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1956 Quebec general election

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1956 Quebec general election
← 1952 June 20, 1956 1960 →
93 seats in the 24th Legislative Assembly of Quebec
47 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Maurice Duplessis Georges-Émile Lapalme
Party Union Nationale Liberal
Leader since June 20, 1936 May 20, 1950
Leader's seat Trois-Rivières Montréal-Outremont
Last election 68 seats, 50.5% 23 seats, 45.77%
Seats won 72 20
Seat change Increase4 Decrease3
Percentage 51.8% 44.87%
Swing Increase1.3pp Decrease0.9pp
Premier before election

Maurice Duplessis
Union Nationale

Premier after election

Maurice Duplessis
Union Nationale

This article is part of
a series about
Maurice Duplessis
Pre-premiership politics (1923-1935)

Politics

Economy

Legacy and cultural references

The 1956 Quebec general election was held on June 20, 1956, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Georges-Émile Lapalme.[1]

This was the fifth and final time (and the fourth in a row) that Duplessis led his party to a general election victory. No party has since been able to win more than three elections in a row. Duplessis died in office in 1959.[citation needed]

It was Lapalme's second (and final) loss in a row as Liberal leader. The Liberals did not manage to improve on their performance in the previous 1952 election.[citation needed]

Expansion of the Legislative Assembly and titles

[edit]

An Act passed in 1954 provided for the creation of the new electoral district of Jonquière-Kénogami for the next election, which was carved out from Chicoutimi and Lac-Saint-Jean.[2] In 1955, a bill was passed designated members of the assembly as Members of Provincial Parliament or MPPs.[3]

Campaign

[edit]

The Liberals and the Union des électeurs pooled their resources to conduct a joint campaign against the UN in at least 50 ridings.[4][5] They collaborated to such a degree that in February 1956 the Liberal MPP René Hamel had proposed a motion espousing social credit theory in the Assembly, and a joint rally was held in May 1956 in Shawinigan to mark that event.[6] While the strategy was viewed within the parties as a means to maximize their strength in opposing the UN, the electorate tended to view it as being confusing,[4] while the Montreal Gazette called it "an irresponsible alliance".[7] There were also Liberals in the old guard that wanted the UN to win.[8]

The Liberals supported four UdE and two Nationalist candidates,[9] respectively running as Liberals and Independents, of which none won:[10]

One observer noted, "The Union Nationale’s strongly entrenched position could not be seriously challenged unless a united front was formed of all opposing groups."[13] The UN chose to campaign on Quebec's right to fiscal autonomy, the party's accomplishments and the future of Ungava,[4] while the Liberals' chances were restrained by their alliance with the UdE (while shutting out the Parti social démocratique), the choice of Chaloult and Laporte not to identify themselves as Liberal candidates, and the party's tendency to side with Ottawa's centralizing policies.[13] The UN correctly assumed that Quebec voters, when given a choice, would prefer a nationalist policy over a social one.[13]

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1956)[14]
Candidates UN Lib PSD Lab-Pr Ind I-Lib I-UN Lab UN-Lab CF Total
2 50 49 1 100
3 20 20 7 10 1 1 1 60
4 13 12 10 12 1 2 1 1 52
5 5 5 4 5 1 1 3 1 25
6 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 12
7 1 1 1 1 3 7
8 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 16
Total 93 91 26 32 7 8 10 3 1 1 272

Results

[edit]
Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (1956)[14]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1952 1956 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Union Nationale Maurice Duplessis 93 68 72 4Increase 956,082 108,099Increase 51.80% 1.30Increase
Liberal Georges-Émile Lapalme 92 23 20 3Decrease 828,264 59,725Increase 44.87% 0.90Decrease
Social Democratic Thérèse Casgrain 26 – – – 11,232 4,807Decrease 0.61% 0.35Decrease
Labor–Progressive Gui Caron 32 – – – 6,517 2,585Increase 0.35% 0.12Increase
  Other candidates
█ Independent   7 1 1 Steady 33,205 19,359Increase 1.80% 0.98Increase
█ Independent-Liberal 7 – – – 4,438 528Decrease 0.24% 0.06Decrease
█ Independent-Unionist 10 – – – 4,108 9,089Decrease 0.22% 0.57Decrease
█ Labour 3 – – – 1,274 247Increase 0.07% 0.01Increase
█ Union Nationale-Labour 1 – – – 516 New 0.03% New
█ Capital familial 1 – – – 93 New 0.01% New
Total 272 92 93 1,845,729 100%
Rejected ballots 28,781 3,133Increase
Voter turnout 1,874,510 169,599Increase 78.32 2.44Increase
Registered electors 2,393,360 146,362Increase
Popular vote
UN
 
