Electoral history of Pierre Trudeau

Pierre Trudeau in 1975.

This article is the Electoral history of Pierre Trudeau, the fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada.

A Liberal, he served two terms as Prime Minister (1968–1979; 1979-1984). He led the Liberal Party in five general elections, winning four (1968, 1972, 1974 and 1980) and losing one (1979). He won majority governments in 1968, 1974 and 1980, and a minority government in the 1972 election. With a total of fifteen years and 164 days in office, he is the third longest serving prime minister, after Sir John A. Macdonald.

Trudeau succeeded Lester B. Pearson as prime minister in 1968. After Joe Clark won the 1979 election, Trudeau resigned and became Leader of the Opposition. The Clark government fell on a budget matter late in 1979 triggering the 1980 election, which returned Trudeau to office with a majority government. He retired in 1984 and was succeeded as Liberal leader and prime minister by John Turner.

Trudeau stood for election to the House of Commons of Canada six times, all for the riding of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec. He was elected with substantial majorities each time.

Summary

Canada had ten provinces and two territories throughout Trudeau's time as Prime Minister.

Trudeau ranks third out of twenty-three prime ministers for time in office, serving two terms totalling fifteen years and 164 days.[1]

Trudeau was the fourth of four prime ministers to serve non-consecutive terms, the others being Sir John A. Macdonald, Arthur Meighen and William Lyon Mackenzie King.

Trudeau was the fourth of eight prime ministers from Quebec, the others being Sir John Abbott, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Louis St. Laurent, Brian Mulroney, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Justin Trudeau. He was also the third of five francophone prime ministers, the others being Laurier, St. Laurent, Chrétien, and Justin Trudeau.

Before entering politics, Trudeau was a federal public servant, an academic at the Université de Montréal and a social activist, particularly during the Asbestos Strike and as a founder and frequent contributor to the magazine Cité libre.[2] Along with two other colleagues from Cité libre, Gerard Pelletier and Jean Marchand, he was invited by Prime Minister Lester Pearson to join the Liberal government in Ottawa to combat the rising Quebec separatism. Trudeau stood for election in Mount Royal in the general election of 1965, winning the seat. Pearson appointed him as his parliamentary secretary and then Minister of Justice. Following Pearson's announcement of his retirement in 1968, Trudeau ran for the leadership of the Liberal party with Pearson's tacit support.[3] He won the leadership at the Liberal leadership convention of 1968 and became Prime Minister.[2]

Trudeau led the Liberals in five general elections. He was successful in the general elections of 1968, 1972 (albeit with a minority government), and 1974, but was defeated by Joe Clark in the 1979 election. However, Clark's minority government was defeated late in 1979, triggering another election in early 1980, which Trudeau won.[4]

Trudeau stood for election to the House of Commons six times (1965, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1979 and 1980), each time in the riding of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec. He was elected with substantial majorities each election. His lowest vote count, in the 1965 election, was 55.6%, out of a field of four candidates. In his next election, in 1968 at the height of Trudeaumania, he received 90.8% of the votes in the riding. In the next four elections, he received over 70% in one election (1974), and over 80% of the votes in three elections (1972, 1979 and 1980). Trudeau served in the House of Commons for 18 years, 7 months and 22 days.[5]

Trudeau won the Liberal leadership at the 1968 Liberal leadership convention, from a field of nine candidates. Trudeau won on the fourth ballot by the narrow margin of 51.1% over the runner-up, Robert Winters, who had 40.6% of the votes. Future prime minister John Turner came in third, with 8.3% of the votes. As Liberal leader, Trudeau then became prime minister.

Federal general elections: 1968 to 1980

Federal election, 1968

Trudeau was elected leader of the Liberal Party on April 6, 1968. He called the election shortly afterwards and won a majority, defeating the Progressive Conservatives led by Robert L. Stanfield.

