1963 Canadian federal election

1963 Canadian federal election

← 1962 April 8, 1963 1965 →

265 seats in the House of Commons
133 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout79.2%[1] (Increase0.2pp)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Lester B. Pearson John Diefenbaker
Party Liberal Progressive Conservative
Leader since January 16, 1958 December 14, 1956
Leader's seat Algoma East Prince Albert
Last election 99 seats, 36.97% 116 seats, 37.22%
Seats won 128 95
Seat change Increase29 Decrease21
Popular vote 3,276,996 2,591,613
Percentage 41.48% 32.80%
Swing Increase4.51pp Decrease4.42pp

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Robert N. Thompson Tommy Douglas
Party Social Credit New Democratic
Leader since July 7, 1961 August 3, 1961
Leader's seat Red Deer Burnaby—Coquitlam
Last election 30 seats, 11.61% 19 seats, 13.57%
Seats won 24 17
Seat change Decrease6 Decrease2
Popular vote 940,703 1,044,701
Percentage 11.91% 13.22%
Swing Increase0.30pp Decrease0.35pp


The Canadian parliament after the 1963 election

Prime Minister before election

John Diefenbaker
Progressive Conservative

Prime Minister after election

Lester B. Pearson
Liberal

The 1963 Canadian federal election was held on April 8, 1963 to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 26th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of the minority Progressive Conservative (Tory) government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, with the Liberals returning to power for the first time in 6 years, where they would remain for twenty of the next twenty-one years (winning every election except the 1979 election until their landslide defeat in 1984). For the Social Credit Party, despite getting their highest ever share of the vote, the party lost 6 seats compared to its high-water mark in 1962.

  1. ^ Pomfret, R. "Voter Turnout at Federal Elections and Referendums". Elections Canada. Elections Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2014.