN QUEBEC - PLUS CA CHANGE, C'EST PAREIL - VOTERS' RIGHTS?

 
 
Here is a current example of how the authorities who run the Province of Quebec at all levels still practice division and subtle bigotry designed to ensure that being French is the gold standard here.
 
I consider this manipulation of voting rights
"Gerrymandering".
 
 
Phyllis Carter
 
 
English Quebecers are omitted from English school board voter lists. By default, Quebecers are put on the voting list for the French school board in their area unless they have a child in an English school.
 
Danielle Carter and her parents have lived at the same address in Lachine for the past 30 years.
 
But for some reason Carter and her mother are registered for the Lester B. Pearson election, while her stepfather is on a French school board's electors list.
 
"When I called the gentleman at the Lester B. Pearson board I said how does this happen? And how do we correct it, and I don't understand why? "
 
And he just said, "Well you know madame, we're in Quebec and that's how it goes sometimes these things happen," Carter said.
 
Only parents who are eligible voters with children registered in English schools are automatically put on the English board's list.
 
And according to the English School Boards Association, only a fraction of eligible English voters usually register.
 
"We could substantially double the amount of people on the English voters list, but it takes an effort and people have to want it," said Frank Verrillo of the association.
 
Many voters looking to register on the English list first have to go online, download a request to transfer form, print it, fill it out and send it in by mail or in person to the English school board in their area.
 
That must be done before 10 p.m. on Oct. 14th, and keep in mind this Monday is a holiday.
 
Electoral policy expert Miriam Fahmy says school boards are not proactively working to create lists of people who actually want to vote in their school board.
 
"The more steps someone has to take in order to get on a list or to go vote the least likely they will end up voting," she said.
 
Carter says even after speaking with Elections Quebec she still has unanswered questions.
 
"How many people are not participating because it's too complicated?" she said.

 
CTV Montreal: Anglophones, check board voters list
 
 
 
Low turnout for school board elections could lead to abolition: Bolduc
montreal.ctvnews.ca/low-turnout-for-school-board-elections-could-lead-to-abolition-bolduc-1.2038099
Oct 3, 2014 ... Education Minister Yves Bolduc says that Quebec school boards might be abolished if voters turn out in small numbers for elections
 

* Gerrymandering
Is
A tricky word
For a dirty deed.

Phyllis Carter
 
 
Word Origin and History for gerrymander 1812 as both a noun and verb, American English, from Elbridge Gerry + (sala)mander. Gerry, governor of Massachusetts, was lampooned when his party redistricted the state in a blatant bid to preserve an Antifederalist majority. One Essex County district resembled a salamander, and a newspaper editor dubbed it Gerrymander. Related: Gerrymandered; gerrymandering.
 
U.S. Politics. the dividing of a state, county, etc., into election districts so as to give one political party a majority in many districts while concentrating the voting strength of the other party into as few districts as possible.
 
 
 

No comments: