The Bloc Québécois is contesting its loss of the Terrebonne riding to Liberals by a single vote on judicial recount, after Elections Canada confirmed a Bloc ballot was improperly rejected.
Ballot errors in the one riding threaten the legitimacy of any close votes in the 45th Parliament, said Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet, per Blacklock’s Reporter.
“I am not asking anything of Mr. Carney,” Blanchet told reporters Thursday.
“It’s up to him to live with his conscience in terms of what impact this might have. This result is being challenged on specific evidence. That member may influence a vote in the House.”
“It might make a difference in a very important vote.”
The Bloc is filing notice in Québec Superior Court to contest the outcome under the Canada Elections Act.
The Act section 524.1 states any elector in a riding “may by application to a competent court contest the election in that electoral district on the grounds that there were irregularities, fraud or corrupt or illegal practices that affected the result of the election.”
“A vote was not counted,” said Blanchet.
“That represents an irregularity.”
Elections Canada on Wednesday acknowledged it mislabeled mail-in ballots resulting in at least one Bloc vote being disqualified.
“We want the law to apply,” said Blanchet.
“The law requires a rerun of this election.”
“Do you fear there were other anomalies in Terrebonne?” asked a reporter.
“I don’t like conspiracy theories,” replied Blanchet.
“How concerned are you about misinformation circulating about this riding?” asked a reporter.
“I do not give a damn about misinformation,” replied Blanchet.
“The situation is quite clear. The judge established the Bloc Québécois would have lost the riding by one vote. The vote appeared in the hands of a citizen in a very clear fashion. In that situation the law requires the election to be done all over again in the riding of Terrebonne. That is what we expect.”
Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, the former Terrebonne MP who lost by one vote, said the dispute was fundamental.
“I think this is an issue that goes beyond party politics,” she said.
“I think it’s an issue of trust in democratic institutions. It’s important in our case to go as far as we can to make sure citizens of Terrebonne have a legitimate member of parliament.”
The Terrebonne outcome was the closest in any federal riding since 1963. Prime Minister Mark Carney to date has not commented on whether he would agree to a byelection to settle the question.
