House of Commons Procedure and Practice
Edited by Robert Marleau and Camille Montpetit
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General Election Results Since 1867

Since the early days of Confederation, most Members of the House of Commons have been members of political parties. The nature of these political parties has varied with time, and several different parties have had representation in the House. While a majority government is formed by the political party or the coalition of parties holding the majority of the seats in the House, a minority government is formed by one or more parties, but without the majority of seats. Most governments since Confederation have been majority governments formed by a single party having gathered a majority of the seats in a general election. However, the general elections of 1921, 1925, 1957, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1972, 1979, 2004 and 2006 all resulted in no single party obtaining a majority of seats.

Parliament Date of Election Total Number of Seats Total Number of Seats Won [1]
Government Opposition Government Majority Government Minority Results by Party
1st 07-08-1867 [2]
to
20-09-1867
181 101 80 +21   Liberal-Conservative [3] 101
Liberal 80
2nd 20-07-1872
to
12-10-1872 [4]
200 103 97 +6   Liberal-Conservative 103
Liberal 97
3rd 22-01-1874 206 133 73 +60   Liberal 133
Liberal-Conservative 72
Independent 1
4th 17-09-1878 206 137 69 +68   Liberal-Conservative 137
Liberal 69
5th 20-06-1882 210 139 71 +68   Liberal-Conservative 139
Liberal 71
6th 22-02-1887 215 123 92 +31   Liberal-Conservative 123
Liberal 89
National-Conservateur 3
7th 05-03-1891 215 123 92 +31   Liberal-Conservative 123
Liberal 89
National-Conservateur 3
8th 23-06-1896 213 117 96 +21   Liberal 117
Conservative 89
Protestant Protective Association 4
Patrons of Industry 2
Independent 1
9th 07-11-1900 214 128 81 +47   Liberal 128
Conservative 78
Independent 3
Other
(Vacancy, Dual Representation)
5
10th 03-11-1904 214 139 75 +64   Liberal 139
Conservative 75
11th 26-10-1908 221 133 88 +45   Liberal 133
Conservative 85
Independent 3
12th 21-09-1911 [5] 221 133 88 +45   Conservative 133
Liberal 86
Independent 2
13th 17-12-1917 235 153 82 +71   Unionist [6] (Conservative and Liberals) 153
Laurier Liberals [7] 82
14th 06-12-1921 235 117 118   -1 [8] Liberal 117
Progressive 64
Liberal-Conservative (Conservative) 50
Labour 3
Independent 1
15th 29-10-1925 [9] 245 101 144   -43 Conservative 116
Liberal 101
Progressive 24
Labour 2
Independent 2
16th 14-09-1926 245 125 [10] 120 +5   Liberal 116
Liberal-Progressive 9
Conservative 91
Progressive 13
United Farmers of Alberta 11
Labour 3
Independent 2
17th 28-07-1930 245 137 108 +29   Conservative 137
Liberal 88
United Farmers of Alberta 9
Liberal-Progressive 3
Independent 2
Progressive 2
Labour 2
Independent Labour Party 1
United Farmers of Ontario 1
18th 14-10-1935 245 173 [11] 72 +101   Liberal 171
Liberal-Progressive 2
Conservative 39
Social Credit 17
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 7
Independent Liberal 5
United Farmers of Ontario - Labour 1
Reconstruction Party 1
Independent Conservative 1
Independent 1
19th 26-03-1940 245 181 [12] 64 +117   Liberal 178
Liberal-Progressive 3
National Government (Conservative) 39
New Democracy (Social Credit) 10
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 8
Independent Liberal 3
Independent 1
Independent Conservative 1
Unity-Reform 1
Unity-Saskatchewan 1
20th 11-06-1945 245 125 120 +5   Liberal 125
Progressive Conservative [13] 67
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 28
Social Credit 13
Independent 5
Independent Liberal 3
Bloc Populaire Canadien 2
Independent C.C.F. 1
Labour-Progressive (Communist) 1
21st 27-06-1949 262 190 [14] 72 +118   Liberal 189
Liberal-Labour 1
Progressive Conservative 41
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 13
Social Credit 10
Independent 5
Independent Liberal 3
22nd 10-08-1953 265 171 [15] 94 +77   Liberal 170
Liberal-Labour 1
Progressive Conservative 51
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 23
Social Credit 15
Independent 3
Independent Liberal 2
23rd 10-06-1957 265 112 153   -41 Progressive Conservative 112
Liberal 105
Liberal-Labour 1
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 25
Social Credit 19
Independent 2
Independent Liberal 1
24th 31-03-1958 265 208 57 +151   Progressive Conservative 208
Liberal 48
Liberal-Labour 1
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 8
25th 18-06-1962 265 116 149   -33 Progressive Conservative 116
Liberal 99
Liberal-Labour 1
Social Credit 30
New Democratic Party [16] 19
26th 08-04-1963 265 129 [17] 136   -7 Liberal 128
Liberal-Labour 1
Progressive Conservative 95
Social Credit [18] 24
New Democratic Party 17
27th 08-11-1965 265 131 [19] 134   -3 Liberal 130
Liberal-Labour 1
Progressive Conservative 97
New Democratic Party 21
Ralliement des Créditistes 9
Social Credit 5
Independent Progressive Conservative 1
Independent 1
28th 25-06-1968 264 155 [20] 109 +46   Liberal 154
Liberal-Labour 1
Progressive Conservative 72
New Democratic Party 22
Ralliement des Créditistes 14
Independent 1
29th 30-10-1972 264 109 155   -46 Liberal 109
Progressive Conservative 107
New Democratic Party 31
Social Credit 15
Independent 2
30th 08-07-1974 264 141 123 +18   Liberal 141
Progressive Conservative 95
New Democratic Party 16
Social Credit 11
Independent 1
31st 22-05-1979 282 136 146   -10 Progressive Conservative 136
Liberal 114
New Democratic Party 26
Social Credit 6
32nd 18-02-1980 282 147 135 +12   Liberal 147
Progressive Conservative 103
New Democratic Party 32
33rd 04-09-1984 282 211 71 +140   Progressive Conservative 211
Liberal 40
New Democratic Party 30
Independent 1
