Blue Like You

Archive for the ‘Federal Election’ Category

Now was that really so hard?

Thanks to everyone who participated in this fight for democracy. You know who you are and there are way too many to mention here. However, a special thanks goes to Kady O’Malley for taking an interest in this and using her contacts to get us the information on the ground.  This is really the first time that I can recall having a MSM liaison assisting a blogging effort.

Congratulations to Ujjal Dosanjh. He can now claim a legitimate victory.

And thanks to Wai Young for persevering. You were doing it for all of us. Well done.

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Related: Dosanjh wins by twenty votes in Vancouver South - Crux of the Matter.

News 1130 - Liberal Ujjal Dosanjh retains Vancouver South seat after 2nd recount.

BCL seems to think it was all a waste of money - Ujjal wins by 20.

A BCer in Toronto: All ballots counted, Dosanjh still won.

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Wednesday Update: 20-vote win returns Dosanjh to Ottawa - Vancouver Sun:

“It was the longest recount in Elections Canada history,” said Dosanjh’s lawyer, Ravi Hira…

You don’t say. Now why would that be?

Dosanjh said he was happy with the results, and to finally have any lingering doubts around his narrow win cleared up.

“I think democracy is about every vote being counted,” he said in an interview from his Vancouver home. “The other side wanted to ensure that every vote was counted and the judge listened to them and heard them and actually did exactly what they wanted. And I say, good on the judge.”

Uh-huh.

Gag me.

Looks like a full recount is (finally) happening in Vancouver South!

The Vancouver Sun reports that about 80% of the 184 polls have been counted, and that Ujjal Dosanjh is now leading by 21 votes. Remember that he started out with a 33 vote lead. This one has the potential to rival Peter Braid’s win in Kitchener-Waterloo for a close margin.

The recount process will resume tomorrow at 9 am Pacific Time.

For background information, please start here and follow the links.

Whatever the result, I think we can finally be assured that every vote will count and actually be counted.

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Tuesday Update: Big City Lib asks, "Has democracy been served, or Conservative Conspiracy theories indulged because one their candidates was too dumb to know they had thrown in the towel already?"

Nice.

What I’m wondering is why can’t the press be allowed to view the proceedings? Dosanjh’s lawyer is giving us a play-by-play anyway.

…besides the ballots, that is.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I present to you today two pieces of rather contradictory evidence for your thoughtful consideration and analysis:

The first is a report by the Vancouver Sun stating that we will have to wait until at least today to hear what will happen next in the allegedly botched recount situation.

The second is the apparently official results on the Elections Canada site which one of my readers (Paul) noticed yesterday. The status for Vancouver South changed from "In Progress" to "Completed".

And so I humbly beg the jury to carefully ponder the following question:

What’s up with that???

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Update: Good for this Abbotsford resident for speaking out in The Hill Times:

...Why were only 28 boxes out of 184 recounted in Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh’s Vancouver South riding? If they could find 11 more spoiled votes in 28 boxes, think how many they could have found in 184? Isn’t that a gross example of favouritism towards the Liberals? All votes should be recounted regardless of what the outcome may be.

Way to go, Louise Fribance, and thanks to the Hill Times for publishing her letter.

I would suggest that anyone who cares about democracy in this country should pummel Vancouver newspapers and radio talkshows with your complaints and concerns.

Do. It. Now. (Thanks, Ezra.)

And my sincere thanks to Sandy for continuing to apply the pressure at Crux of the Matter.

Kady’s still keeping an eye on this story as well.

11:26 am - Kady now has an update. I have a feeling that Kady would like to get to the bottom of this just as much as I do, but I believe her motive is to dispel the perception of wrong-doing here. Personally, I just want to see justice done.

Please count all the freaking ballots! It’s just that simple.

Afternoon Update: Meanwhile we hear from the Province just how difficult it actually was to get local media inside the recount in Keith Martin’s riding:

…Lawyer Michael Scherr, acting on behalf of the Times Colonist, made a motion in front of Supreme Court Justice R. Dean Wilson that the newspaper should be present at the recount.

Scherr argued a media presence would increase public confidence in the electoral process. He also cited the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, saying there must be a balance between election secrecy and freedom of the press.

