A former Bloc Quebecois MP, whose riding victory was determined by a single vote in the recent federal election, is now seeking a re-vote, according to her legal representative. The challenge is taking place in St-Jerome, Que., over the results in the Terrebonne riding, located north of Montreal.
The legal proceedings stem from a revelation by a local resident, who claimed to have voted for the Bloc but had her special ballot returned due to an address error on the Elections Canada-provided envelope.
Following the April 28 election, incumbent MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné was narrowly defeated by Liberal candidate Tatiana Auguste by a single vote. Sinclair-Desgagné’s lawyer, Stephane Chatigny, asserts that the voter’s rights under the Charter were breached as her ballot was excluded from the count, advocating for a fresh election in the constituency.
Chatigny further points out that the mailing error, which affected 16 other special ballots that were not returned on time, could have impacted additional voters in the riding as well.