34th 21-11-1988 295 169 [21] 126 +43   Progressive Conservative 169
Liberal 83
New Democratic Party 43
35th 25-10-1993 295 177 118 +59   Liberal 177
Bloc Québécois 54
Reform Party 52
New Democratic Party 9
Progressive Conservative 2
Independent 1
36th 02-06-1997 301 155 146 +9   Liberal 155
Reform Party 60
Bloc Québécois 44
New Democratic Party 21
Progressive Conservative 20
Independent 1
37th 27-11-2000 301 172 129 +43   Liberal 172
Canadian Reform /Conservative Alliance 66
Bloc Québécois 38
New Democratic Party 13
Progressive Conservative 12
38th 28-06-2004 308 135 173   -38 Liberal 135
Conservative 99
Bloc Québécois 54
New Democratic Party 19
Independent 1
[1]
Source: Canadian Guide of Electoral History and Leadership (1867-1987), edited by Wayne D. Madden and updated by the Library of Parliament. The numbers reflecting party strengths indicated in this listing are based on the results immediately following general elections and do not account for any changes in party affiliation that may have occurred between general elections.
[2]
During the general elections of 1867 and 1872, elections in the constituencies were held at various times between the dates listed. Upon the assent of the Dominion Elections Act on May 26, 1874, the holding of all elections on one day became statutory, with certain exceptions because of physical difficulties in some areas.
[3]
The government that was formed under the leadership of Sir John A. Macdonald as a result of the general election of 1867 was a governing coalition of Liberal and Conservative elements that had initially favoured Confederation. The party retained this Liberal-Conservative base throughout some subsequent elections but was generally referred to as the Conservative Party.
[4]
In November of 1873, the Macdonald government was forced to resign as a result of the Canadian Pacific Railway scandal.Alexander Mackenzie, leading the Liberals, took office.
[5]
During the First World War, the term of the Twelfth Parliament was extended beyond five years. On February 8, 1916, the House adopted an Address to His Majesty the King requesting that the term of that Parliament be extended to October 7, 1917 (Journals, p. 62).
[6]
On October 12, 1917, Prime Minister Borden formed a ministry, known as the Unionist government, which brought together Liberal-Conservative and Liberal Members of Parliament who supported conscription during First World War. These Members campaigned as Unionist candidates in the general election of December 17, 1917.
[7]
Due to the restructuring of the party system as a result of the conscription issue of 1917, the Liberal candidates elected to the House as a result of the general election of 1917 were known as the Laurier Liberals.
[8]
As a result of the general election of December 6, 1921, the Liberals gained 117 seats in the House of Commons, one short of a majority. However, with the support of Members of the Progressive Party, W. L. Mackenzie King was able to form a government and was sworn in as Prime Minister on December 29, 1921. The first session of the 14th Parliament opened on March 8, 1922. Over the course of the 14th Parliament, as a result of Members crossing the floor and by-elections, Mr. King’s government fluctuated between minority and majority status in the House.
[9]
As a result of the general election of October 29, 1925, Liberal representation in the House was reduced to 101 Members.However, with the support of the Progressive Party, W.L. Mackenzie King remained Prime Minister. On June 26, 1926, King requested that the Governor General dissolve Parliament and order a general election. The Governor General declined to do so and, following the resignation of King, called upon Arthur Meighen, the leader of the Liberal-Conservatives, to form a government. On June 29, 1926, Arthur Meighen formed a government with the support of a minority of the Members of the House. The distribution of seats was the following: Government: 116; Opposition: 129. His government faced Parliament for only three days before being defeated on July 1, 1926. The Fifteenth Parliament was dissolved the next day and a general election was called for September 14, 1926.
[10]
Liberal: 116; Liberal-Progressive: 9. The Liberal-Progressives had agreed to join the Liberals to form a majority Government. One of the issues of the 1926 electoral campaign was the break-up of the Progressive Party. Some of its supporters retained the party label while some ran as Liberal-Progressives.Other adopted the banner of the United Farmers of Alberta.
[11]
Liberal: 171; Liberal-Progressive: 2.
[12]
Liberal: 178; Liberal-Progressive: 3.
[13]
The general election of 1945 was the first general election that saw the election to the House of candidates under the banner of the Progressive Conservative Party. The change in the name of the party had been adopted on December 11, 1942 at a Party convention.
[14]
Liberal: 189; Liberal-Labour: 1
[15]
Liberal: 170; Liberal-Labour: 1.
[16]
In 1961, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was dissolved and became the New Democratic Party under the leadership of T.C. Douglas.
[17]
Liberal: 128; Liberal-Labour: 1.
[18]
On September 1, 1963, 13 Members from Quebec left the Social Credit Party to form the Ralliement des Créditistes under Réal Caouette.
[19]
Liberal: 130; Liberal-Labour: 1.
[20]
Liberal: 154; Liberal-Labour: 1.
[21]
A few days after the general election of 1988, the Member who had been elected for the constituency of Beaver River, Alberta, John Dahmer, died suddenly without having taken his seat in the House. A by-election took place on March 13, 1989.A candidate for the Reform Party, Deborah Grey, was elected.


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