Elections Canada disagreed. The entire process is secret, the Elections Canada representative suggested. But Scherr argued that the door had been opened by a 2005 recount in Parry Sound-Muskoka, Ont., involving Tony Clement…

However as we all know now, democracy won out at the end.

And as Conservative Reporter says, Squeaky clean across the board needed here.

Evening Update: Kady has some info:

…Well, they’re more than halfway through the boxes, and I think they’re hoping to finish the count by the end of the day, so if there are, in fact, 600 suspicious ballots, they’ll eventually be uncovered. (My guess is that it was a data entry error, since it was corrected by the next day — before the recount had even begun.)…

The Vancouver Sun reports this morning that the second effort at trying to determine who is the actual winner in Vancouver South will continue Monday:

"We dealt with a number of boxes she wanted counted," Dosanjh’s lawyer, Ravi Hira, said Friday. "She remains unsatisfied. The recount continues Monday."

O.K. Maybe this is a dumb question, but why not just count them all and get it over with?

Meanwhile, the recount in Kitchener-Waterloo continues to serve as a model for competency and democracy:

…All sides were impressed with the recount’s integrity.

"I, like most Canadians, probably take this for granted," Gordon said. "We assume that we show up to vote and everything will be done properly, and certainly it is."

Well, perhaps in most of Canada it is done properly.

In any case, congrats for a job well done Justice Gordon!

This just in from Newstalk 570: Conservative Peter Braid has won the official recount over Andrew Telegdi by 17 votes! This process has been going on since Wednesday.

Every ballot was recounted.

The Record - Recount confirms Braid as winner…

Congratulations, Peter Braid! And thank you Justice Donald Gordon for a job well done.

Congrats too, to Aaron. I’m sure he’ll have lots to tell us.

Saturday Update: H/T to Gabby in the previous post for this link to David Akin’s blog, which includes official Elections Canada information.  David also has a link to Pundits’ Guide - Well worth checking out.

Record - It’s Braid by a Hair in Recount. (Very clever. Wish I had thought of that one.) This link is also posted in the next post.

When I first read Kady O’Malley’s post today, I was quite heartened to think that Wai Young’s appeal for a full recount would finally be taken seriously.

However the more I think about it, the less satisfied I become - especially after reading the Vancouver Sun report by Neil Hall:

…The matter was heard in court by Dohm late Wednesday, when the judge agreed to examine the counting statements for each of the 184 ballot boxes, which are called polls, for Vancouver South.

"Counting statements"? That’s it? What’s that going to prove?

Sandy seems to be just as indignant as I am . Hopefully this is just the starting point, but I want to see all the ballots counted just as they have been in every other recount.

Even Mike Duffy commented on it tonight when talking to Jane Taber and Robert Fife on MDL:

"…if you’re going to have a recount, let’s have a recount! … This is a very important decision!"

Jane and Robert seemed to agree with Duff.

This isn’t fair to Wai Young, and it isn’t even good for Ujjal Dosanjh. If he is deemed the winner without a full recount, this cloud will forever hang over his head like some fetid eau de democracy gone rancid.

What is going on out there?

Perhaps this gang from Vancouver South should come to Kitchener-Waterloo and find out how things are supposed to be done.

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Related: Brampton West recount scheduled for Nov. 3 - The Brampton Guardian:

"…The recount could take between three and four days, according to court officials…"

Hel-lo-o. Anyone listening out there in Vancouver South?

Conservative Reporter says, …OPEN THE BOXES!

Update on Kitchener-Waterloo recount - 570 News It’s still going to be a while.

Still watching and waiting for the Vancouver South ‘recount’ at Crux of the Matter.

The recount process in Kitchener-Waterloo seems to be going smoothly (Record report here):

After a day of counting yesterday, workers had gone through just half the ballots. Returning officer Henry Schmidt said there were few significant problems with the recount, which he expects will conclude today. "It’s going smoothly," he said. "It’s going well." Workers found some disputed ballots, Schmidt said, but he couldn’t reveal how many or whether there were enough to change the election results. Earlier in the day, the judge presiding over the recount, Superior Court Justice Donald Gordon, ruled the local news media could witness the recount after The Record launched a formal application requesting the newspaper have access to the proceedings. In making his decision, Gordon said the electoral process is a fundamental element of a democracy and should be open to the public through the media. "The public has an interest in the proceedings and are entitled to know what we are doing," he said.

