Posted on Thursday, 5 May 2011

Tyranny By Minority: The Disgraceful History of Canadian “Democracy”

As a leftist, I was one of many Canadians disenchanted that Conservatives now control Parliament despite winning well less than half the support of Canadian voters.  I was aware that this was nothing new for Canada, but after consulting our electoral history, I now know I had no idea how undemocratic our system is.  Canada has had 28 majority governments, but only 6 of them won 50% of votes.  On average, the popular vote of a majority government is 15.45% smaller than its share of Parliamentary seats.  Obtaining a majority government is about as close as a Canadian leader can constitutionally come to holding absolute power.  The idea that one can attain this without the consent of the majority (you know, the actual majority) ought to be a national disgrace.

Here are some other figures.

Least Popular Election Winners (Cut-off: 40% of the popular vote).

  1. 1867 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  34.53% of the popular vote.
  2. 1979 - Progressive-Conservative - Joe Clark.  35.89% of the popular vote.
  3. 2006 - Conservative - Stephen Harper.  36.27% of the popular vote.
  4. 2004 - Liberal - Paul Martin.  36.73% of the popular vote.
  5. 1962 - Progressive-Conservative - John Diefenbaker.  37.22% of the popular vote.
  6. 2008 - Conservative - Stephen Harper.  37.65% of the popular vote.
  7. 1972 - Liberal - Pierre Trudeau.  38.42% of the popular vote.
  8. 1997 - Liberal - Jean Chrétien.  38.46% of the popular vote.
  9. 1957 - Progressive-Conservative - John Diefenbaker.  38.50% of the popular vote.
  10. 1874 - Liberal - Alexander Mackenzie.  39.49% of the popular vote.
  11. 1872 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  39.49% of the popular vote.
  12. 2011 - Conservative - Stephen Harper.  39.62% of the popular vote.
  13. 1945 - Liberal - William Lyon Mackenzie King.  39.78% of the popular vote.

Least Popular Majority Governments (cut-off:  50% of the popular vote).

  1. 1867 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  34.53% of the popular vote.
  2. 1997 - Liberal - Jean Chrétien.  38.46% of the popular vote.
  3. 1874 - Liberal - Alexander Mackenzie.  39.49% of the popular vote.
  4. 2011 - Conservative - Stephen Harper.  39.62% of the popular vote.
  5. 1882 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  40.40% of the popular vote.
  6. 2000 - Liberal - Jean Chrétien.  40.85% of the popular vote.
  7. 1921 - Liberal - William Lyon Mackenzie King.  41.15% of the popular vote.
  8. 1993 - Liberal - Jean Chrétien.  41.24% of the popular vote.
  9. 1896 - Liberal - Wilfrid Laurier.  41.37% of the popular vote.
  10. 1878 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  42.06% of the popular vote.
  11. 1988 - Progressive-Conservative - Brian Mulroney.  43.02% of the popular vote.
  12. 1974 - Liberal - Pierre Trudeau.  43.15% of the popular vote.
  13. 1980 - Liberal - Pierre Trudeau.  44.34% of the popular vote.
  14. 1935 - Liberal - William Lyon Mackenzie King.  44.68% of the popular vote.
  15. 1968 - Liberal - Pierre Trudeau.  45.37% of the popular vote.
  16. 1887 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  47.42% of the popular vote.
  17. 1930 - Conservative - Richard Bennett.  47.79% of the popular vote.
  18. 1953 - Liberal - Louis St. Laurent.  48.43% of the popular vote.
  19. 1911 - Conservative - Robert Borden.  43.56% of the popular vote.
  20. 1891 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  48.58% of the popular vote.
  21. 1908 - Liberal - Wilfrid Laurier.  48.87% of the popular vote.
  22. 1949 - Liberal - Louis St. Laurent.  49.15% of the popular vote.

Worst Discrepancies Between % of Votes and % of Seats (cut-off: 20%).  All are majority governments.

  1. 1935 - Liberal - William Lyon Mackenzie King.  25.93%.
  2. 1958 - Progressive-Conservative - John Diefenbaker.  24.83%
  3. 1984 - Progressive-Conservative - Brian Mulroney.  24.79%.
  4. 1949 - Liberal - Louis St. Laurent.  23.75%.
  5. 1874 - Liberal - Alexander Mackenzie.  23.13%.
  6. 1878 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  22.99%.
  7. 1882 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  22.63%.
  8. 1940 - Liberal - William Lyon Mackenzie King.  21.74%.
  9. 1867 - Conservative - John A. MacDonald.  21.03%.

Election Winners That Did Not Even Win the Popular Vote

  1. 1896 - Liberal - Wilfrid Laurier.  Won 85.88% of the number of votes won by Charles Tupper’s Conservatives.
  2. 1979 - Progressive-Conservative - Joe Clark.  Won 89.47% of the number of votes won by Pierre Trudeau’s Liberals.
  3. 1926 - Liberal - William Lyon Mackenzie King.  Won 84.60% of the number of votes won by Arthur Meighen’s Conservatives.
  4. 1957 - Progressive-Conservative - John Diefenbaker.  Won 95.20% of the number of votes won by Louis St. Laurent’s Liberals.

    Notes