Canadian federal election, 1988
The 1988 Canadian federal election was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement.Incumbent Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, had signed the agreement. The Liberals under John Napier Turner were opposed, as were the NDP under Ed Broadbent.
The Conservatives went into the election suffering from a number of scandals, and despite winning a large majority only four years before They looked vulnerable at the outset. Infighting among the Liberals and vote splitting between the NDP and Liberals, the opponents of free trade, led to a second Conservative majority government, however.
The Liberals returned as the official opposition, but the lackluster campaign cost Turner his job as Liberal leader and he was replaced by Jean Chretien in 1990.
The 1988 election was the most successful for the New Democratic Party. The party dominated in British Columbia and Saskatchewan and also won significant support in Ontario.
The election was the last for Canada's Social Credit movement; the party won no seats and insignificant portion of the popular vote.
The newly founded Reform Party of Canada also contested the election, but was considered little more than a fringe group, and did not win any seats.
The election was held November 21, 1988 and 76% of eligible voters cast a ballot.
| Popular Vote | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| PC | 42.9% | 169 |
| Liberals | 32.0% | 83 |
| NDP | 20.4% | 43 |
| Other | 4.7% | 0 |
Province-by-Province results. Seats and Popular Vote.
Note. Parties that capture less than 1% of the vote in a province are not recorded. Parties that capture more than 1% in a province, but less than 1% nationally, do not have national numbers.
Party Name
North
B.C
Alb
Sask
Man
Ont
Que
NB
NS
PEI
NL
Canada/Total
Progressive Conservative Party Seats
12
25
4
7
46
63
5
5
2
169
Pop Vote
29.7%
35.3%
51.8%
36.4%
36.9%
38.2%
52.7%
40.4%
40.9%
41.5%
42.2%
43.0%
Liberal Party Seats
2
1
5
43
12
5
6
4
5
83
Pop Vote
30.1%
20.4%
13.7%
18.2%
36.5%
38.9%
30.3%
45.4%
46.5%
49.9%
45.0%
31.9%
New Democratic Party Seats
1
19
1
10
2
10
43
Pop vote
37.0%
37.0%
17.4%
44.2%
21.3%
20.1%
14.4%
9.3%
11.4%
7.5%
12.4%
20.4%
Reform Party Seats
Pop Vote
4.8%
15.4%
3.3%
2.1%
Christian Heritage Party Seats
Pop Vote
1.1%
1.4%
Confederation of Regions Party Seats
Pop Vote
4.3%
Rhinoceros Party Seats
Pop Vote
1.2%
Others Seats
Others Pop Vote
3.2%
2.5%
0.6%
1.2%
2.0%
1.4%
1.4%
0.6%
1.2%
1.1%
0.4%
2.6%
Party Name
North
B.C
Alb
Sask
Man
Ont
Que
NB
NS
PEI
NL
Canada/Total
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Preceded by: 1984 Canadian election | Canadian federal elections |
Followed by: 1993 Canadian election |