▁to ▁remain ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Canada . ▁Chr ét ien ' s ▁intention ▁was , ▁whatever ▁the ▁result , ▁to ▁stay ▁in ▁office . ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁Premier ▁Frank ▁McK en na ▁later ▁confirmed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁invited ▁into ▁a ▁hypoth et ical ▁" National ▁Unity " ▁cabinet ▁if ▁the ▁" Yes " ▁side ▁was ▁vict orious , ▁with ▁a ▁general ▁understanding ▁that ▁former ▁Ontario ▁Premier ▁Bob ▁R ae ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁included ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁Premier ▁of ▁S ask atch ew an ▁Roy ▁Roman ow ▁secret ly ▁formed ▁a ▁committee ▁to ▁study ▁consequences ▁if ▁Quebec ▁successfully ▁se ced ed , ▁including ▁strength ening ▁S ask atch ew an ' s ▁relationships ▁with ▁other ▁western ▁provinces , ▁also ▁se ced ing ▁from ▁Canada , ▁or ▁joining ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers ies ▁post - refer endum ▁ ▁Re ject ed ▁ball ots ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁counting ▁was ▁completed , ▁approximately ▁ 8 6 , 0 0 0 ▁ball ots ▁were ▁rejected ▁by ▁Deput y ▁Return ing ▁Offic ers , ▁alleg ing ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁marked ▁properly ▁by ▁the ▁vot er . ▁Each ▁pol ling ▁station ▁featured ▁a ▁Deput y ▁Return ing ▁Officer ▁( app oint ed ▁by ▁the ▁" Yes ") ▁who ▁counted ▁the ▁ball ots ▁while ▁a ▁Pol l ▁C ler k ▁( app oint ed ▁by ▁the ▁" No ") ▁recorded ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁count . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers y ▁arose ▁over ▁whether ▁the ▁Deput y ▁Return ing ▁Offic ers