Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette has decided against instructing Élections Québec to send out voter information documents in English before the upcoming Oct. 5 provincial election. Élections Québec made the announcement on Tuesday that it would be mailing voter information documents solely in French to adhere to the French Language Charter, also known as Bill 96, which designates French as the exclusive language for public institutions.
In response to criticism from various party leaders, organizations representing English-speaking Quebecers, and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Fréchette stated on Wednesday that discussions were ongoing with Quebec’s chief electoral officer to determine the next course of action. However, during a press briefing on Thursday, she emphasized that Élections Québec’s decision to distribute information only in French does not hinder English speakers from accessing the necessary information.
Fréchette assured that English speakers could obtain the information through QR codes included in the French documents or by visiting the agency’s website. This marks the first time that Élections Québec will be sending out voter information documents exclusively in French during a general election. The agency had attempted to persuade the government to allow basic voting information to be provided in both English and French during the election period but was unsuccessful.
Legal advocate Eric Maldoff is organizing a legal challenge against the French-only mailouts, arguing that requiring English speakers to seek information online creates an accessibility issue. He emphasized the importance of all households receiving the same information in a timely manner to make informed voting decisions. Maldoff expressed concerns that not everyone may have easy access to the online English voter information.
Civil rights lawyer Julius Gray criticized the decision, pointing out that nothing in Bill 96 prohibits the provision of English manuals, which he believes even reasonable Quebec nationalists would support. Gray likened the situation to the “Pastagate” incident in 2013, where Quebec’s language authorities objected to the word “pasta” on a restaurant menu. He warned against what he sees as a trend of “linguistic dogmatism and identity politics” in the province, urging a return to common sense.
Élections Québec confirmed that it had raised concerns about the French-only mailouts with the French language commissioner in 2023 and during multiple meetings in 2025. The agency stated that it was too late to revise the documents to include both languages for the upcoming election. Despite calls for a reversal of the decision, Élections Québec maintained that there is no turning back for this election.
Gray and Maldoff expressed optimism that a reversal on the issue could be straightforward, emphasizing the need to uphold equality and fairness in providing information to all citizens. They criticized what they perceive as an inflexible and divisive approach towards language issues, calling for a return to the principles of equality outlined in the Charter.