Bloc Québécois contesting recount in Terrebonne, after 5 more ballot issues declared in riding

The Bloc Québécois is challenging the result in the federal riding of Terrebonne, where the party lost by one vote, as Elections Canada revealed issues with five more mail-in ballots.

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet announced the party’s intentions at a news conference at the House of Commons foyer on Thursday morning, alongside Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné — the party’s candidate in the riding — and Bloc MP Christine Normandin.

Since Elections Canada cannot by themselves ask for the election to be repeated, we have to bring this situation in front of a judge, in a court, in order to do the election all over again, Blanchet said.

He noted that it’s important for the case to be addressed quickly in the event that an MP whose election is being contested may affect votes in Parliament.

A spokesperson for Elections Canada said in an email on Thursday that five ballots were received at the local office late even though the return envelope contained an error in the postal code.

There is no information as to whether the delay was due to the incorrect postal code, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson, who did not sign the email, noted that to date, Elections Canada is aware of only one case where an envelope containing a marked ballot was returned to a voter because of an incorrect address.

The announcement comes a day after Elections Canada declared that the result of a recount in Terrebonne is final, despite a misprint that led to one special ballot being returned to sender.

Elections Canada spokesperson Matthew McKenna said in an email on Wednesday that the agency does not explicitly provide for the appeal of a judicial recount.

Elections Canada is unaware of any appeals brought to a court following a recount, McKenna said, noting that a mechanism exists to contest election results.

Elections Canada investigated after Terrebonne resident Emmanuelle Bossé came forward with an envelope that contained a vote for the Bloc Québécois which had been returned to sender.

Results on election night indicated that Liberal MP Tatiana Auguste won the riding by 35 votes. After a standard validation process, the seat flipped temporarily to Sinclair-Desgagné by 44 votes. A judicial recount then found the Liberals had won, but only by a single vote.

The independent agency said that this is the only case they know of in the recent election of an envelope containing a marked ballot being returned to a voter because of an incorrect address.

Sinclair-Desgagné said the vote issues in the riding go beyond the results of a single party.

It’s a matter of trust in our democratic institutions, she said. It is important in our case to follow through with these steps to ensure that ultimately, citizens of Terrebonne have a legitimate MP to represent them.

WATCH | Bloc candidate Sinclair-Desgagné comments on Terrebonne result:

‘It’s been very emotional,’ says Bloc Terrebonne candidate Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné

After being declared the winner in the Quebec riding of Terrebonne, then being told by Elections Canada she lost by one vote, candidate Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné said it’s been a roller-coaster of emotion.

with files from Louis Blouin, Vanessa Lee, Isaac Olson, Sarah Sears and the Canadian Press

This article is republished from RCI.