DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP

The Fédération des Femmes du Québec (FFQ) has worked to promote democracy and citizenship with an intersectional feminist approach. Our various positions on electoral reform clearly demonstrate how significant this issue is for FFQ members.

Advocacy for Proportional Representation in Quebec

We advocate for proportional representation in Quebec that accurately reflects popular will, promotes gender equality, embodies Quebec’s diversity, ensures equal representation in the National Assembly, and acknowledges the importance of Indigenous and regional issues.

We have also supported the Mouvement pour une démocratie nouvelle (MDN) in their efforts to secure a voting system aligned with these principles.

Monitoring the Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act

In 2016, we closely monitored developments concerning the Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act and proposed measures to safeguard the right of association and freedom of expression.

Please Note: The definitive text of our Stances is available in French only. The English translation is provided strictly for reference.

2024

THAT THE FFQ, on its own bases or in alliance with organizations sharing its global vision of the electoral system;

intervene publicly to ensure that the 2026 general elections are held under a compensatory mixed member proportional voting system, accompanied by structural measures to achieve parity and diversify the political class, so that all votes count and all people count;
sensitize organizations in favor of electoral reform so that they integrate issues related to parity and diversification of the political class into their analyses and proposals;
produces and distributes content for the public, social movements, the media and members of the National Assembly, presenting the issues of parity and diversification of the political class as well as those of the political translation of votes into seats.

2019

THAT FFQ continue its feminist analysis of the interaction between electoral reform and achieving gender-balanced political representation, updating its positions to incorporate an intersectional approach in collaboration with organizations concerned with these issues, ensuring that electoral reform represents a feminist advancement;

THAT FFQ monitor the government’s strategy for gender equality closely;

THAT FFQ produce educational materials on the electoral system, enabling allies to grasp and integrate this analysis into their public interventions;

THAT FFQ prepare to publicly address electoral systems, gender parity, and diversification of the political class;

THAT FFQ, in line with its alliance with the Quebec Native Women Inc. (QNW) , collaborate with QNW on this matter, as feasible (i.e., respecting QNW’s resource allocation choices).

2017

THAT FFQ increase the visibility of its analysis regarding the need for an electoral system that meets democratic, feminist, and anti-racist objectives by producing educational materials for allies to incorporate into their public interventions.

2017

THAT FFQ collaborate with allied organizations to protect freedom of expression and the right of association through appropriate actions.

This position was taken when the Quebec government aimed to subject all nonprofit organizations, including community organizations, to the Lobbying Act.

2016

THAT FFQ closely monitor developments concerning the Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act and proposes actions to protect the right of association and freedom of expression.

2015

THAT FFQ target not only the State but also economic powers, norms, beliefs, ideologies, and practices of all actors in society.

THAT FFQ, depending on issues and contexts, selects appropriate strategies from a variety of nonviolent means: political representation, rights promotion and defense, mobilization and collective action, civil disobedience, direct action, analysis and research, debate, training and popular education, political communication, alternative building, etc.

2009

THAT FFQ support the Mouvement pour une démocratie nouvelle (MDN) in seeking an electoral system respectful of popular will, equality, ethnocultural diversity, and regional diversity in time for the next Quebec elections.

2005

THAT FFQ, in collaboration with the Collectif féminisme et démocratie and the Mouvement pour une démocratie nouvelle (MDN), participate in and mobilize its members for the special and itinerant parliamentary commission tasked with studying the draft law replacing the Election Act.

THAT FFQ demand an electoral system that:

Reflects, as closely as possible, popular will;
Aims for equal representation between women and men;
Embodies Quebec’s diversity and allows for political pluralism;
Reflects the importance of regions in Quebec’s reality.

THAT FFQ call for specific measures to achieve our democratic objectives, particularly concerning gender equality and adequate representation of individuals from cultural communities.

THAT FFQ seize this opportunity to propose opening a dialogue with Indigenous Peoples on the connections we want to establish together.

2004

THAT FFQ, in collaboration with the Collectif féminisme et démocratie and the Mouvement pour une démocratie nouvelle (MDN), develop mobilization and intervention strategies to secure proportional representation in Quebec and measures ensuring equal representation of men and women in the National Assembly.

THAT FFQ, during the parliamentary committee on equality, contribute to coordinating actions to be implemented by the women’s movement to assert the necessity of feminism and the importance of maintaining and funding institutional mechanisms such as a Policy on Women’s Equality, the Secrétariat à la condition féminine, and the Conseil du statut de la femme , as well as the nature of their mandates.

2003

THAT FFQ vary and even radicalize its action strategies by opening up to certain types of nonviolent direct action or civil disobedience.