Elections Canada to investigate voting barriers in Nunavik
MONTREAL - Elections Canada says it will investigate 'shortcomings' that prevented some people in Nunavik from casting their vote in Monday's federal election.
In a statement Wednesday, chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault apologized to residents of the northern region of Quebec, which is the homeland of Inuit in the province.
'I deeply regret that some electors in Nunavik were not able to cast their vote,' he said. 'Over the last three years, Elections Canada has engaged with Indigenous communities across the country and made it a priority to remove barriers and improve voting services for Indigenous electors.
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'Nevertheless, the shortcomings of our services in Nunavik during the general election underscore the importance of the work that remains.'
Perrault said the agency will 'review the circumstances that led to this situation,' and will publish its findings.
The apology comes after news reports said polling stations in some Nunavik communities closed hours early, apparently because weather conditions were affecting flights for election workers. In some cases, polling stations reportedly didn't open at all.
On Tuesday, Makivvik, the organization representing Quebec Inuit, said it was 'deeply disappointed' by how the vote was handled in Nunavik, and called on Elections Canada to investigate.
'This is unacceptable in 2025,' the organization said in a statement. 'In many cases, Nunavimmiut were effectively denied their right to participate in this election.'
The federal agency should 'take immediate steps to ensure that every Inuk in Nunavik has equal access to voting in future elections,' the statement said.
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Mandy Gull-Masty, former grand chief of the Cree Nation Government in Quebec, won the riding of Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou for the Liberals on Monday, flipping it from Bloc Québécois incumbent Sylvie Bérubé.
Makivvik president Pita Aatami said he was pleased to see an Indigenous woman elected to represent the region.
'Mandy Gull-Masty understands the realities of our communities, and we are thankful that she took the time to visit Nunavik during the campaign,' he said. 'Her election marks a significant step forward for our riding, and we look forward to working closely with her.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2025.
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