A former Bloc Quebecois MP’s lawyer is pushing for a fresh election in the riding where the MP lost by a single vote in the recent federal election. The legal challenge, initiated by Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, is underway in St-Jerome, Que., focusing on the Terrebonne riding situated north of Montreal.
The challenge stems from a local voter, who stated casting a ballot for the Bloc, revealing that her special ballot was rejected due to an address error on the envelope provided by Elections Canada. This revelation prompted the call for a new election, contesting the victory of Liberal Tatiana Auguste over incumbent MP Sinclair-Desgagné by a mere single vote on April 28.
Stephane Chatigny, the lawyer representing Sinclair-Desgagné, argues that the voter’s rights under the Charter were infringed as her ballot was not included in the count. Chatigny further asserts that a re-election should be mandated in the Terrebonne riding, pointing out that 16 other special ballots were also not returned in time, potentially indicating a broader impact of the same error on other voters.