Elections in Canada

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Elections in Canada provides information on election and election results in Canada. See also Canadian electoral system.

The Parliament of Canada or Parlement du Canada has two chambers. The House of Commons or Chambre des Communes has 308 members, elected for a maximum five-year term in single-seat constituencies. The Senate (Sénat) has 105 appointed members.

Canada has two dominant political parties that have governed the country since its formation in 1867.

The Prime Minister may ask the Governor General to call an election at virtually any time, although one must be called within five years of the last election. Traditionally, governments have waited four years between elections, but under Jean Chrétien's Liberal government in the 1990s, elections were held every three and half years. Parties generally only wait the maximum of five years between elections if they expect to lose, and hope a postponement will allow more time for things to change in their favour.

Elections are generally held in either the fall or spring. This avoids the problems of a winter campaign, where outdoor events are harder to hold. It also avoids the problems of the summer, when many Canadians are on holiday.

Using the so-called first past the post system, Canadians vote for a Member of Parliament, who sits in the House of Commons. Canadians do not vote directly for the Prime Minister, nor do they vote for senators.

By-elections can be held between general elections when seats become vacant. It is at the discretion of the Prime Minister to call by-elections. The federal government can also hold nation-wide referendums on major issues. The last referendum was held in 1992 on proposed constitutional changes in the Charlottetown Accord. On occasion, one particular issue will dominate an election, and the election will in a sense be a virtual referendum. The most recent instance of this was the 1988 election, which was considered by most parties to be a referendum on free trade with the United States.

Canadian election turn-out is generally higher than that in the United States but lower than in most European nations. Election turn-out has also steadily been falling for many decades. Currently, about two-thirds of eligible voters vote in federal elections.

The most recent Canadian election was held on June 28, 2004.

Contents

Canadian federal elections

  • 1867-1879 (summary of results)
  • 1880-1899 (summary of results)
    • 1882 - 5th general election, Conservatives, led by Macdonald, are re-elected with a fourth majority.
    • 1887 - 6th general election, Conservatives, led by Macdonald, are re-elected with a fifth majority.
    • 1891 - 7th general election, Conservatives, led by Sir John J.C. Abbott, are re-elected with a sixth majority.
    • 1896 - 8th general election, Liberals, led by Sir Wilfrid Laurier, are elected with a majority.
  • 1900-1919 (summary of results)
    • 1900 - 9th general election, Liberals, led by Laurier, are re-elected with a second majority.
    • 1904 - 10th general election, Liberals, led by Laurier, are re-elected with a third majority.
    • 1908 - 11th general election, Liberals, led by Laurier, are re-elected with a fourth majority.
    • 1911 - 12th general election, Conservatives, led by Sir Robert Borden, defeat Laurier's Liberals with a majority.
    • 1917 - 13th general election, Conservatives, led by Borden, are re-elected with a majority as part of a pro-conscription unionists coalition.
  • 1920-1939 (summary of results)
    • 1921 - 14th general election, Liberals, led by William Lyon Mackenzie King, win a minority government.
    • 1925 - 15th general election, Conservatives, led by Arthur Meighen, win more seats than Mackenzie King's Liberals, who hold on to power with the help of Progressive Robert Forke.
    • 1926 - 16th general election, Liberals, led by Mackenzie King, defeat Meighen's Conservatives, winning a majority with a Liberal-Progressive coalition.
    • 1930 - 17th general election, Conservatives, led by R.B. Bennett, defeat Mackenzie King's Liberals, winning a majority.
    • 1935 - 18th general election, Liberals, led by Mackenzie King, defeat Bennett's Conservatives with a majority.
  • 1940-1959 (summary of results)
    • 1940 - 19th general election, Liberals, led by Mackenzie King, are re-elected with a second consecutive majority.
    • 1945 - 20th general election, Liberals, led by Mackenzie King, are re-elected with a third consecutive majority.
    • 1949 - 21st general election, Liberals, led by Liberal Louis St-Laurent, are re-elected with a majority.
    • 1953 - 22nd general election, Liberals, led by St. Laurent, are re-elected with a second majority government.
    • 1957 - 23rd general election, Progressive Conservatives, led by John Diefenbaker, defeat Liberals, led by St-Laurent with an unexpected minority.
    • 1958 - 24th general election, Progressive Conservatives, led by Diefenbaker, are re-elected with the largest majority to date in Canadian history.
  • 1960-1979 (summary of results)
    • 1962 - 25th general election, Progressive Conservatives, led by Diefenbaker, are re-elected, but with a minority.
    • 1963 - 26th general election, Liberals, led by Lester Pearson, defeat Progressive Conservatives, led by Diefenbaker, with a minority.
    • 1965 - 27th general election, Liberals, led by Pearson, are re-elected with a second minority.
    • 1968 - 28th general election, Liberals, led by Liberal Pierre Trudeau, are re-elected with a majority.
    • 1972 - 29th general election, Liberals, led by Trudeau, are re-elected, but with a minority.
    • 1974 - 30th general election, Liberals, led by Trudeau, are re-elected with a majority government.
    • 1979 - 31st general election, Progressive Conservatives, led by Joe Clark, defeat Liberals, led by Trudeau, and win a minority.
  • 1980-1999 (summary of results)
    • 1980 - 32nd general election, Liberals, led by Trudeau, defeat Clark's Progressive Conservatives with a majority.
    • 1984 - 33rd general election, Progressive Conservatives, led by Brian Mulroney, defeat Liberals, led by John Turner with win the most seats in Canadian history.
    • 1988 - 34th general election, Mulroney is re-elected with a second majority.
    • 1993 - 35th general election, Liberals, led by Liberal Jean Chrétien, defeat Progressive Conservatives, led by Kim Campbell, with a majority.
    • 1997 - 36th general election, Liberals, led by Chretien, are re-elected with a second majority.
  • 2000- (summary of results)
    • 2000 - 37th general election, Liberals, led by Chretien, are re-elected with a third majority.
    • 2004 - 38th general election, Liberals, led by Paul Martin, are re-elected with a minority.
    • 2006 - 39th general election is expected to be held in early 2006.

Provincial elections

*Nunavut does not have political parties. Political parties in the Northwest Territories were disbanded in 1905.

Municipal

Main article: Municipal elections in Canada

Senate nominee (Alberta)

See also

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.freepedia.org/Elections_in_Canada.html"


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