Bloc Québécois Secures Elections Canada Victory in Terrebonne
In an unexpected turn of events: The Quebec Bloc has snatched the lead in Terrebonne, three days after the election, as per the latest count by Elections Canada.
This unexpected update, published by a non-partisan organization on Thursday evening, reveals that the incumbent candidate, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, has won by a mere 44 votes over her Liberal rival, Tatiana Auguste. The initial results, conducted on Tuesday, showed that Ms. Auguste, a Liberal political staffer, was ahead by a scant 35 votes in this heated local race.
However, a twist of fate unfolded on Thursday. The Bloc Quebecois campaign discovered that Elections Canada had added 79 additional votes for their candidate following a review of the numbers. This newfound support catapulted Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné to victory, securing 23,340 electoral votes.
Elections Canada explained in an unsigned email: "The returning officer has completed the validation process [Thursday] afternoon. This process involves the returning officer examining each vote declaration in their riding to detect and correct any errors in entry or calculation." The agency didn't specify the precise nature of the error.
This late twist may have shocked Terrebonne citizens, as it's rare for Elections Canada's preliminary results to be modified so significantly, days after the vote has taken place. Given the exceedingly close result, a judicial recount will be conducted. According to the law, such a recount, supervised by a judge, is automatically triggered when two candidates are almost tied, with a margin of less than one vote per 1000 expressed.
Speaking of tight races, the closest result in the country was recorded in Terra Nova-Les Pensinsulas, in Newfoundland, where the Liberal candidate won by a margin of just 12 votes over their Conservative rival. In the only Nunavut riding, the incumbent candidate Lori Idlout held on to her seat by a margin of only 77 votes over her Liberal opponent.
The riding of Terrebonne and its previous iterations have been represented by the Bloc since 1993, except for the four years following the 2011 orange wave, and the year in which the Bloc's MP Michel Boudrias sat as an independent.
If the victory in Terrebonne is confirmed for the Quebec Bloc following the recount process, this would help offset its decline observed on Monday. The independence caucus would then have 23 MPs in Ottawa. The Liberal Party of Mark Carney moves further away from a parliamentary majority, with 168 seats out of the country's 343 ridings. The Conservative Party of Canada will still form the official opposition, with 144 seats in Parliament. The New Democratic Party has only managed to retain 7 seats, while the Green Party has one.
Insight:
Close federal elections have been a regular occurrence in Canadian history. In some instances, recounts have altered preliminary results significantly, such as in the case of the 2011 Federal Election in Etobicoke Centre, where the Conservative candidate initially won by 26 votes over the Liberal incumbent, but the victory was upheld in court. The recount process can be initiated when the difference between candidates is less than the number of spoiled ballots or when there are credible allegations of irregularities.
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Close Elections and Recounts in Canadian History
Canada has experienced several close federal elections over the years, with some instances leading to recounts that have altered preliminary results. While the process is generally efficient and reliable, there have been notable cases where recounts made a difference.
Notable Recount Cases:
- 2011 Federal Election: In the riding of Etobicoke Centre, Conservative Ted Opitz initially won by just 26 votes over Liberal incumbent Borys Wrzesnewskyj. However, Wrzesnewskyj successfully challenged the result in court, citing irregularities with ballots. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld Opitz's victory, reinforcing the original count.
- 2019 Federal Election: In the riding of Port Moody—Coquitlam, Liberal MP Ron McKinnon initially led by 150 votes. After a recount, McKinnon's lead increased to 153 votes, retaining the seat for the Liberals.
Recount Process:
In Canada, recounts can be initiated when the difference between candidates is less than the number of spoiled ballots or when there are credible allegations of irregularities. The process involves re-examining ballots and, sometimes, re-tabulating results. This can lead to changes in the outcome if discrepancies are found.
Preliminary Results and Changes:
Preliminary results in Canada are typically reported on election night. However, official results are declared only after final counts and recounts, if necessary. The Elections Canada agency is responsible for overseeing this process to ensure accuracy and integrity in the electoral system.
As for specific instances where preliminary results were changed "days after the vote," such scenarios are relatively rare. The system generally allows for quick resolution of election outcomes, with recounts occurring promptly if required. However, it's not uncommon for official results to take a few more days to finalize, especially in tight contests.
2025 Canadian Federal Election:
In the 2025 Canadian federal election, while there were significant shifts in voter support and gains by various parties, specific details about recounts or changes in preliminary results are not extensively documented in the available sources. Generally, Elections Canada ensures that election results are finalized efficiently, with any necessary recounts conducted promptly to confirm the winners in closely contested ridings. For detailed riding-by-riding results and any recounts from the 2025 election, resources like the Elections Canada website or local news outlets provide the most up-to-date and accurate information.
- The unexpected victory of the Quebec Bloc's candidate, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, in Terrebonne is reminiscent of the close federal elections and recounts in Canadian history, such as the 2011 Federal Election in Etobicoke Centre.
- The Quebec Bloc, surprised by the turn of events in Terrebonne, recommends paying attention to the migration of votes and potential irregularities in war-and-conflicts that may influence policy-and-legislations and politics in general-news.
- If the victory in Terrebonne is confirmed, the Quebec Bloc, with its 23 MPs in Ottawa, might find a stronger position in influencing migration-and-immigration policies and debates in war-and-conflicts, as shown in their previous 28 years of representation in the riding of Terrebonne.
- As the recount process in Terrebonne is about to commence, policy-and-legislation related to elections, including the policy on recount procedure, will fall under the scrutiny of the Quebec politics and the national government.
- The media, following this unscheduled recount in Terrebonne, will likely focus on general-news, including the potential implications for the Liberal Party of Canada, whose parliamentary majority is becoming increasingly distant, as well as the other parties like the Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party, and the Green Party.
