New Westminster (federal electoral district)

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New Westminster
Flag of British Columbia.svg British Columbia electoral district
196659012 New Westminster.svg
Boundaries at abolition
Defunct federal electoral district
Legislature House of Commons
District created1871
District abolished1979
First contested 1872
Last contested 1974

New Westminster was a federal electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1871 to 1979.

Contents

This riding was created in 1871 as New Westminster District when British Columbia joined Confederation and returned six members of parliament by special byelections in five electoral districts (with Victoria District returning two members). It was renamed New Westminster in 1872 when the word "district" was dropped from the name of all five electoral districts. The riding was abolished in 1976, when it was redistributed into the ridings of New Westminster—Coquitlam and Burnaby.

History

From being geographically the largest electoral district of the province upon joining confederation to its elimination as a standalone seat just over a century later, the evolution of this namesake electoral district followed the gradual decline in importance of the Royal City, once the capital of the Colony of British Columbia.

Pre-confederation

Before confederation, the various colonies and dominions had different election laws that restricted enfranchisement on various factors such as gender, land ownership, religion, allegiance to the United Kingdom, or length of residency. New Brunswick only allowed white male to vote, and First Nations are routinely excluded as they were not consider British subjects.

The electoral district of New Westminster however had the uniquely odious honour of being the first to single out specific racial groups for exclusion. When the Colony of British Columbia held its first general election in 1866, Chinese and First Nations were excluded from voting only in the New Westminster district.

1871 to 1896

When British Columbia joined Confederation in 1871, the province's six seats were allocated three each to the island and the mainland. Of the three seats for the mainland, two seats were allocated for the interior districts Cariboo and Yale. Accordingly, this riding constituted the entire New Westminster Land District, which covered largely modern day understanding of the Greater Vancouver, and Coast land district, the vast and largely unsurveyed mainland area west of 124th meridian west and the adjoining islands. (At the time, the City of Vancouver did not exist and the Vancouver riding was for the area of Vancouver Island not in Victoria.) It was and remained geographically the largest electoral district in the province until 1896. It returned Hugh Nelson, later Lieutenant Governor, for its first two terms.

The six original districts were contested in six general elections from 1872 to 1891 and represented through to the seventh parliament until the 1896 election. Although the boundary between New Westminster and Coast land districts has shifted significantly north to around modern day Prince Rupert according to the official map issued in 1891 by Forbes George Vernon, the province's Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, the riding remained notionally the same as it consisted of both those district.

During this period, the three mainland seats consistently returned Conservative MPs, with Liberal James Cunningham's election in 1874 being the exception. Cunningham did not complete his term however, having resigned after being elected as the first directly elected mayor of New Westminster.

1896 to 1914

Given the gradual growth of population and the incorporation of The City of Vancouver, the two interior seats were merged and a new seat named Burrard was created from New Westminster in the 1896 election, covering part of the newly incorporated City of Vancouver and the vast geography north of it. These new boundary also brought in a new batch of members, with all three mainland ridings returning Liberal MPs.

At the 1904 election, another riding was created from New Westminster with the City of Vancouver and its suburbs the municipalities of Point Grey and South Vancouver forming the electoral district of Vancouver City.

1914 till 1979

New Westminster riding continued to include Richmond, Delta and all the Fraser Valley communities up the river to one mile beyond Yale. In 1914, the riding consisted of New Westminster, Richmond and Delta, losing the Surrey-Langley area to the new Westminster District, which was only contested once before changing name to Fraser Valley.

In a further redistribution in 1924, the riding was shrunk to areas south of the Fraser River west of and including the Township of Langley, plus the city of New Westminster and the City of Burnaby. As population in the Lower Mainland continued to grow, by the 1933 election, the northern half of Burnaby was distributed to Vancouver North. By the 1947 election, the rest of Burnaby and Richmond were removed and became Burnaby-Richmond, and New Westminster riding consisted of New Westminster, Surrey, Delta and Langley.

The 1966 redistribution, which combined northern Burnaby into North Vancouver-Seymour, New Westminster riding extended as far into Burnaby as Grandview Highway and Edmonds Avenue, including Burnaby Mountain and the areas of Coquitlam west of Laurentian Avenue. At the time this included the then-municipality of Fraser Mills adjoining the francophone community at Maillardville. Langley, Surrey and Delta were excluded from the riding.

The riding was abolished in 1976. Successor ridings were Burnaby and New Westminster—Coquitlam.

