Electoral history of Brian Mulroney

This article is the Electoral history of Brian Mulroney, the eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada.

Brian Mulroney in 1984.

A conservative, he served one term as Prime Minister (1984-1993). He led the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in two general elections, winning back to back majority governments (1984) and (1988). He was the first Conservative prime minister to do so since Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, in 1887 and 1891.

Mulroney defeated Joe Clark for the leadership of the Progressive Conservatives in 1983, and then defeated Prime Minister John Turner in the 1984 election. Mulroney's majority in the House of Commons was the largest in Canadian history, passing the record set by John Diefenbaker in 1958. He again led the Progressive Conservatives to the polls in the 1988 general election and was returned to power, but with a reduced majority.

Mulroney stood for election to the House of Commons three times, once in a by-election after he was elected party leader, and twice in general elections. He was elected each time, with substantial majorities.

Mulroney announced his retirement from politics in 1993 and was succeeded as prime minister and leader of the Progressive Conservatives by Kim Campbell.

Summary

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

Mulroney ranks seventh out of twenty-three prime ministers for time in office, serving one term of eight years, 281 days.[1]

He was the fifth of eight prime ministers from Quebec, the others being Sir John Abbott, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Louis St. Laurent, Pierre Trudeau, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Justin Trudeau.

Mulroney was involved in politics from a young age, being active in the Progressive Conservative party while in university. Although he did not run for office, he was well-established within the party. In 1976 he ran for the leadership, but came in third, behind Joe Clark and Claude Wagner. However, Clark was defeated in the 1980 general election and triggered a leadership convention in 1983. Mulroney again contested the leadership, and this time defeated Clark.[2]

Entering the House of Commons by a by-election in 1983, Mulroney was the Leader of the Opposition until the general election of 1984. He led the Progressive Conservatives to a landslide, winning 211 of the 282 seats, the largest seat total in Canadian history. He again led the party in the 1988 general election and was returned to power, albeit with a reduced majority.

Mulroney stood for election to the House of Commons three times, once in a by-election and twice in general elections. He was elected each time, with substantial majorities. He served a total of 10 years, 1 month, 28 days in the Commons.[3]

Early in 1993, Mulroney announced his retirement from politics. He returned to the private practice of law.[2]

In the subsequent general election in 1993, the Progressive Conservatives were almost wiped out, going from a majority government to two seats in the Commons.

Federal general elections: 1984 and 1988

Mulroney led the Progressive Conservative Party in two general elections (1984) and (1988). He won both, defeating John Turner each time.

Federal election, 1984

In his first election as leader, Mulroney led the Progressive Conservatives to the largest majority (in seat numbers) in Canadian history.

Canadian Federal Election, 1984 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party LeadersSeats WonPopular Vote
  Progressive ConservativeBrian Mulroney121150.0%
Liberal John Turner24028.0%
  New Democratic PartyEd Broadbent3018.8%
  Non-affiliated10.3%
Total 282 97.1%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, 1988

In his second general election as leader, Mulroney was returned to office, but with a reduced majority.

Canadian Federal Election, 1988 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party LeadersSeats WonPopular Vote
  Progressive ConservativeBrian Mulroney116943.0%
Liberal John Turner28331.9%
  New Democratic PartyEd Broadbent4320.4%
Total 295 95.3%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 constituency elections: 1983 to 1988

Mulroney stood for election to the House of Commons three times. He was elected each time, with substantial majorities.

1983 Federal By-Election: Central Nova

The incumbent, Elmer MacKay, resigned his seat on June 15, 1983, after Mulroney was elected party leader, to give Mulroney an opportunity to enter the House of Commons.

Federal By-election, August 29, 1983: Central Nova, Nova Scotia
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
  Progressive Conservative Brian Mulroney18,88260.2%
Liberal Alvin Sinclair7,85825.0%
  New Democratic PartyRoy G. Demarsh4,20213.4%
  IndependentAnne C. McBride2870.9%
  IndependentBob Robert Kirk970.3%
  IndependentJohn C. Turmel460.1%
Total31,37299.9%1
Source: Library of Parliament History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Central Nova

Elected.
1 Rounding error.

1984 Federal Election: Manicouagan

In the 1984 general election, Mulroney stood for election in the riding of Manicouagan in Quebec.