 51.80%
PLQ
 
 44.87%
Others
 
 3.33%
Seats summary
UN
 
 77.42%
PLQ
 
 21.51%
Others
 
 1.08%

Synopsis of results

[edit]
Results by riding - 1956 Quebec general election[14][15]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name 1952 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		UN Lib PSD Lab-Pr Ind I-Lib I-UN Lab Other Total
 
Abitibi-Est UN UN 13,967 53.94% 2,200 8.50% 81.31% 13,967 11,767 – – – – – 160 – 25,894
Abitibi-Ouest UN Lib 6,207 50.66% 161 1.31% 89.27% 6,046 6,207 – – – – – – – 12,253
Argenteuil UN UN 7,153 55.54% 1,427 11.08% 86.07% 7,153 5,726 – – – – – – – 12,879
Arthabaska UN UN 10,189 54.74% 1,765 9.48% 92.72% 10,189 8,424 – – – – – – – 18,613
Bagot UN UN 5,696 61.46% 2,124 22.92% 90.76% 5,696 3,572 – – – – – – – 9,268
Beauce UN UN 13,432 56.66% 3,158 13.32% 88.52% 13,432 10,274 – – – – – – – 23,706
Beauharnois UN UN 11,928 58.31% 3,450 16.87% 87.96% 11,928 8,478 – 50 – – – – – 20,456
Bellechasse UN UN 6,243 57.89% 1,702 15.78% 82.86% 6,243 4,541 – – – – – – – 10,784
Berthier UN UN 7,123 56.17% 1,565 12.34% 90.30% 7,123 5,558 – – – – – – – 12,681
Bonaventure UN Lib 8,551 52.68% 869 5.35% 84.06% 7,682 8,551 – – – – – – – 16,233
Brome UN Lib 3,274 51.66% 245 3.87% 83.36% 3,029 3,274 – – – – – – – 6,338
Chambly UN Lib 20,031 49.43% 767 1.89% 76.45% 19,264 20,031 877 150 – 205 – – – 40,527
Champlain UN UN 12,579 58.93% 3,814 17.87% 90.32% 12,579 8,765 – – – – – – – 21,344
Charlevoix UN UN 7,729 60.37% 2,655 20.74% 87.17% 7,729 5,074 – – – – – – – 12,803
Châteauguay UN UN 5,936 57.10% 1,477 14.21% 85.59% 5,936 4,459 – – – – – – – 10,395
Chicoutimi UN UN 19,103 67.22% 9,788 34.44% 87.25% 19,103 9,315 – – – – – – – 28,418
Compton UN Lib 5,542 51.41% 401 3.72% 85.72% 5,141 5,542 98 – – – – – – 10,781
Deux-Montagnes UN UN 8,133 72.31% 5,162 45.90% 83.43% 8,133 2,971 143 – – – – – – 11,247
Dorchester UN UN 9,569 60.74% 3,385 21.49% 85.40% 9,569 6,184 – – – – – – – 15,753
Drummond Lib UN 13,211 53.83% 1,928 7.86% 91.52% 13,211 11,283 – 47 – – – – – 24,541
Frontenac Lib UN 6,451 52.12% 524 4.23% 89.65% 6,451 5,927 – – – – – – – 12,378
Gaspé-Nord UN UN 4,574 50.40% 135 1.49% 84.26% 4,574 4,439 – – 62 – – – – 9,075
Gaspé-Sud UN UN 8,016 56.03% 1,726 12.06% 85.67% 8,016 6,290 – – – – – – – 14,306
Gatineau UN UN 8,206 55.96% 1,748 11.92% 76.32% 8,206 6,458 – – – – – – – 14,664
Hull UN Lib 10,564 45.70% 143 0.62% 83.05% 10,421 10,564 157 79 – – 1,895 – – 23,116
Huntingdon UN UN 3,273 52.33% 291 4.65% 84.69% 3,273 2,982 – – – – – – – 6,255
Iberville UN UN 3,903 57.22% 985 14.44% 88.13% 3,903 2,918 – – – – – – – 6,821
Îles-de-la-Madeleine UN UN 2,591 56.72% 614 13.44% 89.09% 2,591 1,977 – – – – – – – 4,568
Jacques-Cartier Lib Lib 31,385 55.39% 9,094 16.05% 70.68% 22,291 31,385 2,322 668 – – – – – 56,666
Joliette UN UN 11,500 64.88% 5,275 29.76% 86.06% 11,500 6,225 – – – – – – – 17,725
