Progressive Conservative Party of Canada leadership elections

Last updated

The first Progressive Conservative Party of Canada leadership election was held in 1927, when the party was called the Conservative Party. Prior to then the party's leader was chosen by the caucus or in several cases by the Governor General of Canada designating a Conservative MP or Senator to form a government after the retirement or death of an incumbent Conservative Prime Minister. [1]

Contents

There have been two permanent leaders since 1927 who were not chosen by a leadership convention. Arthur Meighen agreed to serve a second term as leader in 1941 on condition that he would not have to contest the position. The party agreed since the party was desperate for a leader of Meighen's stature. Jean Charest was one of only two Progressive Conservative Members of Parliament returned in the 1993 election and was appointed leader by the party's executive with the decision later being affirmed at a regular party convention two years later. The Conservative Party became the Progressive Conservative Party in 1942. [1]

All leadership conventions were delegated conventions, except in 1998 when a one member, one vote process was used in which each riding was allocated 100 points which were distributed among candidates by proportionally. For the 2003 leadership election, the party reverted to use of a delegated convention, ostensibly because of the cost of using a one member, one vote process (though it has been argued that the party feared that use of one member, one vote would make an outside takeover of the party easier due to a decline in membership). In 2003, the party merged with the Canadian Alliance to form a new Conservative Party of Canada. This party adopted the one member, one vote process the Tories had used in 1998.

Note on tables: Green box indicates winner. Pink box indicates candidate eliminated from ballot for receiving the fewest votes. Blue box indicates candidate withdrew from balloting.

1927 Conservative leadership convention

Held in Winnipeg, Manitoba on October 11, 1927.

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate1st ballot2nd ballot
Votes cast %Votes cast %
Richard Bedford Bennett.jpg Bennett, Richard Bedford 59438.0%78050.2%
Hugh Guthrie.png Guthrie, Hugh 34522.0%32020.6%
Cahan, Charles Hazlitt 31019.8%26617.1%
Robert Manion.jpg Manion, Robert James 17010.9%1489.5%
Robert Rogers.jpg Rogers, Robert 1147.3%372.4%
Henry Lumley Drayton.jpg Drayton, Henry Lumley 312.0%30.2%
Total1,564100.0%1,554100.0%

George Halsey Perley, H. H. Stevens, John Allister Currie, John Baxter, Howard Ferguson, Edgar Nelson Rhodes, and outgoing leader Arthur Meighen were all nominated but declined to run. [2]

1938 Conservative leadership convention

Held in Ottawa, Ontario on July 7, 1938.

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate1st ballot2nd ballot
Votes cast %Votes cast %
Robert Manion.jpg Manion, Robert James 72646.4%83053.0%
Murdoch Alexander MacPherson.jpg MacPherson, Murdoch Alexander 47530.3%64841.4%
Joseph Henry Harris.jpg Harris, Joseph Henry 1318.4%493.1%
Massey, Denton 1288.2%392.5%
Lawson, James Earl 1056.7%Eliminated
Total1,565100.0%1,566100.0%

Manion lost his seat in the 1940 federal election and R.B. Hanson became interim leader. In November 1941 a national conference of the party voted against having a leadership convention and instead appointed Arthur Meighen as the party's wartime leader. Meighen was defeated in a 1942 by-election and resigned.

1942 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

Held in Winnipeg, Manitoba on December 11, 1942.

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate1st ballot2nd ballot
Votes cast %Votes cast %
John Bracken circa 1941.jpg Bracken, John 42048.3%53861.7%
Murdoch Alexander MacPherson.jpg MacPherson, Murdoch Alexander 22225.5%25529.2%
John G. Diefenbaker.jpg Diefenbaker, John George 12013.8%799.1%
Howard Charles Green.jpg Green, Howard Charles 8810.1%Withdrew
Henry Herbert Stevens.jpg Stevens, Henry Hubert 202.3%Eliminated
Total870100.0%872100.0%

1948 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

Held in Ottawa, Ontario on October 2, 1948.

