Quebec Considers U.S.-Style Political Reforms QUEBEC (AP) - Quebec is considering major democratic reforms to give the province a U.S.-inspired republican system unseen in Canadian history, the government announced Thursday.
Possible measures include an independently elected head of government and fixed dates for elections, Premier Bernard Landry and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Charbonneau said in a statement. Charbonneau told a news conference there's no reason to wait for Quebec independence to make such changes because they're permitted under the Constitution. ``We don't need to wait for the great night of sovereignty to think about fundamental reforms,'' he said. Other possible changes proposed include scrapping the province's 125 ridings in favor of proportional representation, and separating powers between a non-elected cabinet and an elected legislature. A critic for the Quebec Liberals dismissed the proposals as too sweeping when Quebec is facing a provincial election by next fall. But Charbonneau said the suggested changes would create a more effective democracy and restore Quebecers' confidence in the political system. AP-NY-03-21-02 2056EST
