Brenda Shanahan Wins Châteauguay-Lacolle

Following a judicial recount, Liberal Candidate Brenda Shanahan announced her victory in the Châteauguay-Lacolle riding with a 12-vote lead over Bloc candidate Patrick O’Hara.  

Translation Amanda Bennett

“It will be a great honour for me to represent the citizens in the House of Commons for a third mandate,” she expressed via press release. “I would also like to acknowledge Mr. O’Hara’s commitment throughout the process. It was difficult period for all of us, but one that reminds us that every vote counts.”

Ms. Shanahan said that she learned of the news through a call she received from the lawyer who represented her at the Elections Canada office during the recount.

“Every vote counts,” she exclaimed over the phone. 

“We are fortunate enough to live in a country where we can have confidence in our democratic institutions and processes. It is such an unparalleled asset that we cannot take for granted. Those are the principles that I promise to defend in Ottawa on behalf of all of my fellow citizens,” she exclaimed.

Bloc Disappointed by Results

The Bloc Québécois also confirmed the news to the Soleil de Châteauguay. “We are very proud of the campaign led by our Chateauguay-Lacolle candidate, Patrick O’Hara. The quality of his candidacy combined with the work he accomplished on the ground have helped the Bloc to considerably decrease the Liberals’ lead in the riding,” commented Julien Coulombe-Bonnafous, Bloc Québécois press secretary. He stated that his party was disappointed by today’s announcement. “We intend to work very hard to earn the trust of voters from the Chateauguay-Lacolle in the next elections,” he stated.

Human Error

Nathasha Gauthier, from Elections Canada confirmed that the human error was the source of the muddled results during the vote count on election night. In one of the advanced poll ballot boxes, 396 votes were accidentally awarded to the New Democrat Party instead of to the Liberal Party. In that same ballot box 71 votes were awarded to the Liberals rather than to the NDP.

The Liberal Party of Canada requested a judicial recount following the election on September 20th as anomalies were raised during the vote count. Bloc candidate Patrick O’Hara had been declared elected ahead of the incumbent MP with a 286-vote lead.