NDP holds Nunavut with smaller margin after validation
Results from April 28 election validated 18 days after polls close
NDP MP Lori Idlout speaks in front of her house in Iqaluit after winning Nunavut’s only seat in the House of Commons in the April 28 federal election. The result was validated May 16 by Elections Canada. (File photo by Arty Sarkisian)
After a more than two-week delay, the win by incumbent Lori Idlout of the NDP over Liberal Kilikvak Kabloona was validated by Elections Canada with a smaller margin than initially projected.
The validated results from the April 28 federal election show Idlout winning 2,853 votes, 41 more than Kabloona, who received 2,812 votes. In the preliminary results, Idlout led by 77 votes.
Conservative James T. Arreak received 1,992 votes in the validated count, finishing third.
The tighter margin won’t trigger an automatic recount, which is required for races where the two leading candidates receive either the same number of votes or the difference is one-thousandth of the total votes cast.
For Nunavut, that would be roughly eight votes.
A recount can also be triggered by a voter or a candidate.
Arreak had said he would consider contesting the election because of “questionable issues” on election day. However, on May 16 his campaign manager Stephen Tucker said he didn’t believe a recount “will be warranted.”
Kathy Kettler, campaign manager for Kabloona, said in a text to Nunatsiaq News on Tuesday: “To let you know, we’re not looking at requesting a judicial recount at this time, however, I am proud of the work that we were able to accomplish in the time that we had, thanks.”
The total votes counted after validation is down by 211 as well, from 7,868 in the preliminary results to 7,657.
The validation of votes — the Elections Canada process that confirms the unofficial count completed on election day — was delayed by 18 days because the box from Naujaat containing approximately 80 ballots could not reach the returning office in Iqaluit until May 16 due to flight delays.
Initially, Elections Canada said the box was stuck in a cargo facility in Rankin Inlet. But on Saturday, Nunavut’s returning officer Jean-Claude Nguyen confirmed to Nunatsiaq News that the box was in Iqaluit.
The box, along with other cargo shipments, arrived from Rankin Inlet but wasn’t sorted due to a blizzard that hit Iqaluit on Wednesday evening and Thursday.
“We only found out Friday afternoon after they sorted everything, as the cargo tracking system was not updated,” Nguyen said in a message on Saturday.
“That explains why we thought it was in Rankin Inlet.”
Cool, so we have no voice for the next Parliament.
Incorrect, we have a voice in Parliament, however we have no voice in government. There is a difference
Lori now fighting a battle with the NDP National Council over the interim leader position.
She should just walk across the isle and join the Liberals while she still can and ditch the NDP entirely as they do not care about her opinion.
But will the Liberals want her?
Lori, would love to see you cross the floor your next session, look what we are missing out on..
we had past conservative MP Leona Aglukkaq as Minister, now we have NWT MP as a minister and Quebec northern MP as a minster, you have a lot of knowledge and expertise as a federal MP, think for a long time, think you can become a minister and have a voice in the Canadian government….Liberals have a voice in the Canadian government, NDP has lost it….
Please take my advise, walk across the floor to the liberals,
After years of reflexive complaining about the Liberals it would be a great lesson in expedience and hypocrisy, no doubt.
I can’t see the Liberals ever putting a floor-crosser in Cabinet.
They’d be happy to have her on their back benches, voting in line with the Party but they’ll never put her in Cabinet.
There is some history with a former conservative mp becoming a liberal minister. Anything is possible so I wouldn’t close the door as they need the numbers to make it through a term. Cross the floor soon Lori before all the major decisions are made though.
History lesson kiddies…
NDP MP Peter Ittinuar crossed the floor to join Pierre Trudeau’s Liberals, after securing a promise to split the NWT and create Nunavut.
Now, let’s see Lori uses her brain and secures a similar significant concession for the people of Nunavut to give Conman a majority, and not something that just benefits her pension and Alan’s business interests!
They’ve already picked their Cabinet. Lori would be a stronger voice for Nunavut if she joined the Liberal party and advocate within. NDP has lost official party status making any NDP in Parliament effectively an independent. Any time she may wish to ask a question will be at the behest of the Speaker. She’ll be lucky if she gets to ask even one question this term.
Billions of dollars have been spent over the last 30 days with no parliamentary approval. No accountability, no budget. Canada is broken. But yeah, who cares when in less than 3 weeks MPs will fly home for summer holidays until September, October.
And it doesn’t matter if MPs or unelected senate are in session. What the PM can’t do is pass new bills or repealing bills. However, with the GG signature the money spending will flow, and bills already on the books implemented or new interpretation created from them-but not a new law. No MP required.
As the USA ups the pressure on Canada to take action on fentanyl manufacturing and its world exporting, human smuggling, communist operators and transnational mafias still increasing in Canada.
Why would Nunavut MP even think about crossing the floor to be part of this? Why it’s no surprise the west, possibly even western shores of Nunavut want to remove from the rapid destruction of Canada?
C’mon Lori thank those for their support and step down and announce when the by-election will be.
I’m old fashioned, if an elected MP wants to switch parties they should resign and run in the by-election for the new party. People vote based on party policy, leader, or local candidate. If someone wants to switch parties it is only fair that they stand for election under that party.
This parliament is likely to last more than a year, possibly two, as there is little appetite in the NDP or Bloc to force an election. In that time there may be an opportunity for the Liberals to pick-up the two seats they need for a majority. I doubt that Prime Minister Carney is sweating that he is two seats short of a majority.
Floor crossers rarely receive Cabinet posts, the two exception being David Emerson and Belinda Stronach who both paid for their decisions by being routed in the next federal election. So generally speaking it doesn’t pay for an MP to cross the floor.
Congrats, you win the prize for the stupidest post of the day! Government has to keep operating. In the absence of a Parliament and budget, government financial business is managed via warrants . NO LEGISLATION IS INTRODUCED OR PASSED without the approval of Parliament and the Senate, so I am not sure what you are whining about.