Northern riding poses questions, possible recount

“I had a sense that it would be a close race, or there was a possibility of it, because it was such a long campaign,” she said. “We didn’t know with the polls going up and down… it could’ve been anybody.

“It could’ve been Rob Clarke or Lawrence (Joseph) winning as well.”

According to Elections Canada principle, an automatic recount would occur if there was a gap of .001 between votes, in this particular case—30 votes or less.

With 70 votes between Jolibois and Joseph, the Liberal Party of Canada would have to request a recount. To be awarded approval from a judge, there would have to be good reason.

With the issue of a ballot shortage in the riding, Joseph suggest there is.

On the Ahtahkakoop and Sandy Lake First Nations, voter turnout may have been underestimated.

“Quite obviously that was the case and they got caught unprepared. The polls were open but they didn’t have any ballots,” said Joseph. “They had to run to a neighbouring town, Shell Lake or somewhere, to get more ballots.

“This is extremely irregular and something that is very troubling to say the least.”

Joseph said this unusual circumstance raises other questions regarding the voting process.

“First of all, how secure are those ballots, and secondly, why did they run out, why weren’t they prepared?”

According to Elections Canada, the polling stations which ran out of ballots were given advanced permission to photocopy more, leaving no explanation for time delays.

Still, Joseph said many voters waiting eventually gave up and walked away.

When asked, Jolibois said she hadn’t heard about them running out of ballots, but says she will cooperate with Elections Canada if a recount is needed.

For her, being elected could mean a big change for northern Saskatchewan, as the NDP hasn’t held the riding since 2000.

“In the North, the NDP has always had a base and had a strong core support,” said Jolibois. “I’m not surprised with northern constituents giving support to me as an NDP person.”

She said she’ll focus on Nutrition North Canada (NNC), something she says is a, ‘significant thing that needs to pushed going forward’, as well as other aboriginal issues, like housing.

“I’m sure as we get to go to Ottawa and we get to do the planning, we’ll solidify what we can do, moving things forward,” said Jolibois. “I know I’m going to work as hard as I can for the constituency.”

Jolibois also said she’ll be willing to cooperate with other parties, to promote the needs of the riding.

“I’m open to meeting with Mr. Trudeau and others and I’ll work with the NDP caucus to promote the interests of northern Saskatchewan,” she said.

Joseph said he wasn’t happy with the 78-day campaign, saying other parties focused on defamatory allegations against him rather than the issues.

He also called polling numbers ‘laughable, to say the least,’ with him listed as holding less than 10 per cent support in some newspapers, he said.

According to Jolibois, the campaign was the exact opposite.

“I believe I had an excellent, positive campaign,” she said. “I visited reserves and communities and I was well received.”

“I had really good discussions and I continued on with a positive campaign.”

Overall, Joseph said he isn’t personally pushing for a recount, and was hoping the riding would be ‘Anything but Conservative (ABC)’.

“That was the war cry up North, ABC,” said Joseph. “Ten years of very oppressive government, especially how it relates to First Nations people is now gone in a very convincing way, and a very ineffective Member of Parliament serving the north is no longer there.

“I hope we can expect something better and that the newly elected, confirmed elected, will provide better service.”

When all was said and done, Monday night was a good time to be a Liberal.

“With the new government it’s a big fresh start; it’s a breath of fresh air and with that comes a lot of hope,” said Joseph. “We’ll see what transpires in the upcoming days and weeks.”

With files from Nigel Maxwell.

asoloducha@panow.com

On Twitter: @alex_soloducha

by Alex Soloducha

Northern riding poses questions, possible recount

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