Excuse me? What was that last sentence again? The public is entitled to know what’s going on? It’s supposed to be a transparent process then? Obviously Vancouver South didn’t get the message. Let’s hope that Wai Young’s appeal is successful and that the powers-to-be soon realize that they are responsible for the only riding in the country that seems to have decided that every vote doesn’t count.

Justice Donald Gordon is to be commended for allowing local media to be present, and for ensuring a fair and democratic recount in Waterloo. Whatever the outcome, we will be confident that the winner will actually be the person who received the most votes. What a refreshing concept.

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Related: Dosanjh may face another recount in Canada poll - Sindh Today.

Jack’s Newswatch - Daily Blogger. Thanks once again, Jack!

Also, sometime during the night, Blue Like You passed the 200,000 mark since switching to Wordpress at the end of April of this year. Not bad for half a year’s work. Thanks so much to all my readers!

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Afternoon update: Recount decision expected Friday - Record.

Wai Young update - News 1130. Nothing much we don’t already know.

Kady had the latest - H/T Bruce in next thread.

Dosanjh will have to wait until Friday to find out if he is the winner - Vancouver Sun.

Check out Heartless and Brainless - More recount nonsense.

The big question in today’s recount between Peter Braid and Andrew Telegdi is the following: Will every vote be recounted?

I’ll try to post links and information as they become available today.

570 News has some background information, as does the Record which tells us that the judge will be Kitchener Superior Court Justice Donald Gordon.

I’m looking forward to a fair, democratic process.

If you find any additional information, please feel free to update us in comments. Thanks.

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Update: Newstalk 570 just reported on their 11 a.m. news update that this recount could take 2 or 3 days! Therefore, I’m guessing that they’re actually counting every vote.

Funny, that.

Aren’t we all Canadians here?

Good report here from my old Alma Mater. (You’re doing a better job than the Record, guys.)

CTV Southwestern Ontario (link has video clip up now) has just reported on its noon broadcast that the beginning of the recount had been delayed due to a request by local media to be present during the process. This application has been granted by the judge and things are now underway.

Therefore unlike Vancouver South, it seems we have a fair and transparent recount going on in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Finally we hear from the Record:

…With Kitchener Superior Court Justice Donald Gordon watching, 50 Elections Canada counters began opening ballot boxes and reviewing each of the 60,803 ballots cast in the riding during the Oct. 14 federal election.

The counters were joined by 27 scrutineers from both the Liberal and Conservative parties.

NDP candidate Cindy Jacobsen was also represented at the recount.

As part of the process, if all sides disagree over a ballot, the lawyers for both Telegdi and Braid will argue the case before the judge. The judge then rules on all disputed ballots and declares the winner.

The recount is expected to finish tomorrow, although Gordon said it could go into Friday.

Hel-lo-o! Anyone in Vancouver South paying attention here???

Evening Update : Everyone’s gone home for the day now.  They’ll be back at it tomorrow.

The local CTV reporter says the only thing he is allowed to disclose is that there has been ’some movement’.

Yesterday was quite a ride. My wrists are complaining again from all the typing, so posting will be brief for the next little while. My deepest thanks to all the bloggers who continue to pick up the torch. More here , here, here , here and here. (Sorry if I missed anyone!)

Two significant items today though:

1. The Vancouver Sun gives us a bit more information as to the process involved regarding Wai Young’s plan to challenge the partial recount - Tory candidate to sue over Dosanjh win:

…Wai Young had originally lost in the Oct. 14 federal election to Dosanjh. The recount narrowed the margin to only 22 votes from the initial 33-vote gap.

Conservative party official Ray Leitch said in an interview Monday that Elections Canada recounted the votes from 28 of 184 ballot boxes.

A lawyer for the party will appear before a B.C. Supreme Court judge Thursday requesting that the judicial recount check every ballot box.

"The judge has the prerogative to decide how many ballot boxes he’s going to look at, and he decided after the 28 that he felt it was enough and there wasn’t a trend there," said Leitch.

"We thought that there was a trend coming down and that it possibly could change if we continued doing the count."

The party is still deciding whether to continue up the judicial chain to the Appeal Court if the Supreme Court judge denies the continuation of the recount.

