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Electoral history of John Turner

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John Turner in 2018.

This article is the Electoral history of John Turner, the seventeenth Prime Minister of Canada.

A liberal, Turner served one term as prime minister (June 30 to September 17, 1984), as successor to Pierre Trudeau. He had the second shortest-tenure of office of all the prime ministers, with only Charles Tupper having a shorter term. Like Tupper, he never sat in Parliament while he was prime minister.

Turner led the Liberal Party of Canada in two general elections (1984) and (1988), and lost both to Brian Mulroney. He resigned the party leadership following the 1988 general election, and was succeeded by Jean Chrétien.

Turner stood for election to the House of Commons of Canada eight times and was elected each time.

Turner stood for election as leader of the Liberal Party twice. He lost in 1968 to Pierre Trudeau, but he won in 1984, becoming Trudeau's successor as Liberal leader. He beat Jean Chrétien in the 1984 convention, but was eventually succeeded by Chrétien after the 1988 election loss.

Summary

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Canada had ten provinces and two territories throughout Turner's time as Prime Minister.

Turner ranks twenty-second out of twenty-three prime ministers for time in office, serving one term of 79 days. Only Charles Tupper had a shorter term, of 68 days in office.[1] Like Tupper, Turner never sat in the House of Commons as prime minister.

Turner is the first of two prime ministers from British Columbia, the other being Kim Campbell.

A lawyer, Turner got involved in politics at an early age. He was first elected to the House of Commons at age 33, in the federal election of 1962. He was appointed to Cabinet by Prime Minister Lester Pearson (1965 to 1968) and then by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (1968 to 1975). He resigned from Cabinet in 1975 and returned to private practice of law.[2]

Turner had contested the Liberal Party leadership in 1968 when Pearson retired, but was defeated by Trudeau, who became prime minister.[3] When Trudeau announced his retirement in 1984, Turner again entered the leadership contest. This time he won, defeating Jean Chrétien.[4][5]

Turner led the Liberals in two general elections (1984) and (1988). Following his election as party leader in 1984, Turner called a general election. The Liberals were defeated by Brian Mulroney, going from government to opposition. Brian Mulroney won the largest majority in the Commons (in number of seats) in Canadian history, and the Liberals won only ten more seats than the third party, the New Democratic Party. Turner became Leader of the Official Opposition. In 1988, he again led the Liberals. While they were again defeated by Mulroney, under Turner's leadership they more than doubled their seats in the Commons, outstripping the NDP to remain the dominant second party.[6]

Turner never sat as prime minister in the House of Commons, because he was not a member of the Commons when he was elected leader of the Liberal Party. In the 1984 general election, he won a seat in the Commons, but Parliament was not recalled until after the change in government. Turner then sat in Commons as Leader of the Opposition. He is only the second prime minister who never sat in Parliament as prime minister, the other being Charles Tupper.

Turner stood for election to the Commons eight times: three times from Montreal (St. Lawrence—St. George), three times from Ottawa (Ottawa–Carleton), and twice from Vancouver (Vancouver Quadra). He was elected all eight times. He served a total of 22 years, 9 months, 17 days in the House of Commons.[2]

After his second general election defeat, Turner resigned as leader of the Liberal Party in 1990, being succeeded by Chrétien.[6] He continued to sit in the Commons until the 1993 election, when he retired from politics.[5]

Federal general elections: 1984 and 1988

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Turner led the Liberal Party in two general elections (1984) and (1988). He lost both times to Brian Mulroney.

Federal election, 1984

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In his first election as leader, Turner led the Liberals to a major defeat, winning only forty seats in the Commons. Mulroney won the largest majority (in seat numbers) in Canadian history.

Canadian Federal Election, 1984 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party Leaders Seats Won Popular Vote
  Progressive Conservative Brian Mulroney1 211 50.0%
Liberal John Turner2 40 28.0%
  New Democratic Party Ed Broadbent 30 18.8%
  Non-affiliated 1 0.3%
Total 282 97.1%3
Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Prime Minister after election.
2 Prime Minister when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
3 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Federal election, 1988

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In his second general election as leader, Turner doubled the Liberal Party standings in the House of Commons, but remained in Opposition.

Canadian Federal Election, 1988 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party Leaders Seats Won Popular Vote
  Progressive Conservative Brian Mulroney1 169 43.0%
Liberal John Turner2 83 31.9%
  New Democratic Party Ed Broadbent 43 20.4%
Total 295 95.3%3
Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after election.
2 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
3 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Federal constituency elections: 1962 to 1974; 1984 and 1988

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Turner stood for election to the House of Commons eight times. He was elected each time.

1962 Federal Election: St. Lawrence–St. George

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Federal Election, 1962: St. Lawrence—St. George, Quebec
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes John Turner 7,227 51.9%
  Progressive Conservative X Egan Chambers 4,969 35.7%
  New Democratic Party R. Barry Rutland 1,282 9.2%
Social Credit Eugène Caraghiaur 437 3.1%
Total 13,915 99.9%1
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: St. Lawrence–St. George

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Rounding error.

1963 Federal Election: St. Lawrence–St. George

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Federal Election, 1963: St. Lawrence—St. George, Quebec
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes X John Turner 8,552 58.3%
  Progressive Conservative Egan Chambers 3,796 25.9%
  New Democratic Party R. Barry Rutland 1,606 11.0%
Social Credit Charles Sucsany 708 4.8%
Total 14,662 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: St. Lawrence–St. George

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1965 Federal Election: St. Lawrence–St. George

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Federal Election, 1965: St. Lawrence—St. George, Quebec
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes X John Turner 6,920 60.1%
  Progressive Conservative Alfred Warkentin 2,648 23.0%
  New Democratic Party Frank Auf der Maur 1,676 14.6%
  Ralliement Créditiste Lucien Plante 274 2.4%
Total 11,518 100.1%1
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: St. Lawrence–St. George

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Rounding error.