Federal election, 1984: Manicouagan, Quebec
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
  Progressive Conservative Brian Mulroney28,20871.6%
Liberal X André Maltais9,64024.5%
  New Democratic PartyDenis Faubert9392.4%
Parti nationaliste Laurian Dupont5361.4%
Commonwealth of Canada Raynald Rouleau1010.3%
Total39,424100.2%1
Source: Library of Parliament History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Manicouagan

Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Rounding error.

1988 Federal Election: Charlevoix

In the 1988 general election, Mulroney stood for election in the Quebec riding of Charlevoix, which included his home town, Baie-Comeau.

Federal election, 1988: Charlevoix, Quebec
Party CandidatePopular Vote%
  Progressive Conservative Brian Mulroney33,73080.0%
Liberal Martin Cauchon5,99414.2%
  New Democratic PartyKenneth Choquette1,8194.3%
Rhinoceros François Yo Gourd6001.4%
Total42,14399.9%1
Source: Library of Parliament History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Charlevoix

Elected.
1 Rounding error.

Progressive Conservative Party Leadership Conventions: 1976 and 1983

Mulroney ran in two Progressive Conservative leadership contests, in 1976 and 1983. He was defeated in the 1976 convention by Joe Clark, who became party leader. After Clark lost the 1980 general election, there was another leadership convention, in 1983. This time, Mulroney won and became party leader.

1976 Leadership Convention

When Robert Stanfield announced his resignation as party leader in 1976, Mulroney was one of a crowded field of candidates in the leadership convention. Although he came in second on the first ballot, he ended in third place on the fourth ballot, behind Joe Clark, who won the leadership, and Claude Wagner, who came in second.

Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention, February 22, 1976
Voting results by ballot
Candidate First Ballot Second Ballot Third Ballot Fourth Ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast %
Claude Wagner 531 22.5% 667 28.5% 1,003 42.8% 1,122 48.6%
Brian Mulroney 357 15.1% 419 17.9%


369
Eliminated after third ballot.
15.8%
Joe Clark 277 11.7% 532 22.8% 969 41.4% 1,187 51.4%
Jack Horner 235 10.0%


286
Withdrew after second ballot.
12.2%
Paul Hellyer 231 9.8%


118
Withdrew after second ballot.
5.0%
Flora Macdonald 214 9.1%


239
Withdrew after second ballot.
10.2%
Sinclair Stevens


182
Withdrew after first ballot.
7.7%
John Allen Fraser 127 5.4%


34
Eliminated after second ballot.
1.5%
James Gillies


87
Withdrew after first ballot.
3.7%
Pat Nowlan 86 3.6%


42
Withdrew after second ballot.
1.8%
Heward Grafftey


33
Eliminated after first ballot.
1.4%
Total 2,360 100.0% 2,337 99.9%1 2,341 100.0% 2,309 100.0%
Source: CPAC – 1976 Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention

1 Rounding error.

1983 Leadership Convention

Clark at the 1983 leadership convention.
Mulroney at the 1983 leadership convention (photo by Alasdair Roberts).

Following a leadership review at the 1983 Progressive Conservative convention, Clark triggered a leadership convention, in which he stood for re-election. Mulroney again entered the leadership race. This time, he defeated Clark and succeeded him as party leader.

Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention, June 11, 1983
Voting results by ballot
Candidate First Ballot Second Ballot Third Ballot Fourth Ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast %
Joe Clark 1,091 36.5% 1,085 36.7% 1,058 35.8% 1,325 45.6%
Brian Mulroney 874 29.3% 1,021 34.6% 1,036 35.1% 1,584 54.4%
John Crosbie 639 21.4% 781 26.4%


858
Eliminated after third ballot.
29.1%
Michael Wilson


144
Withdrew after first ballot.
4.8%
David Crombie 116 3.9%


67
Eliminated after second ballot.
2.3%
Peter Pocklington


102
Withdrew after first ballot.
3.4%
John A. Gamble


17
Withdrew after first ballot.
0.6%
Neil Fraser


5
Eliminated after first ballot.
0.2%
Total 2,988 100.1%1 2,954 100.0 2,952 100.0% 2,910 100.0%
Source: CPAC – 1983 Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention

1 Rounding error.

See also

References

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