Jonquière-Kénogami New UN 11,946 50.68% 320 1.36% 88.00% 11,946 – – – 11,626 – – – – 23,572
Kamouraska UN UN 6,489 58.30% 1,847 16.59% 81.48% 6,489 4,642 – – – – – – – 11,131
L'Assomption UN UN 7,260 55.53% 1,445 11.05% 87.97% 7,260 5,815 – – – – – – – 13,075
L'Islet UN UN 5,322 53.25% 649 6.49% 86.54% 5,322 4,673 – – – – – – – 9,995
Labelle UN UN 6,717 62.07% 2,658 24.56% 87.41% 6,717 4,059 – 46 – – – – – 10,822
Lac-Saint-Jean UN UN 8,544 54.49% 1,408 8.98% 92.66% 8,544 7,136 – – – – – – – 15,680
Laval UN UN 50,417 53.91% 9,203 9.84% 70.51% 50,417 41,214 1,129 763 – – – – – 93,523
Laviolette UN UN 11,848 59.46% 3,769 18.91% 82.94% 11,848 8,079 – – – – – – – 19,927
Lévis Lib UN 12,220 54.30% 2,114 9.39% 90.04% 12,220 10,106 – 18 – – 161 – – 22,505
Lotbinière UN UN 7,052 57.23% 1,781 14.45% 89.41% 7,052 5,271 – – – – – – – 12,323
Maisonneuve Lib UN 20,668 50.93% 2,469 6.08% 68.96% 20,668 18,199 227 176 249 119 941 – – 40,579
Maskinongé UN UN 5,588 57.26% 1,417 14.52% 93.04% 5,588 4,171 – – – – – – – 9,759
Matane UN UN 10,109 57.93% 2,769 15.87% 84.28% 10,109 7,340 – – – – – – – 17,449
Matapédia UN UN 7,205 54.66% 1,229 9.32% 86.00% 7,205 5,976 – – – – – – – 13,181
Mégantic UN UN 12,123 52.50% 1,155 5.00% 92.22% 12,123 10,968 – – – – – – – 23,091
Missisquoi UN UN 7,001 56.72% 1,658 13.43% 86.03% 7,001 5,343 – – – – – – – 12,344
Montcalm UN UN 4,585 56.67% 1,079 13.34% 89.26% 4,585 3,506 – – – – – – – 8,091
Montmagny UN UN 6,403 55.92% 1,355 11.83% 87.37% 6,403 5,048 – – – – – – – 11,451
Montmorency UN UN 6,628 59.53% 2,165 19.44% 90.72% 6,628 4,463 – 43 – – – – – 11,134
Montréal–Jeanne-Mance Lib UN 29,076 49.76% 3,439 5.88% 66.38% 29,076 25,637 334 239 238 1,798 91 1,025 – 58,438
Montréal-Laurier UN UN 17,154 60.26% 7,491 26.31% 70.86% 17,154 – – – 9,663 1,652 – – – 28,469
Montréal-Mercier UN UN 18,165 60.03% 6,705 22.16% 65.79% 18,165 11,460 162 383 – – – 89 – 30,259
Montréal–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Lib Lib 28,175 77.44% 21,106 58.01% 55.29% 7,069 28,175 629 510 – – – – – 36,383
Montréal-Outremont Lib Lib 24,348 67.83% 14,331 39.93% 55.80% 10,017 24,348 726 802 – – – – – 35,893
Montréal–Saint-Henri Lib Lib 17,344 51.30% 1,960 5.80% 70.57% 15,384 17,344 234 156 – – 172 – 516 33,806
Montréal–Saint-Jacques UN UN 11,206 62.36% 4,922 27.39% 63.90% 11,206 6,284 279 200 – – – – – 17,969
Montréal–Saint-Louis Lib Lib 12,276 49.47% 2,461 9.92% 52.88% 9,815 12,276 425 649 – 1,650 – – – 24,815
Montréal–Sainte-Anne Ind Ind 10,520 66.01% 6,432 40.36% 60.75% 587 4,088 145 167 10,520 – 429 – – 15,936
Montréal–Sainte-Marie Lib UN 15,051 54.80% 3,853 14.03% 67.93% 15,051 11,198 195 172 847 – – – – 27,463
Montréal-Verdun Lib Lib 20,175 70.12% 13,361 46.43% 64.50% 6,814 20,175 1,785 – – – – – – 28,774
Napierville-Laprairie UN UN 7,861 53.81% 1,166 7.98% 89.28% 7,861 6,695 – 52 – – – – – 14,608
Nicolet UN UN 8,498 59.33% 2,673 18.66% 86.53% 8,498 5,825 – – – – – – – 14,323