The constituency of St. Lawrence–St. George was abolished in the 1968 re-distribution.

1968 Federal Election: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario

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Federal Election, 1968: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes John Turner 28,987 66.2%
  Progressive Conservative Kenneth Binks 11,665 26.7%
  New Democratic Party Harold Wilson 3,115 7.1%
Total 43,767 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Ottawa–Carleton

Yes Elected.

1972 Federal Election: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario

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Federal Election, 1972: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes X John Turner 31,316 47.4%
  Progressive Conservative Strome Galloway 22,641 34.3%
  New Democratic Party Doris Shackleton 11,225 17.0%
Social Credit David Morse 839 1.3%
Total 66,021 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Ottawa–Carleton

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1974 Federal Election: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario

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Federal Election, 1974: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes X John Turner 38,463 53.4%
  Progressive Conservative Bill Neville 27,588 38.3%
  New Democratic Party Dave Hall 6,014 8.3%
Total 72,065 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Ottawa–Carleton

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1984 Federal Election: Vancouver Quadra, British Columbia

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Federal Election, 1984: Vancouver Quadra, British Columbia
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes John Turner 21,794 43.9%
  Progressive Conservative X Bill Clarke 18,581 37.5%
  New Democratic Party Ray Cantillon 8,343 16.8%
Green Jim Bohlen 389 0.8%
Rhinoceros Ian McConkey 219 0.4%
  Independent Diane Jones 111 0.2%
Libertarian Marco Den Ouden 87 0.2%
  Non-affiliated Bill Burgess 28 0.1%
  Independent David Michael Shebib 20 0.0%1
Commonwealth of Canada T. Gaetan Feuille D'arable Wall 20 0.0%1
  Independent J. G. Joseph Jackman 12 0.01%
Total 49,604 99.9%2
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Vancouver Quadra

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Less than 0.1%.
2 Rounding error.

1988 Federal Election: Vancouver Quadra, British Columbia

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Federal Election, 1988: Vancouver Quadra, British Columbia
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes X John N. Turner 24,021 44.0%
  Progressive Conservative Bill Clarke 16,664 30.5%
  New Democratic Party Gerry Scott 11,687 21.4%
Reform J. R. Jack Ford 1,112 2.0%
Rhinoceros John Turner 760 1.4%
Libertarian Walter Boytinck 129 0.2%
Communist Bert Ogden 75 0.1%
  Independent Albert A. Ritchie 74 0.1%
  Non-affiliated Blair T. Longley 52 0.1%
Confederation of Regions Nora Galenzoski 35 0.1%
Commonwealth of Canada G. J. Joseph Jackman 23 0.0%1
  Non-affiliated Allen Soroka 22 0.0%1
Total 54,654 99.9%2
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Vancouver Quadra

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Less than 0.1%.
2 Rounding error.

Liberal Party Leadership Conventions: 1968, 1984

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Turner contested the leadership of the Liberal Party twice. In 1968, he lost to Trudeau, but in the 1984 convention he won the leadership, becoming Trudeau's successor as Liberal leader and prime minister.

1968 Leadership Convention

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Turner entered the leadership contest as the youngest candidate. He eventually lost on the fourth ballot to Trudeau, coming in third place after Trudeau and Robert Winters, a former minister in Pearson's government.

Liberal Leadership Convention, April 6, 1968
Voting results by ballot
Candidate First Ballot Second Ballot Third Ballot Fourth Ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast %
Pierre Trudeau 752 31.8% 964 40.8% 1051 44.6% 1,203 51.1%
Paul Hellyer 330 13.9% 465 19.7%


377
Withdrew after third ballot.
16.0%
Robert Winters 293 12.4% 473 20.0% 621 26.3% 954 40.6%
John Turner 277 11.7% 347 14.7% 279 11.8% 195 8.3%
Paul Martin Sr.
277
Withdrew after first ballot.
11.7%
Joe Greene 169 7.1% 104 4.4%


29
Eliminated after third ballot.
1.2%
Allan MacEachen 165 6.9%



11
Eliminated after second ballot.
0.5%
Eric Kierans


103
Withdrew after first ballot.
4.3%
Harold Lloyd Henderson


0
Eliminated after first ballot.
0.0%
Total 2,366 99.8%1 2,364 100.1%1 2,357 99.9%1 2,352 100.0%
Source: CPAC - 1968 Liberal Convention

1 Rounding error.

1984 Leadership Convention

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Trudeau announced his retirement early in 1984. Turner entered the leadership election and won on the second ballot. His main opposition was Jean Chrétien, who came in second.

Liberal Party Leadership Convention, June 16, 1984
Voting results by ballot
Candidate First Ballot Second Ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast %
John Turner 1,593 46.4% 1,862 54.4%
Jean Chrétien 1,067 31.1% 1,368 40.0%
Don Johnston 278 8.1% 192 5.6%
John Roberts
185
Withdrew after first ballot.
5.4%
Mark MacGuigan
135
Withdrew after first ballot.
3.9%
John Munro
93
Withdrew after first ballot.
2.7%
Eugene Whelan
84
Eliminated after first ballot.
2.4%
Total 3,435 100.0% 3,422 100.0%
Source: CPAC – 1984 Liberal Convention

See also

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References

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