Quebec.

• Position: ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE

On August 1, 2012, Premier Jean Charest asked the Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec to immediately dissolve the National Assembly and call a general election for September 4, and summon the elected Members to the National Assembly for Tuesday, October 16. At the time of the summer adjournment on June 15 the composition of the National Assembly was Quebec Liberal Party, 64; Parti Quebecois, 46; independents, 13, including 9 sitting under the banner of Coalition Avenir Quebec, one Member under the Quebec Solidaire banner and one Member under the Option Nationale banner. One seat was vacant.

The election proved to be very close with no party able to obtain a majority of seats. On election night, the results were Parti Quebecois, 31.9% of the popular vote and 54 seats; Liberals, 31.2% and 50 seats; Coalition Avenir Quebec, 27.06% and 19 sets; and Quebec Solidaire, 6.03% and 2 seats.

Prime Minister Charest was defeated in his own riding of Sherbrooke and Pauline Marois was poised to become the first female Prime Minister of Quebec.

Proceedings of the Assembly before dissolution

During the spring session that began on February 14, the National Assembly held 48 sittings, during which the Members passed 26 bills, including 3 private bills.

These sittings were set aside in particular for the debate on the budget speech and for the examination of the estimates of expenditure for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2013.

The Assembly also met for an extraordinary sitting on May 17 to permit the introduction of Bill 78, An Act to enable students to receive instruction from the postsecondary institutions they attend, as well as to carry out all of the stages of its consideration.

Forum 2012 des Rendez-vous de la democratie

In addition to promoting political book day in Quebec, the Forum 2012 des Rendez-vous de la democratie, held on April 4, provided an opportunity for a public debate on a hot topic in Quebec: "Do political parties promote democracy?" Jean-Pierre Charbonneau, former President of the National Assembly, broached this theme during a presentation entitled "Political parties: a necessary evil?" The debate continued with a round-table discussion hosted by journalist Francoise Guenette featuring Carole Beaulieu, editor-in-chief of L'actualite news magazine, Jean-Herman Guay, political scientist, and Jean-Claude Rivest, senator.

Quebec-Morocco Interparliamentary Cooperation

On May 17 the President of the National Assembly, Jacques Chagnon and the...