She won her Quebec riding by a single vote in recount. Who is the Liberals' 170th MP?
A recount of votes in the Quebec riding of Terrebonne has flipped that seat from the Bloc Québécois to the Liberals, and brought the governing Liberty party to 170 MPs in the House of Commons, just two shy of a majority. Here’s what to know about Tatiana Auguste, Canada’s newest MP.
How close was the vote?
As close as they come. Auguste was initially reported to have won the riding by 35 votes after the April 28 election, but three days later the post-election validation process showed that incumbent Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné of the Bloc Québécois was ahead by 44 votes.
That narrow victory then triggered a judicial recount, which began Thursday and was completed Saturday. It gave Auguste 23,352 votes against Sinclair-Desgagne’s 23,351, a difference of just one ballot.
Who is Tatiana Auguste?
Auguste’s candidacy website says she was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and has lived in Canada since 2008. She grew up in Montreal, where she attended elementary and secondary school and graduated with an International Baccalaureate. She went on to study economics at Concordia University focusing on investment strategies in underrepresented communities.
The site notes that she has served as vice-president on the board of directors of Télévision Communautaire de Frontenac and is currently a volunteer there. TCF is a community TV station in Montreal offering French programming that includes public affairs, cultural, social and leisure shows, documentaries and youth programs.
Tatiana is also vice-president of the Conseil jeunesse de Montréal-Nord , a citizen participation group focused on people aged 12 to 30. She also served as a political attaché to Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal MP from the Quebec riding of Bourassa from 2013 to 2025. He did not seek re-election this year.
What is her history in the House?
None; this is Auguste’s first time running and her first victory in an election. She is also one of four incoming Liberal MPs — the others are Jake Sawatzky in B.C., and Amandeep Sodhi and Fares Al Soud in Ontario — who were born in the early 2000s.
How does she feel about the narrow victory?
“I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster, but I’m really happy,” she told the CBC .
On the narrowness of the result, she said: “It certainly shows a bit of division. But I work for everyone, whether they voted for me or not. I’m ready to do the work to rally them to Terrebonne’s cause.”
She also congratulated her rival, Sinclair-Desgagné, on a close race, and said she understands her defeat. “Having experienced it a week ago, I found it heartbreaking for her.”
National Post has reached out to Sinclair-Desgagné for comment.
With files from Canadian Press
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