Historical boundaries

Members of Parliament

While its provincial counterpart returned a premier, a deputy premier, and numerous consequential provincial ministers, including one who served both in federal cabinet while elected an MP elsewhere, not a single MP elected from this seat ever served in federal cabinet. It however returned a few infamous character:

ParliamentYearsMemberParty
Riding created from New Westminster District
2nd  1872–1874   Hugh Nelson Liberal–Conservative
3rd  1874–1878   James Cunningham Liberal
 1878–1878   Thomas Robert McInnes Independent
4th  1878–1882
 1882–1882   Joshua Homer Liberal–Conservative
5th  1882–1887
6th  1887–1890†   Donald Chisholm Conservative
 1890–1891   Gordon Edward Corbould Conservative
7th  1891–1896
8th  1896–1900   Aulay MacAulay Morrison Liberal
9th  1900–1904
10th  1904–1908   James Buckham Kennedy Liberal
11th  1908–1911   James Davis Taylor Conservative
12th  1911–1917
13th  1917–1921   William Garland McQuarrie Government (Unionist)
14th  1921–1925   Conservative
15th  1925–1930
16th  1930–1935   Thomas Reid Liberal
17th  1935–1940
18th  1940–1945
19th  1945–1949
20th  1949–1949
 1949–1953   William Mott Liberal
21st  1953–1957   George Hahn Social Credit
22nd  1957–1958
23rd  1958–1962   William McLennan Progressive Conservative
24th  1962–1963   Barry Mather New Democratic
25th  1963–1965
26th  1965–1968
27th  1968–1972   Douglas Hogarth Liberal
28th  1972–1974   Stuart Leggatt New Democratic
29th  1974–1979
Riding dissolved into New Westminster—Coquitlam and Burnaby

