Élections Québec asked government to change French-language laws in 2023

POLITICS Élections Québec asked government to change French-language laws in 2023 By Erika Morris The Canadian Press Posted September 16, 2026 8:32 am 6 min read WATCH: Will a Quebec judge rule in favour of bilingual voter mailouts? LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Élections Québec knew it would not be allowed to send voter information in English over a year before the electoral campaign, The Canadian Press has learned. The provincial election authority had tried to pressure the government to amend its language laws – even providing proposed wording – but the government refused, according to correspondence sent between April 2023 and June 2025. The deadline for Élections Québec to finalize its voting reminder cards in English is rapidly approaching, with a court process underway to force the agency to mail information in English. The provincial elections authority had to comply with 2022 language legislation making French the sole language of communication for public institutions. Earlier this month, it sent out unilingual voter documents for the first time in its history. The agency’s director, Jean-François Blanchet, had told the government as early as April 2023 he worried the new rules would encroach on Charter rights and Élections Québec’s core mission. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT Blanchet raised concerns around the right to vote, the right to representation, and the possibility that results could be contested in his correspondence with the French-language commissioner. Over two years, the Élections Québec, the commissioner and the ministry of the French language corresponded and met several times to address the issue. Ultimately, voter guides and information cards were only printed and mailed out in French. The guide includes a QR code to access information in English online. Advocacy groups for anglophone rights denounced Elections Quebec’s decision to send unilingual documents, and a group of lawyers launched a legal challenge. The case was heard last week and a decision is expected to come in shortly. In court, Henrick Lavoie, the lawyer representing Élections Québec, said it might still be possible to send out a voting reminder card in English if the court issues an order to that effect by Sept. 16. The list of candidates is finalized at 2 p.m. on Sept. 17 and the agency had…