Judge rejects request to stop Elections Quebec from eliminating riding

A judge has rejected a legal request to stop Elections Quebec from eliminating a riding in Montreal.

Pierre-Paul St-Onge and Andre Querry, both members of Quebec Solidaire who live in the Sainte Marie Saint Jacques riding, filed the request for an injunction blocking the "elimination" of the riding.

Election Quebec has proposed cutting the Westmount St. Louis riding in two, with the western half being joined to NDG to form a new riding: Westmount-NDG.

The eastern half would be joined with most of the existing Sainte Marie Saint Jacques riding to become a new riding called Ville Marie

St-Onge and Querry argued that Elections Quebec was making the change without enough public consultation, and that Elections Quebec didn't follow its own rules.

The court disagreed with their assessment, determining that their rights as voters would not be affected since the men would still have the right to vote, even if it was in a new riding.

The judge also agreed with Pierre Reid, CEO of Elections Quebec, that his organization followed every step it should in altering ridings and consulting the public.

The riding of Sainte Marie Saint Jacques is currently held by Manon Massé, one of three Quebec Solidaire MNAs elected in 2014.