First Ballot
CandidateDelegate CountPercentage
GeorgeDrew.jpg Drew, George Alexander 82766.6%
John G. Diefenbaker.jpg Diefenbaker, John George 31125.0%
Donald Fleming.jpg Fleming, Donald Methuen 1048.4%
Total1,242100%

Wilfrid Garfield Case announced his candidacy but withdrew before the convention to support Drew.

1956 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

Held in Ottawa, Ontario on December 14, 1956.

First Ballot
CandidateDelegate CountPercentage
John G. Diefenbaker.jpg Diefenbaker, John George 77460.3%
Donald Fleming.jpg Fleming, Donald Methuen 39330.6%
EdmundDavieFulton-1916.jpg Fulton, Edmund Davie 1179.1%
Total1,284100%

1967 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

The 1967 leadership convention was held in Toronto, Ontario on September 9, 1967.

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate1st ballot2nd ballot3rd ballot4th ballot5th ballot
Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %
Stanfield, Robert Lorne 51923.3%61327.7%71732.7%86540.1%1,15054.3%
Roblin, Dufferin (Duff) 34715.6%43019.4%54124.7%77135.7%96945.7%
EdmundDavieFulton-1916.jpg Fulton, Edmund Davie 34315.4%34615.7%36116.5%35716.5%Endorsed Stanfield
George Hees.jpg Hees, George Harris 29513.2%29913.5%27712.6%Endorsed Stanfield
John G. Diefenbaker.jpg Diefenbaker, John George 27112.2%1727.8%1145.2%Endorsed Roblin
McCutcheon, Malcolm Wallace 1376.1%763.4%Endorsed Stanfield
Alvin Hamilton.jpg Hamilton, Francis Alvin George 1366.1%1275.8%1064.8%1677.7%Did not endorse
Donald Fleming.jpg Fleming, Donald Methuen 1265.7%1155.2%763.5%Endorsed Stanfield
Starr, Michael 452.0%341.5%Did not endorse
MacLean, John100.4%Withdrew because he did not want the convention “to go too late”
Walker-Sawka, Mary 2-Did not endorse
Total2,231100.0%2,212100.0%2,192100.0%2,160100.0%2,119100.0%

1976 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

The 1976 leadership convention was held in Ottawa, Ontario on February 22, 1976.

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate1st ballot2nd ballot3rd ballot4th ballot
Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %
Wagner, Claude 53122.5%66728.5%1,00342.8%1,12248.6%
Brian Mulroney (cropped).jpg Mulroney, Martin Brian 35715.1%41917.9%36915.8%Did not endorse
Joe Clark being interviewed 1979 crop.jpg Clark, Charles Joseph (Joe) 27711.7%53222.8%96941.4%1,18751.4%
Horner, John Henry (Jack) 23510.0%28612.2%Endorsed Wagner
MacDonald, Flora Isabel 2149.1%23910.2%Endorsed Clark
Paul Hellyer portrait.jpg Hellyer, Paul Theodore 2319.8%1185.1%Endorsed Wagner
Sinclair Stevens photo by Djuradj Vujcic.jpg Stevens, Sinclair McKnight 1827.7%Endorsed Clark
Fraser, John Allen 1275.4%341.5%Endorsed Clark
Gillies, James McPhail 873.7%Endorsed Clark
Nowlan, John Patrick (Pat) 863.6%421.8%Endorsed Wagner
Grafftey, William Heward 331.4%Endorsed Clark
Total2,360100.0%2,337100.0%2,341100.0%2,309100.0%

Richard Quittenton withdrew from the race before the convention began.

1983 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

The 1983 leadership convention was held in Ottawa, Ontario on June 11, 1983.

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate1st ballot2nd ballot3rd ballot4th ballot
Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %
Joe Clark being interviewed 1979 crop.jpg Clark, Charles Joseph (Joe) 1,09136.5%1,08536.7%1,05835.8%1,32545.6%
Brian Mulroney (cropped).jpg Mulroney, Martin Brian 87429.2%1,02134.6%1,03635.1%1,58454.5%
Crosbie 1983-2 crop.jpg Crosbie, John Carnell 63921.4%78126.4%85829.1%Did not endorse
Crombie1983.jpg Crombie, David Edward 1163.9%672.3%Endorsed Crosbie
Diplomat Michael Wilson.png Wilson, Michael Holcombe 1444.8%Endorsed Mulroney
Pocklington, Peter Hugh 1023.4%Endorsed Mulroney
Gamble, John Albert 170.6%Endorsed Mulroney
Fraser, Neil 50.2%Endorsed Mulroney
Total2,988100.0%2,954100.0%2,952100.0%2,909100.0%

1993 leadership convention results

The 1993 leadership convention was held in Ottawa, Ontario on June 13, 1993.

