Liberal Party requests recount in tight Quebec race it lost to Bloc

The Liberal Party is requesting a recount in the federal riding of Châteauguay-Lacolle after Elections Canada reported what it called a "potential anomaly" in the count that saw the Bloc Québécois candidate defeat the Liberal by 286 votes.

Elections Canada confirms it detected a possible issue with one of the ballot boxes after the results had been finalized. The agency did not offer details.

"Since validation, Elections Canada has become aware of a potential anomaly with the results reported for a single ballot box at an advance poll," Elections Canada spokesperson Natasha Gauthier said in a statement to CBC News.  

"We have been informed by the Liberal Party of Canada that they are taking the necessary steps to request a judicial recount under the relevant provisions of the Act."

The riding's result was the seventh-closest in the federal election, according to Elections Canada's results. Bloc Québécois MP Patrick O'Hara won on Saturday with a 0.59 per cent margin over Liberal incumbent Brenda Shanahan, who was first elected in 2015.

The Liberal Party said that it's "important that every vote is counted."

"The Liberal campaign has full confidence in the avenues provided for in the Canada Elections Act for close results like the one in Châteauguay-Lacolle," wrote Liberal spokesperson Braeden Caley in a statement to CBC News.