Canadian Election Series

The Tories were rewarded for their strong leadership during the Great War with a slightly reduced majority. The Liberal caucus was slashed in half, as the Progressives has carved off the party’s free trade wing, eliminating the Liberal’s western base, splitting the vote in Ontario, leaving the Liberals with a francophone rump. The Progressives on the other hand, had a successful breakthrough, beating the Liberals in the popular vote and seized the official opposition, bumping the Liberals to third place. Labour candidates also had a minor breakthrough, winning a record six seats.

Con: 52% (-5%), 135 seats (-18)
Prog: 23% (+23%), 55 seats (+55)
Lib: 21% (-19%), 39 seats (-43)
Lab: 4% (+2%), 6 seats (+6)

MacKenzie King lost his seat, but a by-election in a safe seat in Montreal was quickly arranged for him. The Dominion Labour party had the most success of any of the local labour parties. The other labour MP’s agreed to form a common caucus with them, and the party began to act as an umbrella group to facilitate a electioneering come next election. However, local parties continued to nominate candidates and act independently.

Progressive leader Thomas Crerar set upon turning the Progressives into a force that could challenge for government. However several members of the party’s radical wing chafed under the party whip and were known for spouting controversial socialist opinions in the newspapers and criticizing Crerar in public. The strident socialism and lack of discipline reduced the Progressives’ stature among moderate Ontarians and Crerar worried their chances for improving on their Ontario beachhead were slipping away. Crerar nearly resigned as leader but was convinced to stay on.

After the election, the Liberals risked being squeezed out by the left and right. The parties anti-conscription stance hurt them among eastern Anglos, and the Progressives had stolen their free trade thunder among westerners. Finally an opportunity presented itself.

In 1925, Prime Minister Arthur Meighen announced a reversal of his earlier plan to seek an independent Canadian foreign policy at next year’s Imperial Conference, arguing that Canadian and British interests were one and the same. King seized the opportunity. Slamming Meighen for not standing up for Canadian interests, King created a new niche for the Liberals. Post-war Canadians wanted to see Canada assert itself in the world and Meighen was not fulfilling that need. King, fighting for his political life, saw a surge in support as the campaign drew to a close…

Unionist: After the success of the 1921 election, Meighen renamed his party the Unionists to highlight their British ties and the Great War success. Meighen and the Unionists are running on a platform of low taxes, and anti-labour politics, claiming credit for the relative prosperity of the post war years. The Unionists oppose a separate Canadian foreign policy, claiming than Britain's foreign service is enough.

Progressive: Still led by Thomas Crerar, the Progressives are clinging to hopes for expanding on their Ontario breakthrough and challenging for government. Similar to 1921, they are running on a platform of total free trade, moderate social democracy and farm subsidies. The Progressives are neutral on the foreign policy question and attack the Tories as the party of big business while trying to ignore the Liberals altogether.

Liberal King is running a one issue campaign; a separate Canadian foreign policy from the British one. This policy plays well with their Francophone base, and is taking advantage of the new-Anglo Canadian nationalism. Seeking to counteract the Progressives, the party is also playing up its free trade credentials.

Dominion Labour: An umbrella group for the various labour parties for electioneering purposes. Dominion Labour is led by strike leader J.S. Woodsworth. While they have a common platform now, individual candidates still range from reformist social democrats to hard line Marxists,. Dominion Labour is running on nationalizing utilities, and introducing sickness/unemployment insurance.

Although the labour movement is united for now, they struggle to field candidates outside of urban and mining constituencies. The Progressives still struggle to find candidates in Quebec and the Maritimes. The Liberals and Unionists are both running a full slate.

7 days.

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