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate1st ballot2nd ballot
Votes cast %Votes cast %
KimCampbell.jpg Campbell, Avril Phædra Douglas (Kim) 1,66448.0%1,81752.7%
Jean Charest.jpg Charest, John James (Jean) 1,36939.4%1,63047.3%
Edwards, James Stewart (Jim) 3078.9%Endorsed Campbell
Garth Turner (cropped).jpg Turner, John Garth 762.2%Did not endorse
Boyer, J. Patrick 531.5%Endorsed Charest
Total3,469100.0%3,447100.0%

1995 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

The 1995 leadership convention was held at the Palais des congrès de Gatineau [3] in Hull, Quebec on April 29, 1995, to ratify Jean Charest as leader. Charest had been named interim leader following the 1993 federal election (and Kim Campbell's resignation as party leader), which reduced the Progressive Conservatives to only two seats, with Charest being the only cabinet minister to win re-election.

Vote to ratify Jean Charest as leader
CandidateYesNo
Delegate Count %Delegate Count %
Jean Charest.jpg Charest, John James (Jean) 1,18796.04%493.96%
Total1,236

1998 Progressive Conservative leadership election

First ballot was conducted October 24, 1998; second ballot was conducted November 14, 1998.

The 1998 election used a point system that allocated 100 points to each riding, regardless of the number of votes cast in the riding. The candidate who won a majority of points (not necessarily a majority of voters) would win the leadership. All party members were eligible to cast a vote. The 100-point-per-riding system was again used by the Conservative Party of Canada in its 2004 leadership race.

Points by ballot
CandidateFirst Ballot
October 24
Second Ballot
November 14
Points %Points %
JoeClark.jpg Clark, Charles Joseph (Joe) 14,59248.5%23,32177.5%
Hugh Segal (cropped).jpg Segal, Hugh 5,68918.9%Endorsed Clark
Orchard, David 4,91616.3%6,77922.5%
Brian Pallister 2014.jpg Pallister, Brian William 3,67612.2%Endorsed Clark
Michael Fortier.jpg Fortier, Michael M. 1,2274.1%Endorsed Clark
Total30,100100.0%30,100100.0%

2003 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

The 2003 leadership convention was held in Toronto, Ontario on May 31, 2003. [4]

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate1st ballot2nd ballot3rd ballot4th ballot
Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %Votes cast %
Peter-MacKay.jpg MacKay, Peter Gordon 1,08041.1%1,01839.7%1,12845.0%1,53864.8%
Orchard, David 64024.3%61924.1%61724.6%Endorsed MacKay
Jim Prentice.jpg Prentice, James (Jim) 47818.2%46618.2%76130.4%83635.2%
Scott Brison 2010.jpg Brison, Scott A. 43116.4%46318.0%Endorsed Prentice
Chandler, Craig B. 0Withdrew before 1st ballot began; Endorsed Prentice
Total2,629100.0%2,566100.0%2,506100.0%2,374100.0%

Two other candidates had participated in the race. Quebec MP André Bachand withdrew his candidacy from the race due to financial concerns and backed Peter MacKay. Former Cabinet Minister and Quebec MP Heward Grafftey also withdrew his candidacy from the race due to health concerns.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Conservative (1867-1942)". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  2. "1927 Conservative Leadership Convention". CPAC . Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  3. "Tories gather to seek road out of wilderness: 1,600 delegates gathering for convention expected to confirm Charest as leader". Globe and Mail. 28 April 1995.
  4. Pammett, Jon H.; Dornan, Christopher, eds. (2004). The Canadian General Election of 2004. Dundrun Press. pp.  81. ISBN   1550025163.