Canadian Election Series

Woodsworth principled pacifist stance hurt the CCF. The party lost many seats as non-pacifist voters switched to the Tories, Liberals, or Social Credit depending on their region. While the Unionists improved their vote, they were not able to absorb all of the old Reconstruction vote and were held to a healthy minority. Gouin’s leftward tilt and Woodsworth’s pacifism allowed the Liberals to make a decent recovery, although they still had no seats in English Canada. Social Credit also saw minor improvements.

Unionist: 40% (+1%), 111 seats (+10)
CCF: 34% (-5%), 82 seats (-23)
Liberal: 21% (+9%), 39 seats (+8)
Social Credit: 4% (nc) 13 seats (+5)

Soon after the election, World War II broke out. In an effort to attract non-British voters, Prime Minister Manion illustrated Canada’s independence from Britain by declaring war on Germany three days after the British did. As with the motion that felled his government, Woodsworth and several CCF MP’s voted against the declaration of war. In ill health and knowing that his anti war vote would jeopardize his leadership of the CCF, Woodsworth resigned the leadership and his seat in parliament.

As the campaigning for the new CCF leader began, Robert Manion was eager to shore up his minority position. Manion offered the Paul Gouin and J.H. Blackmore positions in cabinet in exchange for their support for the duration of the war, which they both accepted. Furious that Gouin would work with the hated Unionists, Arthur Cardin left caucus to sit as an independent, taking several MP’s with him. Meanwhile, Manion announced that he would extend the same offer to the future CCF leader.

Despite a strong challenge from pacifist Alan Plaunt, Clarence Gillis, a pro-war, CCF left winger was elected to be the new leader and joined the wartime cabinet. After the Soviets joined the fight against the Nazis, the unity cabinet moved to legalize the Communist party. This was met with bitter protests from Social Credit, but it passed without incident.

Clarence Gillis: 42.8%, 65.4%
~~M.J. Coldwell: 31.4%, 34.6%~~
~~Alan Plaunt: 25.8%~~

As the war continued, there was increasing pressure in Anglo-Canada to enact conscription to bolster the war effort. Both the CCF and the largely Francophone Liberals resisted. Manion could have enacted the legislation with the support of Social Credit, his government was nearing the end of it’s term. Manion instead to decided to call an election and seek a new mandate from the people in order to enact conscription.

Although Gouin resisted the temptation to support conscription, his association with the wartime cabinet prompted Cardin and his supporters to form their own party, the Bloc Populaire Canadien, in order to defeat Liberal MP’s and force the party out of a pro-conscription cabinet.

Unionist: Manion is seeking a majority government from the voters in order to properly enforce conscription and win the war. He is attacking the CCF as ‘the party of pacifists” and claims they will be unable to lead an effective war effort. Manion is campaigning on the old Unionist standbys; free markets and a strong national defense.

CCF: Led by left wing MP Clarence Gillis, the CCF is running on an anti-conscription platform, and trying to focus the election on the welfare state. Gillis is promising a strong national defense without conscription. Economically, Gillis is on the left of the CCF like Woodsworth. If elected he is promising to nationalize key industries to promote the war effort and to introduce a full welfare state after the war.

Liberal: The Liberals under Paul Gouin are running a two pronged campaign. In Quebec, they are promoting themselves as a constructive voice in the unity cabinet, defending francophone rights from the inside and attacking Bloc Populaire as voice that will forever be outside government and unable to secure anything for Quebec. In English Canada they are presenting themselves as a non-socialist progressive option, favouring large public works and a welfare state without the “anti-business” politics of the CCF.

Social Credit: Still led by Blackmore, Social Credit is bolstering their anti-communist credentials by calling for the Communists to be re-banned. Otherwise the party is running on it’s same platform; social conservatism and a national dividend.

Bloc Populaire: Led by former Liberal leadership contender Arthur Cardin, the Bloc Populaire is an eclectic mix of Catholic traditionalists, pacifists and Quebecois nationalists trying to force the Liberals to withdraw from the wartime cabinet. They are only running candidates in Quebec.

Communist: As a gesture of goodwill towards the Soviets, the Manion government has legalized the Communist party (previously banned under the Meighen government). They are led by Tim Buck, and are running sizeable slate of candidates in mining, logging and industrial regions. The Communists are, well communist, and want to nationalize all industries, create a dictatorship of the proletariat etc.

Five days

	Welcome, Guest. Please login or register. Did you miss your activation email? April 25, 2024, 12:40:21 PM

News: Election Simulator 2.0 Released. Senate/Gubernatorial maps, proportional electoral votes, and more - Read more