Electoral history

1974 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
New Democratic Stuart Leggatt 15,39732.85-8.75
Progressive Conservative Marg Gregory15,19332.42+0.46
Liberal Carl Miller14,99732.00+6.51
Social Credit Ted Adlem9261.98-0.13
Communist Rod Doran1900.41-0.01
Independent Selmer E. Bean960.20
Marxist–Leninist Leanne Averbach680.15
Total valid votes46,867100.0  
New Democratic hold Swing -4.60
1972 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
New Democratic Stuart Leggatt 19,18141.60+1.86
Progressive Conservative Maurice Mulligan14,73931.96+20.24
Liberal Greg Basham10,99225.49-19.03
Social Credit Ted Adlem9712.11-1.29
No affiliationRod Doran1920.42
No affiliationVictor Reid360.08
Total valid votes46,111100.0  
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing -9.19
1968 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Douglas Hogarth 18,08344.52+20.30
New Democratic Clive B. Lytle16,14439.74-3.83
Progressive Conservative Frederick Young Craig4,76111.72-3.96
Social Credit Grayden B. McRae1,3823.40-13.12
Communist Robert C. McLaren2510.62
Total valid votes40,621100.0  
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +12.06
1965 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
New Democratic Barry Mather 27,57443.57+6.61
Liberal Chris Brown15,33024.22-2.53
Social Credit Joe Unwin10,45816.52+1.99
Progressive Conservative Walter C. MacDonald9,92515.68-6.09
Total valid votes63,287100.0  
New Democratic hold Swing +4.57
1963 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
New Democratic Barry Mather 23,60936.96-2.22
Liberal F.H. Jackson17,08626.75+3.97
Progressive Conservative W.A. McLennan 13,90821.77-0.12
Social Credit Jack Burrows9,28014.53-1.62
Total valid votes63,883100.0  
New Democratic hold Swing -3.10
1962 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
New Democratic Barry Mather 23,82739.18+15.39
Liberal F.H. Jackson13,85522.78+13.81
Progressive Conservative William A. McLennan 13,31121.89-19.83
Social Credit Myrtle Everett9,82216.15-5.27
Total valid votes60,815100.0  
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +0.79
Change for the New Democrats is based on the results of the Co-operative Commonwealth in the previous election.
1958 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative William A. McLennan 21,20241.72+20.39
Co-operative Commonwealth Douglas Stout13,22026.01+2.22
Social Credit Frederick George Hahn 10,88621.42-14.05
Liberal Alex Stewart4,5598.97-9.13
Labor–Progressive Charles M. Stewart9581.88
Total valid votes40,825100.0  
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing +9.08
1957 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Frederick George Hahn 16,91635.47+4.47
Co-operative Commonwealth W. Jack Jones11,34423.79-3.64
Progressive Conservative Ted Kuhn10,17221.33+12.46
Liberal Hugh McGivern8,63218.10-12.80
Canadian DemocratGerry Goeujon6281.32
Total valid votes47,692100.0  
Social Credit hold Swing +4.06
1953 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Frederick George Hahn 10,77031.00
Liberal William Malcolm Mott 10,73530.90-4.31
Co-operative Commonwealth Ron Irvine9,25827.43+4.15
Progressive Conservative William McFerran Adrain3,0838.87-3.51
Labor–Progressive Leo Albert Brady8962.58+0.01
Total valid votes34,742100.0  
Social Credit gain from Liberal Swing +17.66
Canadian federal by-election, 24 October 1949
On Thomas Reid being called to the Senate, 7 September 1949
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal William Malcolm Mott 8,72735.21-7.21
Independent Elmore Philpott 6,58326.56
Co-operative Commonwealth Ronald William Irvine5,76923.28-5.17
Progressive Conservative Leslie James Christmas3,06812.38-13.06
Labor–Progressive Maurice Rush6372.57
Total valid votes24,784100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -16.88
1949 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 13,90442.42+8.62
Co-operative Commonwealth Ronald William Irvine9,32628.45-0.75
Progressive Conservative Leslie James Christmas8,33825.44-1.14
Social Credit William Cameron McCallum1,2073.68+0.33
Total valid votes32,775100.0  
Liberal hold Swing +4.68
1945 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 14,15833.80−10.52
Co-operative Commonwealth Albert Thomas Alsbury12,22929.20+0.68
Progressive Conservative George Oswald Twiss11,13326.58−0.59
Liberal–Progressive Harold John Griffin2,6406.30
Social Credit George Anderson Pollock1,4033.35
Democratic Spencer Herbert Broatch3150.75
Total valid votes41,878100.00  
Liberal hold Swing −5.60
1940 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 15,28744.32+7.47
Co-operative Commonwealth Albert Thomas Alsbury9,83728.52-7.37
National Government Thomas Robert Selkirk9,37227.17+3.05
Total valid votes34,496100.0  
Liberal hold Swing +7.42
1935 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 9,97736.85-19.01
Co-operative Commonwealth Edwin Henry Baker9,71635.89
Conservative John Hanna Nicholls Morgan6,53124.12-20.02
Reconstruction Charles Frederick Millar8503.14
Total valid votes27,074100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -27.45
1930 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 13,29355.86+16.97
Conservative William Garland McQuarrie 10,50244.14+1.36
Total valid votes23,795100.00  
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +7.80
Source: lop.parl.ca
1925 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Garland McQuarrie 7,71442.78-0.68
Liberal Arthur Wellesley Gray 7,01338.89+11.47
Labour Rose Mary Louise Henderson3,30518.33-10.79
Total valid votes18,032100.0  
Conservative hold Swing -6.08
1921 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Garland McQuarrie 5,52043.46-28.46
Labour Richard Parmater Pettipiece 3,69929.12
Liberal John Reid 3,48227.42-0.66
Total valid votes12,701100.0  
Conservative hold Swing -28.79
1917 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Government (Unionist) William Garland McQuarrie 7,38071.92+6.22
Opposition (Laurier Liberals) Duncan Alexander McRae2,88228.08−6.22
Total valid votes10,262100.00  
Government (Unionist) hold Swing +6.22
1911 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Davis Taylor 3,54265.70+7.21
Liberal John Oliver 1,84934.30-7.21
Total valid votes5,391100.0  
Conservative hold Swing +7.21
1908 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Davis Taylor 2,84658.49+9.92
Liberal Robert Jardine2,02041.51-9.92
Total valid votes4,866100.0  
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +9.92
1904 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal James Buckham Kennedy 1,86651.43-0.70
Conservative James Davis Taylor 1,76248.57+0.70
Total valid votes3,628100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -0.70
1900 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Aulay MacAulay Morrison 1,77252.13-2.50
Conservative Edgar Dewdney 1,62747.87+2.50
Total valid votes3,399100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -2.50
1896 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Aulay MacAulay Morrison 1,75854.63+30.73
Conservative Richard McBride 1,46045.37-30.73
Total valid votes3,218100.0  
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +30.73
1891 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative G.E. Corbould 1,69476.10
Liberal E.S. Scoullor53223.90
Total valid votes2,226100.0  
Canadian federal by-election, 19 June 1890
On the death of Donald Chisholm, 5 April 1890
PartyCandidateVotes
Conservative Gordon Edward Corbould acclaimed
1887 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Donald Chisholm 53369.13
Conservative T.J. Trapp23830.87
Total valid votes771100.0  
1882 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes
Liberal–Conservative J.A.R. Homer acclaimed
Canadian federal by-election, 9 March 1882
On the resignation of Thomas Robert McInnes, 12 December 1881
PartyCandidateVotes
Liberal–Conservative J.A.R. Homer acclaimed
1878 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Thomas Robert McInnes 38856.48
UnknownJames Robinson29943.52
Total valid votes687100.0  
Canadian federal by-election, 25 March 1878
On the resignation of James Cunningham, 22 January 1878
PartyCandidateVotes
Independent Thomas Robert McInnes acclaimed
1874 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Liberal James Cunningham 16253.29
Liberal–Conservative J.A.R. Homer 14246.71
Total valid votes304100.0  
1872 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes
Liberal–Conservative Hugh Nelson acclaimed

See also

References