The Descriptive Representation of Francophones in Canada, 1988-2004.

This paper examines the claim that MPs from linguistic minority groups are more likely to get elected from ridings where that group comprises a large share of the electorate. More generally, we ask: what factors lead to the election of MPs of French descent outside Quebec and MPs of non-French descent in Quebec? We find that the linguistic make-up of a riding is a consistent predictor of the winning MP's ethno-linguistic background. This effect is consistent both within and outside Quebec, and holds true even after controlling for other correlates of electoral success, such as incumbency. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]