Papineau UN UN 11,164 56.21% 2,467 12.42% 87.78% 11,164 8,697 – – – – – – – 19,861
Pontiac UN UN 6,201 71.83% 3,769 43.66% 79.30% 6,201 2,432 – – – – – – – 8,633
Portneuf UN UN 12,810 60.72% 4,523 21.44% 87.52% 12,810 8,287 – – – – – – – 21,097
Québec-Centre UN UN 10,983 60.18% 3,715 20.36% 81.48% 10,983 7,268 – – – – – – – 18,251
Québec-Comté Lib UN 21,272 56.22% 5,047 13.34% 85.59% 21,272 16,225 – 63 – – 280 – – 37,840
Québec-Est Lib UN 20,173 55.47% 4,090 11.25% 85.85% 20,173 16,083 – 112 – – – – – 36,368
Québec-Ouest Lib Lib 10,073 50.40% 158 0.79% 82.76% 9,915 10,073 – – – – – – – 19,988
Richelieu Lib UN 9,552 54.28% 1,590 9.03% 89.78% 9,552 7,962 66 19 – – – – – 17,599
Richmond Lib Lib 9,470 51.49% 742 4.03% 90.47% 8,728 9,470 – 194 – – – – – 18,392
Rimouski UN Lib 9,911 51.05% 408 2.10% 85.03% 9,503 9,911 – – – – – – – 19,414
Rivière-du-Loup UN Lib 8,623 51.24% 556 3.30% 87.88% 8,067 8,623 – – – – 139 – – 16,829
Roberval UN UN 10,903 52.50% 1,038 5.00% 88.94% 10,903 9,865 – – – – – – – 20,768
Rouville UN UN 5,277 52.84% 567 5.68% 87.54% 5,277 4,710 – – – – – – – 9,987
Rouyn-Noranda UN Lib 7,561 51.16% 1,007 6.81% 84.35% 6,554 7,561 665 – – – – – – 14,780
Saguenay UN UN 10,899 58.60% 3,198 17.19% 75.91% 10,899 7,701 – – – – – – – 18,600
Saint-Hyacinthe UN Lib 9,965 51.67% 669 3.47% 83.85% 9,296 9,965 – 24 – – – – – 19,285
Saint-Jean UN UN 8,279 56.17% 1,901 12.90% 85.62% 8,279 6,378 55 27 – – – – – 14,739
Saint-Maurice Lib Lib 13,851 51.37% 741 2.75% 90.44% 13,110 13,851 – – – – – – – 26,961
Saint-Sauveur UN UN 16,117 68.77% 8,862 37.81% 87.43% 16,117 7,255 – 64 – – – – – 23,436
Shefford Lib UN 11,534 53.59% 1,627 7.56% 85.31% 11,534 9,907 – 82 – – – – – 21,523
Sherbrooke UN UN 16,588 55.30% 3,438 11.46% 78.62% 16,588 13,150 73 185 – – – – – 29,996
Stanstead UN UN 7,815 50.26% 81 0.52% 82.63% 7,815 7,734 – – – – – – – 15,549
Témiscamingue Lib UN 4,078 50.83% 133 1.66% 86.26% 4,078 3,945 – – – – – – – 8,023
Témiscouata UN UN 6,299 59.35% 1,985 18.70% 85.36% 6,299 4,314 – – – – – – – 10,613
Terrebonne UN UN 20,984 57.57% 5,704 15.65% 85.34% 20,984 15,280 107 77 – – – – – 36,448
Trois-Rivières UN UN 16,263 61.73% 6,327 24.02% 88.23% 16,263 9,936 – 52 – – – – 93 26,344
Vaudreuil-Soulanges UN UN 7,681 51.00% 370 2.46% 85.94% 7,681 7,311 70 – – – – – – 15,062
Verchères Lib UN 5,104 53.06% 627 6.52% 89.67% 5,104 4,477 39 – – – – – – 9,620
Westmount–Saint-Georges Lib Lib 13,808 80.05% 10,870 63.02% 51.26% 2,938 13,808 255 248 – – – – – 17,249
Wolfe Lib UN 4,058 50.31% 50 0.62% 93.33% 4,058 4,008 – – – – – – – 8,066
Yamaska UN UN 4,736 66.22% 2,320 32.44% 85.90% 4,736 2,416 – – – – – – – 7,152
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = other incumbents renominated
  = UdE candidates under the Liberal banner
  = Nationalist candidates supported by the Liberals
  = multiple candidates

