Canadian Election Series

The 1931 election saw the Tories win yet another majority. While the Liberals shift to left helped marginalize the Progressives, the Tories were able to carve off a large portion of their Francophone base. Francophone Catholics were wary of the Liberals embrace of the Social Gospel movement, and switched to the Anglo Tories. The Unionist won a third of the seats in Quebec securing a majority government.

Unionist: 48% (+2%) 138 seats (+20)
Liberal: 38% (-1%) 73 seats (-12)
Ginger Group: 14% (-1%) 34 seats (-8)

While the Liberals narrowly lost many seats in Quebec, their leftward shift was considered a success. Stewart’s party made gains in Western Canada, and secured a breakthrough for the left in Ontario. The Ginger Group was harmed by Progressive disarray and the Liberal’s shift left. Despite this, the Ginger group only lost a few seats, thanks to popular incumbents and the old Labour and Progressive machines.

Although the Tories were able to secure a majority, the economy continued to worsen. The economy bottomed out in 1933, but continued to stagnate, with unemployment still stuck in the high teens at the next election. Meanwhile, foreign affairs became more and more dangerous with Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini coming to power in Germany and Italy. With all the problems at home and abroad, Meighen and the Unionists became increasingly unpopular. Nevertheless, the Unionists continued their austere, pro-British programme, jeopardizing their new Quebec seats.

In protest of Meighen’s continued austerity and pro-British policies, Henry Herbert Stevens, Minister of Trade, and a prominent leader of the Tories’ left flank, quit the party to form the Reconstruction Party. Stevens argues that the Tories must embrace the welfare state in order to avoid being swamped by the Liberals and radicals, and is promising a separate Canadian foreign policy, and to keep Canada out of any European wars.

Two other parties joined the scene in the early 1930’s. First, the Progressive rump, and the Dominion Labour movement formalized their merger in 1932, forming the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. The CCF found vast new reserves of support in depression ravaged Canada. Wise Wood, disgusted with his party’s election results quietly retired after the merger, leaving J.S. Woodsworth to assume the leadership of the new party unopposed.

The other new player was Social Credit, an eccentric new party which swept the United Farmers out of power in Alberta in early 1935. Social Credit is associated with conservative Christian groups and promises strong morality and a “National Dividend” to remedy the economy.

Unionist: Although unemployment is high, Arthur Meighen and the Unionists are arguing that continued austerity is the only way to avoid bankruptcy and financial disgrace.. The Unionists are campaigning on their old standbys of low taxes, low spending, protectionist tariffs, and British unionism.

Liberal: With the success of the New Deal in America, Charles Stewart feels that his “Fair Shake” agenda will lead the Liberals to victory. The Fair Shake includes mass unemployment relief and public works projects to stimulate the economy, but rejects the planned economy approach of the CCF. Stewart is also campaigning on King’s old promise to have a separate Canadian foreign policy from Britain.

CCF: Led by longtime Dominion Labour leader, J.S. Woodsworth, the CCF represents a union of the labour movement and the old Progressive party. The CCF’s platform is articulated in the Regina Manifesto which advocates for a planned, socialist economy, nationalizing the banking, transportation, and communications industries and a universal single payer healthcare system. For the first time ever, the radical left is running a full slate of candidates.*

Reconstruction: Reconstruction was formed by the leader of the Tory left, H.H. Stevens. Stevens created the new party when the Unionists refused to implement any sort of welfare state in the face of depression. Stevens’s party is promising a a national housing program, and creating a “Trans-Canada” highway to stimulate the economy. Reconstruction is isolationist and plans to stay out of any future European wars.

Social Credit: Social Credit swept to power in Alberta mere months after being formed, defeating the scandal plagued United Farmers. The federal party is led by J.H. Blackmore, and is running on a “National Dividend” to be paid to all Canadians over 21 and a return to traditional values. Social Credit is running candidates mostly in the west.

5 days

*For the record, CCF/NDP will be running a full slate from now on.

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