The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Defeated MP Jeremy Harrison is challenging the outcome of Monday's election amid allegations of dirty tricks by the victorious Liberal campaign. The Conservative said an unusually high turnout combined with reports of voter intimidation and Liberal campaign materials at polling stations Ð all within some First Nations communities Ð put the results in doubt. "I think we won and I think the election was stolen," said Harrison in a phone interview from his campaign office in Meadow Lake. Given the closeness of the vote Ð Harrison lost by just 106 tallies Ð a recount was reportedly set to take place in La Ronge yesterday. Results were unknown at press time. If the recount confirms Harrison's defeat, he said he will seek a full investigation by Elections Canada and possibly the RCMP. Harrison on Wednesday issued a plea to voters throughout the massive Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River Riding to contact him if they are aware of any fraudulent activity. Some of the calls Harrison said he has received assert that voters on some reservations were told by Liberal organizers that they would lose their government cheques and other benefits unless they supported the Grits. It is also being alleged that there were Liberal pamphlets and signs in polling stations and that voter turnout was at, near, or in some cases possibly above, the 100 per cent level. Harrison said it took three-and-a-half hours for the results from the last poll to come in. When they did, he found himself pushed out of the win column. See 'Liberals' P.# Con't from P.# There was also an allegation from an individual who claimed to be privy to a conversation regarding plans to stuff ballot boxes. "These are things that happen in a banana republic," said Harrison, who was first elected in 2004. None of the accusations had been proven true as of Wednesday evening. In a press release, Liberal Gary Merasty said he was "saddened and disappointed" by Harrison's statements. "The Liberal campaign and its volunteers ran a strong campaign," Merasty said, "and allegations of threats being made against constituents and that there was 'ballot stuffing' being carried out by Liberal volunteers is not only false but insulting to myself, the Churchill River campaign and the Liberal Party of Canada. At no time did our volunteers have access to ballots." Merasty added that "100 per cent turnout in communities is not unusual when the enumerated lists were incomplete and did not have all eligible voters of a community listed." "We all recognize that there were challenges with the enumeration list and often many voters had to attend at their polling station and be sworn in, but, in all cases providing approved identification," said Merasty. "It should be noted that we did not appoint the Poll Clerks at the polling stations in question. The Returning Officer advised that she appointed all Deputy Returning Officers on the recommendation of Mr. Harrison." New Democratic candidate Anita Jackson, who finished a distant third, told The StarPhoenix that she also supports an investigation after fielding complaints about the Liberal campaign. "These are things we need to check on. With so much at stake, people may engage in conduct that's not above board," Jackson told the Saskatoon-based newspaper. Harrison remained confident his reports are "very credible." "We're frustrated," he said. "We feel we won. We feel the election was stolen, but we're hoepful the investigation will bear out the facts and that justice will be done." Harrison said he didn't know how long an investigation might take but hopes that if any fraudulent activity is detected, Monday's results will be nulled and a by-election will be called.
