In the federal riding of Terrebonne, Quebec, a recent election outcome has sparked debate about the importance of every vote. The April 28 election saw Liberal candidate Tatiana Auguste initially declared the winner by a narrow margin of 35 votes over Bloc Québécois candidate Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné. However, this result was overturned during the validation process by Elections Canada, which found Sinclair-Desgagné ahead by 44 votes. This triggered an official recount due to the close margin, which ultimately concluded on May 10, declaring Auguste the winner by just one vote: 23,352 to 23,351.

This outcome is notable in Canadian political history, as it marks one of the closest elections ever recorded. The situation became even more complex when it was revealed that a mail-in ballot from a Terrebonne resident, Emmanuelle Bossé, was returned to her after being sent to the wrong address. Bossé had voted for Sinclair-Desgagné, and her ballot could have changed the election's outcome.

Bossé expressed her frustration, stating, "I wasn’t the one who got Elections Canada’s address wrong on the envelope. Elections Canada glued this label on the envelope. I had nothing to fill. I just had to put my vote in there." This incident raised questions about the integrity of the electoral process, as it highlighted a potential error by Elections Canada.

Despite the circumstances, Quebec Superior Court Justice Éric Dufour ruled on October 27 that the error did not affect the integrity of the election. He noted, "It is a simple human error, which sometimes occurs in general elections, committed inadvertently and without any dishonest or malicious intent." However, this decision has led to criticism regarding the handling of the situation and the implications for public confidence in the electoral system.

The case of Terrebonne is not isolated. Other close elections in Canadian history include former Liberal deputy prime minister Anne McLellan winning her seat in Edmonton Northwest by one vote in 1993, and Conservative candidate Kathy Borrelli winning Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore by just four votes in the recent election.

The controversy surrounding the Terrebonne election raises important questions about the electoral process and the significance of every vote. While Elections Canada maintains that the results of a judicial recount are final, the situation has prompted discussions about the need for accountability and the potential for human error to impact election outcomes. As the debate continues, the case serves as a reminder of the critical role that each vote plays in shaping the political landscape in Canada.