Bill No. 14 aims to protect the integrity of voting during two types of internal processes within political parties:
It would amend the Electoral Act of Quebec and the Act Respecting Elections and Referendums in Municipalities.
The bill would create an offense when a person attempts to influence another person's vote by offering or promising:
The offense would also target the person who accepts a benefit in exchange for their vote or abstention, or who encourages another person to act in this way.
For provincial elections, a first offense would result in a fine of $5,000 to $20,000. In the case of a repeat offense within 10 years, the fine would be $10,000 to $30,000. The text also provides for a corresponding offense for municipal electoral processes, but the specific fines are not indicated in the provided bill.
The bill also specifies that a campaign to choose a leader or spokesperson of a party is considered a leadership campaign.
Food and drinks offered at certain private gatherings would not be subject to the prohibition. This exception would apply particularly to financial representatives and individuals who provide these food or drinks at their own expense.
The bill would come into force on the date of its sanction, which is the date it would be officially approved. This date is not specified.
If you participate in a leadership race or a party nomination, it would be prohibited to sell your vote, exchange it for a benefit, or be threatened to vote in a certain way.
Individuals who organize or fund these campaigns would not be able to offer a job, payment, loan, or another benefit with the intent to influence the vote.
The rules would apply to the internal processes of parties that fall under the provincial or municipal electoral framework. They could therefore affect party members, leadership candidates, nomination candidates, and individuals working on their campaigns.
However, the text would allow certain common activities, such as offering food or drinks at a private gathering related to a campaign, under the specified conditions.
Details on investigations, prosecutions, and the practical enforcement of these new offenses are not specified in the provided bill.
Individuals found guilty of a provincial offense could be required to pay:
The bill could also incur administrative costs for electoral authorities and courts. The amount is not specified.
No publicly available information.
Supporters might argue that the bill:
They might also consider that the exception regarding food and drinks prevents the criminalization of normal gathering and campaigning activities.
No official position from groups or parties regarding this specific bill is indicated in the provided material.
Opponents might seek clarification on the scope of the new offenses, particularly on the definition of "another benefit" and how to prove undue influence.
They might also fear that normal mobilization or fundraising activities could be interpreted too broadly, despite the exception for food and drinks.
The distinction between a permitted offer and an offer intended to buy a vote could also raise questions in practice.
No official position from opponents regarding this specific bill is indicated in the provided material.