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Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada following the May 12, 2003, and the June 16, 2003, by-elections


The candidates and by-election results

The deadline for nominating candidates was 2:00 p.m. on April 21 for the May 12 by-election, and 2:00 p.m. on May 26 for the June 16 by-elections. The candidates had until 5:00 p.m. that same day to withdraw or make corrections to the name, address or occupation they set out on the nomination papers.

We posted candidates' names on our Web site as they were confirmed, and posted the official lists once nominations closed. We also transmitted the lists of official candidates to Canadian diplomatic missions and consular posts through the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and to Canadian Forces bases through the Department of National Defence.

On election night, each returning officer's Event Results System was linked to our central computer. As votes were counted locally, the numbers were transmitted to the server in Ottawa for posting on the Web site. Ballots cast at the by-elections under the Special Voting Rules by incarcerated and Canadian Forces electors, and other Canadians voting from outside their ridings, were counted at Elections Canada during the week before election day and on election night.

Table 10 below identifies the political affiliation of each candidate, the number of valid votes obtained by each candidate, and the proportion of valid votes that the candidate received.

Table 10
Statistics on valid votes obtained, by candidate
Candidate
Perth–Middlesex
Political affiliation Valid votes
obtained
Percentage of valid votes
%
Sam Dinicol New Democratic Party 4,703 15.25
Ron Gray Christian Heritage Party 902 2.92
Brian Innes Liberal Party of Canada 9,412 30.52
Marian Meinen Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance1 5,400 17.51
Gary Schellenberger*  Progressive Conservative Party of Canada1 10,413 33.77
Total   30,830 99.97

Table 10
Statistics on valid votes obtained, by candidate
Candidate
Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière
Political affiliation Valid votes obtained Percentage of valid votes
%
Yonnel Bonaventure The Green Party of Canada 254 1.07
Philippe Bouchard Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance1 220 0.93
Louise Foisy New Democratic Party 987 4.18
Maxime Fréchette Bloc Québécois 8,274 35.09
Christian Jobin* Liberal Party of Canada 13,115 55.63
Benjamin Kasapoglu Marijuana Party 186 0.78
Yohan Nolet  Progressive Conservative Party of Canada1 537 2.27
Total   23,573 99.95

Table 10
Statistics on valid votes obtained, by candidate
Candidate
Témiscamingue
Political affiliation Valid votes obtained
 
Percentage of valid votes
%
Gilbert Barrette* Liberal Party of Canada 10,195 57.00
Rachel Lord Progressive Conservative Party of Canada1 733 4.09
Clarence Marshall Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance1 82 0.45
Sylvain Sauvageau Bloc Québécois 6,287 35.15
Dennis Shushack  New Democratic Party 587 3.28
Total   17,884 99.97

1 After these by-elections were held, the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada merged to form the Conservative Party of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada was registered by the Chief Electoral Officer on December 7, 2003.

* Elected candidate

 

Party standings after the by-elections

Table 11 shows the House of Commons representation, by province, based on the political affiliation of members, on December 31, 2003. On that date, three seats remained vacant in the House of Commons: those of the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien (Saint-Maurice) and the Honourable Allan Rock (Etobicoke Centre), who both resigned on December 12, 2003, and that of the Honourable Mac Harb (Ottawa Centre), who resigned on September 8, 2003. By December 31, 2003, the Governor in Council had not yet decided on a date for a by-election.

Table 11
Distribution of House of Commons Seats on December 31, 2003,
by political affiliation
Province Bloc Québécois Liberal N.D.P. Conservative1 Independent Vacant Total
British Columbia   6 2 25 1   34
Alberta   2   23 1   26
Saskatchewan   2 2 9 1   14
Manitoba   5 4 5     14
Ontario   96 2 3   2 103
Quebec 33 37     4 1 75
New Brunswick   6 1 2 1   10
Nova Scotia   5 3 3     11
Prince Edward Island   4         4
Newfoundland and Labrador   4   3     7
Yukon   1         1
Northwest Territories   1         1
Nunavut   1         1
Total 33 170 14 73 8 3 301

1 The Conservative Party of Canada was registered by the Chief Electoral Officer on December 7, 2003. This party results from the merging of the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.
Source: House of Commons, Library of Parliament (www.parl.gc.ca)