Canadian Federal Election, 1968 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party LeadersSeats WonPopular Vote
Liberal Pierre Trudeau115445.4%
  Progressive ConservativeRobert L. Stanfield27231.4%
  New Democratic PartyTommy Douglas2217.0%
  Ralliement créditisteRéal Caouette144.4%
  Independent–10.5%
  Liberal-Labour–10.1%
Total 264 98.8%3
Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after election.
2 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
3 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Federal election, 1972

Trudeau led the Liberals in the 1972 election and was returned to office, but with a minority government. Stanfield and the Progressive Conservatives won only two seats less than the Liberals.

Canadian Federal Election, 1972 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party LeadersSeats WonPopular Vote
Liberal Pierre Trudeau110938.4%
  Progressive ConservativeRobert L. Stanfield210735.0%
  New Democratic PartyDavid Lewis3117.8%
Social Credit Réal Caouette157.6%
  Independent–10.6%
  No affiliation–10.3%
Total 264 99.7%3
Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after election.
2 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
3 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Federal election, 1974

Trudeau led the Liberals in the 1974 election and was returned to office with a majority government, again defeating Stanfield and the Progressive Conservatives.

Canadian Federal Election, 1974 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party LeadersSeats WonPopular Vote
Liberal Pierre Trudeau114143.2%
  Progressive ConservativeRobert L. Stanfield29535.5%
  New Democratic PartyDavid Lewis1615.4%
Social Credit Réal Caouette115.1%
  Independent–10.4%
Total 264 99.6%3
Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after election.
2 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
3 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Federal election, 1979

Trudeau led the Liberals in the 1979 election and was defeated. He resigned as Prime Minister. Joe Clark, the new leader of the Progressive Conservatives, formed a short-lived minority government.

Canadian Federal Election, 1979 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party LeadersSeats WonPopular Vote
  Progressive ConservativeJoe Clark113635.9%
Liberal Pierre Trudeau211440.1%
  New Democratic PartyEd Broadbent2617.9%
Social Credit Fabien Roy64.6%
Total 282 98.5%3
Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Prime Minister after election.
2 Prime Minister when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
3 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Federal election, 1980

After the 1979 election, Trudeau indicated he would resign as party leader, but would stay on as interim Leader of the Opposition. However, before the Liberals could elect a new leader, the Clark government fell in December 1979 when the opposition parties defeated the budget in the Commons. Trudeau led the Liberals in the resulting election and was returned to power with a majority. Clark became the Leader of the Opposition.

Canadian Federal Election, 1980 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party LeadersSeats WonPopular Vote
Liberal Pierre Trudeau114744.3%
  Progressive ConservativeJoe Clark210332.5%
  New Democratic PartyEd Broadbent3219.8%
Total 282 96.6%3
Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Prime Minister after election.
2 Prime Minister when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
3 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Federal constituency elections, 1965 to 1980

Trudeau stood for election to the House of Commons six times, starting with the general election of 1967. He was elected all six times, all from the riding of Mount Royal, in Montreal, Quebec.

1965 Federal Election: Mount Royal

Federal Election, 1965: Mount Royal, Quebec
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
Liberal Pierre Trudeau28,06455.6%
  New Democratic PartyCharles Taylor14,92929.6%
  Progressive ConservativePeter S. Wise6,84013.6%
  Ralliement CréditisteMichel Smith5981.2%
Total50,431100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Mount Royal

Elected.

1968 Federal Election: Mount Royal

Federal Election, 1968: Mount Royal, Quebec
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
Liberal X Pierre Trudeau37,40290.8%
  Progressive ConservativeHuguette Marleau1,9654.8%
  New Democratic PartyJussy Brainin1,5833.8%
  IndependentWalter Gallagher1820.4%
  Ralliement CréditisteMichel Lamonde800.2%
Total41,212100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Mount Royal

Elected.
X Incumbent.