Analysis

[edit]
Party candidates in 2nd place[14]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
UN Lib Ind
Union Nationale 70 2 72
Liberal 20 20
Independent 1 1
Total 20 71 2 93
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[14]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total
█ Union Nationale 72 20 1 93
█ Liberal 20 71 92
█ Independent 1 2 2 1 6
█ Social Democratic 16 6 2 24
█ Labor–Progressive 13 11 5 29
█ Independent UN 5 3 1 9
█ Independent Liberal 3 2 5
█ Labour 1 1 1 3
█ UN-Labour 1 1
█ Capital familial 1 1
Resulting composition of the 23rd Quebec Legislative Assembly[15]
Source Party
UN Lib Ind Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 55 9 1 65
Open seats held 3 1 4
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 9 6 15
Incumbents defeated - previous incumbents returned 3 3
Open seats gained 1 4 5
New ridings New MPP elected 1 1
Total 72 20 1 93

See also

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
  • Lemieux, Vincent, ed. (1969). Quatre élections provinciales au Québec [Four provincial elections in Quebec] (in French). Montreal: Les presses de l'Université Laval.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Leslie Roberts (1963). The Chief: A Political Biography of Maurice Duplessis. Clarke, Irwin.
  2. ^ An Act to constitute the electoral district of Jonquière-Kénogami, S.Q. 1953-54, c. 42
  3. ^ Débats de l'Assemblée législative. November 17, 1955.
  4. ^ a b c Lemieux 1969, p. 9.
  5. ^ "Relations entre Libéraux et Créditistes" [Liberal-Créditiste Relations]. Vers Demain (in French). Montreal. June 15, 1956. p. 2.
  6. ^ a b "La manifestation du 6 mai à Shawinigan" [The May 6 rally in Shawinigan]. Vers Demain (in French). Montreal. June 1, 1956. pp. 6–7.
  7. ^ "An irresponsible alliance". Montreal Gazette. June 18, 1956. p. 8.
  8. ^ Lemieux 1969, pp. 8–9.
  9. ^ a b Arkison, Wilbur (June 21, 1956). "Liberals Gain 9 Seats - But Lose 13". Montreal Gazette. p. 1.
  10. ^ a b c "The extremists were repudiated". Montreal Gazette. June 21, 1956. p. 8.
  11. ^ "Les candidats créditistes tous défaits" [The Créditiste candidates are all defeated]. La Presse (in French). Montreal. June 21, 1956. p. 24. See p. 25 for candidate listings.
  12. ^ "La campagne électorale aux Îles-de-la-Madeleine" [The electoral campaign in the Magdalen Islands]. Vers Demain (in French). Montreal. July 15, 1956. p. 6.
  13. ^ a b c Lemieux 1969, p. 10.
  14. ^ a b c d e Drouilly, Pierre (December 4, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1956". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
  15. ^ a b "Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription" [National Assembly members by riding] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
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