"We’re looking at that option right now. It depends on the reason he gives," he said…

Yesterday there was a lot of speculation in comments about whether a new judge would be sought by the CPC, but it would appear from the Sun article that they are planning to first give Justice Dohm an opportunity to address this issue.  Perhaps someone else is better able to interpret it than I have. (Swift?) (Dr. Dawg?) In any case, I’m sure we’d all appreciate hearing Justice Dohm’s reasoning on this ‘recount’.

2.) The Sun article also mentions yesterday’s recount in Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, in which Conservative candidate Tony DeSouza voluntarily ended the process when it became mathematically impossible for him to be declared the victor.

The Times Colonist won the unprecedented opportunity of witnessing the recount and gave an insider’s perspective on the event - Rare glimpse inside a judicial recount. It’s a fascinating read, but what surprised me was how reporter Rob Shaw ended the story:

…Around 5:20 p.m., with all the votes counted, Conservative candidate Troy DeSouza was down 70 votes to Martin and there were only 67 disputed ballots for the judge’s consideration.

DeSouza’s lawyers then asked the judge to terminate the process and concede defeat.

However, by ending the recount early, the lawyers invalidated the entire recount process. It meant the original results from the Oct. 14 election — in which Martin won by two fewer votes — stand as official, despite a recount process that took more than 100 people an entire day to complete.

In another article, Rob Shaw details some of the costs of the recount:

The basic cost of the recount was covered by Elections Canada, including a $750 charge for the room at the Fairmont Empress where the recount was held and more than 100 bottles of water. Workers paid for their own lunches.

Both the Liberals and Conservatives were each permitted to bring four lawyers and 25 staff. Elections Canada provided its own lawyer from Ottawa and more than 50 officials.

Martin said his four-person legal team — which could have billed hundreds of dollars an hour — worked for free. DeSouza’s lawyers declined to comment on legal fees.

Wilson adjourned his ruling on who will pay the legal fees until a future date.

It almost seems as if Shaw is fixated on the costs, and is suggesting that this process was a waste of time and effort.

I disagree. How can you put a price on democracy?

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Evening Update: H/T to Bruce for this latest Kady update - Vancouver South Recount: The Latest Intrigue - Plus Memories of Ballot Battles Past.

Man, I wish I could get paid for doing that stuff.

Dr. Roy - Counting the votes. Dr. Roy asks Ujjal to do the honourable thing and demand a complete recount.

Wednesday Update: Narrow margin puts spotlight on Election Recounts - Vancouver Sun.

680 News has the story!

VANCOUVER, B.C. - A Vancouver Conservative candidate who lost a federal election recount last week is appealing the result in court.

Wai Young lost the judicial recount to Vancouver South incumbent Liberal Ujjal Dosanjh by just 22 votes on Friday but Conservative party official Ray Leitch says she’s unhappy that not all the ballot boxes were rechecked in the process.

Leitch says a lawyer for Young will appear Thursday in a B.C. Supreme Court to ask a judge to check every vote cast.

The Elections Act gives the judge supervising the recount the option of counting all the valid votes, plus spoiled and rejected ballots, or only those from a sampling of ballot boxes.

In the Vancouver South recount B.C. Supreme Court Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm opted to recount votes from 28 out of 184 ballot boxes…

…Leitch says that all the ballot boxes should be reopened and their votes counted, noting that a full recount Friday in a Quebec riding overturned a Bloc Quebecois victory in favour of the Liberal challenger.

The recount in Vancouver South found four vote changes in 22 of the 28 boxes that were opened, raising the possibility of 30 or more vote changes in the unopened boxes, Leitch says.

He conceded getting Dohm to change his mind was a long shot …

Background on this story here.

We’re behind you Wai, 100%.

The hope we now have is that there is still a chance for democracy to prevail - even in Canada.

Update: Story now confirmed at CKNX.

Macleans - B.C. Conservative appealing election recount loss in court.

Now the STAR - This is exactly what we were after: MSM getting the story out there. This is a great day.

Good work, people!

The Wai Young story is now the headlines at National Newswatch.

And, when even Big City Lib is interested in hearing ‘the reasoning behind the judge’s decision’, you know something just ain’t right.

Yup. This is a stinker, folks.

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Tuesday Update : Kady has an update (H/T to Jad) - UPDATED: Vancouver South Recount – Okay, I give up. What the heck is going on out there?