1972 Federal Election: Mount Royal

Federal Election, 1972: Mount Royal, Quebec
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
Liberal X Pierre Trudeau36,87580.6%
  Progressive ConservativeAndrew Albert Brichant4,4469.7%
  New Democratic PartyHarold Yudin3,2747.2%
Social Credit Alexander O. Bronstein6251.4%
  Non-AffiliatedGaston Miron4330.9%
  Non-AffiliatedRobert A. Cruise800.2%
Total45,733100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Mount Royal

Elected.
X Incumbent.

1974 Federal Election: Mount Royal

Federal Election, 1974: Mount Royal, Quebec
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
Liberal X Pierre Trudeau32,16675.0%
  Progressive ConservativeÉmile Mashaal5,72313.3%
  New Democratic PartyJoe Rabinovitch4,2149.8%
Social Credit Bertrand Marcil4141.0%
  IndependentEdward J. Ommer2110.5%
Marxist–Leninist Robert A. Cruise1620.4%
Total42,890100.0
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Mount Royal

Elected.
X Incumbent.

1979 Federal Election: Mount Royal

Federal Election, 1979: Mount Royal, Quebec
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
Liberal X Pierre Trudeau43,20285.2%
  Progressive ConservativeJ. David Dejong3,6607.2%
  New Democratic PartyDavid C. Winch2,0234.0%
Social Credit Laflèche Trudeau1,0492.1%
Rhinoceros Jacques Ferron6491.3%
Communist David G. Johnston810.2%
Marxist–Leninist Robert Verrier610.1%
Total50,725100.1%1
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Mount Royal

Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Rounding error.

1980 Federal Election: Mount Royal

Federal Election, 1980: Mount Royal, Quebec
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
Liberal X Pierre Trudeau33,82181.2%
  Progressive ConservativeHarry Bloomfield4,40210.6%
  New Democratic PartyDavid C. Winch2,3565.7%
Rhinoceros Michel Flybin Rivard7151.7%
  IndependentGordon Edwards1490.4%
Libertarian Paul Eddie1260.3%
Marxist–Leninist Liz Watkins680.2%
Total41,637100.1%1
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Mount Royal

Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Rounding error.

Liberal Party leadership convention, 1968

Trudeau won the leadership on the fourth ballot. His main opponents were Paul Hellyer and Robert Winters, both former ministers in Pearson's governments.

Liberal Leadership Convention, April 6, 1968
Voting results by ballot
Candidate First Ballot Second Ballot Third Ballot Fourth Ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast %
Pierre Trudeau 752 31.8% 964 40.8% 1051 44.6% 1,203 51.1%
Paul Hellyer 330 13.9% 465 19.7%


377
Withdrew after third ballot.		 16.0% – –
Robert Winters 293 12.4% 473 20.0% 621 26.3% 954 40.6%
John Turner 277 11.7% 347 14.7% 279 11.8% 195 8.3%
Paul Martin Sr.


277
Withdrew after first ballot.		 11.7% – – – – – –
Joe Greene 169 7.1% 104 4.4%


29
Eliminated after third ballot.		 1.2% – –
Allan MacEachen 165 6.9%



11
Eliminated after second ballot.		 0.5% – – – –
Eric Kierans


103
Withdrew after first ballot.		 4.3% – – – – – –
Harold Lloyd Henderson


0
Eliminated after first ballot.		 0.0% – – – – – –
Total 2,366 99.8%1 2,364 100.1%1 2,357 99.9%1 2,352 100.0%
Source: CPAC - 1968 Liberal Convention

1 Rounding error.

See also

References

  1. ↑ PARLINFO: Prime Ministers of Canada.
  2. 1 2 Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Trudeau, Pierre Elliot".
  3. ↑ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Pearson, Lester Bowles".
  4. ↑ Allan McEachern, "Behind the fall of Joe Clark", Toronto Star, December 11, 2009.
  5. ↑ PARLINFO: The Right Hon. Pierre Elliott Trudeau, P.C., Q.C., C.C., F.R.S.C.
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