A candidate from the Bloc Québécois announced on Monday her intention to petition the Supreme Court for a new election in the Terrebonne riding in Montreal. The federal Liberals won the riding by a mere single vote in April. Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné’s decision to escalate the matter to the highest court follows a recent ruling by a Superior Court judge, who dismissed her claim that irregularities warranted the annulment of Liberal candidate Tatiana Auguste’s narrow win.
Sinclair-Desgagné expressed dissatisfaction with the Superior Court judgment, citing factual inaccuracies and a legal interpretation that she believes warrants an appeal. She conveyed her sentiments in a statement posted in French on Facebook.
Initially, Auguste was declared the victor in the Terrebonne riding after the April 28 election. However, Sinclair-Desgagné was later declared the winner following a validation process of the votes. A judicial recount on May 10 confirmed the Liberals secured 23,352 votes, edging out Sinclair-Desgagné by just one vote.
Sinclair-Desgagné decided to challenge the outcome after a Bloc voter disclosed that her special ballot was invalidated due to an address error on the envelope provided by Elections Canada. According to her statement on Monday, this electoral irregularity resulted in the exclusion of at least one vote.
Superior Court Justice Éric Dufour dismissed Sinclair-Desgagné’s argument, ruling that the postal code mistake did not meet the criteria for irregularity as outlined in federal electoral laws. The judge characterized it as a genuine human error common in general elections, devoid of any deceitful or malicious intent.
To fund her legal battle, Sinclair-Desgagné announced plans to initiate a crowdfunding campaign. Despite acknowledging the financial strain of pursuing the case at the Supreme Court, she asserted her commitment to upholding democratic principles.
