Sunday, 8 p.m. The polling stations for the municipal elections have just closed. RDI analysts comment on the first results. One ballot box in thousands doesn’t mean much, but we say it anyway.
At 8:28 p.m. and 30 seconds, music interrupts Stéphane Boyer, candidate for mayor of Laval. No, we are not at ADISQ. But information is also a show. We go back to the studio. Patrice Roy declares: “So that’s it, the suspense is over, ladies and gentlemen, in Quebec, Marie-Josée Savard is the new mayor of Quebec, with a comfortable lead for the moment …” The experts explain to us the reasons for this great victory. We see images, captured live from the meeting place of Mme Savard is euphoria. LCN also confirms this. It is all good.
9:03 pm The new mayoress of Quebec joins her activists. Press melee:
“What did you think made the difference?
– Listen, at this moment, I am still very emotional… I would say authenticity, I think people have felt that everything I have been doing for eight years, it was sincere, it was authentic . I love it, that city… Worse today, I’m very proud of that conclusion! ”
Marie-Josée Savard has cheeks as red as her dress. Eyes filled with gratitude. Joy transports her. We understand it. So much effort paid off. Prime Minister Legault sends him a congratulatory tweet. It is the consecration.
A few minutes later, it’s the official speech. She compliments her rivals. And assures the population that it will get to work, the day after the swearing-in. Good. The job is done. She can now celebrate. It’s his evening.
Half an hour later, Patrice Roy seems a little puzzled: “It’s settled in Quebec, but look at the percentage, 32.8% to 31.1%. So that Mr. Marchand said: no question of conceding victory, I am waiting … Could a miracle happen?
Imagine Mme Savard in front of his TV. She must be decompressing. To take off his shoes. To savor the moment. And now the victory no longer seems assured. It’s a bad dream.
In Montreal, Valérie Plante gives her acceptance speech. Smiling like never before. This woman is a living emoji. Return to Quebec. The score is 32.3% for Savard and 32% for Marchand. It no longer celebrates at the headquarters of the mayoress announced. And while Roy interviews Mme Plante, Bruno Marchand takes the lead by 50 votes.
Mme Would Savard have feasted too quickly? Patrice Roy has the elegance to take responsibility, on behalf of the media, for this early crowning achievement. Prime Minister Legault sends a new tweet: “I think I published too quickly. I will wait for the final results before congratulating the winner in Quebec! ”
And that’s what everyone does. We no longer assume anything. We wait until all the ballots are counted, one by one. Two and a half hours after the triumphal entry of Marie-Josée Savard, it’s Bruno Marchand’s turn to make his own. He is officially the new mayor of Quebec.
Mme Savard has not spoken since. I hope she’s doing well, despite everything. What she went through is appalling.
Losing is not easy. Losing after believing to win is cruel. Marie-Josée Savard’s “victory” is Alain Côté’s “goal” in politics.
Alain Côté was certain that he had just made his team win, it was the most glorious moment of his career, then referee Fraser said his goal was not good, and it became the moment the most heartbreaking of his career. One thing is certain, for history, it is neither Côté’s fault nor Savard’s fault. He and she have nothing to be ashamed of. As much as one could believe in his goal, the other could believe in his victory. In one case, it was the media that got it wrong, in the other, it was the referee who got it wrong, or Paul Gillis, who should not have caused the obstruction at the expense of the goalkeeper. of the Canadian.
All of Quebec was shaken by election night last Sunday. If there is one thing we had complete confidence in, it is the announcement, first of all, of a winner by our favorite news anchor. What happened ? It is the advance polling which would have made so that the networks badly anticipated the result. Bruno Marchand’s comeback over the past week could not be reflected in the ballot boxes filled before her.
The real culprit is the trend. Not the tendency to vote: our tendency to want everything quickly. As soon as possible. We want to know the final result before we have finished calculating the votes. Marie-Josée Savard was the victim of our eagerness. We all want to be the first. Not just the candidates who show up. Newsrooms and their listeners, too.
And so it is in everything. All of life’s occupations are part of a long list that we can’t wait to tick off. The election for mayor of Quebec has just reminded us to calm down. Pulling on a flower will not make it grow faster. Everything in its time.
We believe ourselves to be finer than fate. Let us not forget that it can still surprise us. If the trend holds, the accuracy holds.