Just when the dust seemed to settle on the Canada 2025 federal election, a late twist has jolted the political landscape, leaving the Bloc smiling. The Liberal Party has lost a crucial seat in Quebec following a vote validation process in a dramatic postscript to Canada’s 2025 federal election.
The loss reduces the Mark Carney-led Liberal Party’s count from 169 to 168 seats, four short of a majority in the 343-seat House of Commons.
The Terrebonne riding, initially declared a Liberal win by a narrow 35-vote margin, has now been awarded to Bloc Québécois incumbent Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné after a 44-vote lead was confirmed.
“One Terrebonne voter wrote on Facebook, ‘We watched the results twice, couldn’t believe it either time. This recount is nerve-wracking.”
Elections Canada’s validation process uncovered discrepancies that led to the seat flip.
Given the slim margin, an official judicial recount will be conducted, as mandated when a candidate’s victory margin is less than 0.1% of the total votes cast, according to Bloc spokesperson Joanie Riopel.
Sinclair-Desgagné expressed cautious optimism on social media, thanking supporters and emphasizing the importance of the upcoming recount. The outcome in Terrebonne is crucial, as it affects the Liberals’ ability to form a majority government. With this, the Bloc jumps to 23 seats.
“Thank you for your continued support and let’s pay attention to what follows. I hope to have the honour of representing Terrebonne once again,” she wrote in French.
The election saw the Liberals, under new leader Mark Carney, secure 168 seats with 43.7% of the popular vote. The Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, won 144 seats and 41.3% of the vote. Notably, Poilievre lost his seat in Carleton to Liberal newcomer Bruce Fanjoy, marking a significant personal and political setback
Carney is scheduled to hold his first post-election press conference on Friday at 11:00 AM Eastern Time, where he is expected to address government priorities and the implications of the recount.
Elections Canada uses the validation procedure, which is distinct from an official recount, to confirm the unofficial results that are announced on election night. To eliminate any possible mistakes, each local returning officer reviews the results submitted by every polling place.
“When you’re talking about hundreds or thousands of polling locations and lots of results coming in, errors can happen. Whether it’s something that gets misheard on the phone or somebody accidentally types in the wrong number on the keyboard,” said Matthew McKenna, a spokesperson for Elections Canada.
The loss in Terrebonne shows the fragile nature of Carney’s minority government, and he will need to seek support from other parties to pass legislation.
