Canada’s Liberal Party has edged closer to a majority government after a razor-thin judicial recount in Quebec awarded them a key seat by just one vote. However, the result has been thrown into uncertainty after a voter came forward claiming her ballot was not counted due to an error by Elections Canada. The recount in Terrebonne saw Liberal candidate Tatiana Auguste narrowly surpass Bloc Québécois incumbent Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, receiving 23,352 votes to Sinclair-Desgagné’s 23,351.
Initially, Auguste had been declared the winner after election night tallies put her ahead by 35 votes. However, a later validation process swung the seat back to Sinclair-Desgagné by 44 votes. Under Canadian election law, the close margin automatically triggered a judicial recount, which ultimately restored the seat to the Liberals. This brings the Liberal Party’s total to 170 seats in the House of Commons, just two seats shy of a majority.
The result may not be final, however. Emmanuelle Bossé, a resident of Terrebonne, has alleged her mail-in ballot was wrongly returned to her due to a postal code error on the pre-printed envelope supplied by Elections Canada. Bossé, who said she voted for the Bloc candidate, told CBC’s Radio-Canada that she mailed her ballot on April 5, but it was returned nearly a month later, raising concerns that her vote was never counted. Elections Canada confirmed it is investigating the incident and reviewing the circumstances.
If the disputed ballot is ultimately accepted and causes a tie, Elections Canada could be forced to call a byelection in Terrebonne, further complicating the Liberal Party’s path to a clear majority. Meanwhile, three other close ridings are also undergoing recounts, including Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore, where Liberal incumbent Irek Kusmierczyk is seeking to overturn a narrow loss of 77 votes. Should Kusmierczyk reclaim his seat, the Liberals would stand at 171 seats, putting them within striking distance of a majority government.
As these recounts continue, the political landscape in Ottawa remains in flux. With the balance of power hanging on a handful of votes, the coming days will determine whether Prime Minister Mark Carney can secure the two additional seats needed for a majority or face the challenges of leading another minority government.
Originally published on Weekly Voice