Liberal Party of Canada

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Liberal Party of Canada

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is a major political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain politics power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns....
in Canada

Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
. The party is positioned in the centre-left of the Canadian political spectrum

Politics of Canada

The politics of Canada function within a framework of constitutional monarchy and a federation of Parliament of Canada with strong Democracy traditions....
. The party currently forms the Official Opposition

Official Opposition (Canada)

In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition political party in the Canadian House of Commons, which is currently the Liberal Party of Canada....
in the Parliament of Canada

Parliament of Canada

The Parliament of Canada is Canada's legislature, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The Governor General of Canada appoints the 105 members of the upper house, the Canadian Senate, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Canada....
since the 2006 federal election

Canadian federal election, 2006

The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Canadian Parliament of Canada....
. The Liberal Party is Canada's oldest functioning party at the federal level

List of federal political parties in Canada

In contrast with the political party systems of many nations, Canadian parties at the federal level are often only loosely connected with parties at the provincial level, despite having similar names....
; the only party remaining from Confederation

Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federalism Dominion of Canada was formed beginning July 1, 1867 from the provinces, colony and Territory of British North America....
. The Liberal Party has dominated federal politics for much of Canada's history, holding power for almost 69 years in the 20th century, more than any other party in a developed country

Developed country

The term developed country is used to describe countries that have a high level of development according to some criteria. Which criteria, and which countries are classified as being developed, is a contentious issue and there is fierce debate about this....
.

Michael Ignatieff

Michael Ignatieff

Michael Grant Ignatieff, Doctor of Philosophy, Member of Parliament is a Canadian historian, politician, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in Canada....
is the interim leader

Interim leader

An interim leader, in Canada politics, is a party leader appointed by the party's legislative caucus or the party's executive to temporarily act as leader to fill a gap between the resignation or death of a party leader and the election of a full-fledged successor....
of the Liberal Party, succeeding Stéphane Dion

Stéphane Dion

St?phane Maurice Dion, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Member of Parliament is a Canadian politican who has been the Member of Parliament for the Electoral district of Saint-Laurent?Cartierville in Montreal since 1996....
in December 2008.

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Encyclopedia

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is a major political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain politics power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns....
in Canada

Canada

Politics of Canada

Official Opposition (Canada)

Parliament of Canada

Canadian federal election, 2006

List of federal political parties in Canada

Canadian Confederation

Developed country

Michael Ignatieff

Interim leader

Stéphane Dion

Principles and policies

In the present times, the Liberal party has favoured a variety of policies from both right

Right-wing politics

In politics, right-wing, rightist and the Right are terms applied to Conservatism and reactionary positions. Originally, during the French Revolution, right-wing referred to seating arrangements in parliament; those who sat on the right supported the monarchy and aristocracy....
and left

Left-wing politics

In politics, left-wing, leftist, and the Left are terms applied to Social progressivism and Egalitarianism positions. Originally, during the French Revolution, left-wing referred to seating arrangements in parliament; those who sat on the left opposed the monarchy and supported Political radicalism reform....
of the political spectrum

Political spectrum

A political spectrum is a way of modeling different politics positions by placing them upon one or more geometry coordinate axis symbolizing independent political dimensions....
. When it formed the government from 1993 to 2006, it was a strong champion of balanced budget

Balanced budget

From a Keynesian economics point of view, a balanced budget in the public sector is achieved when the government equates the revenues with expenditure over the business cycles....
s, and eliminated the deficit

Deficit

A budget deficit occurs when an entity spends more money than it takes in. The opposite of a budget deficit is a budget surplus. Debt is essentially an accumulated flow of deficits....
completely from the federal budget in 1995 by reducing spending on social programs

Social programs in Canada

Social programs in Canada include all government programs designed to give assistance to citizens outside of what the market provides. The Canadian social safety net covers a broad spectrums of programs, and because Canada is a Canadian federalism, many are run by the Provinces of Canada....
or delegating them to the provinces. It also legalized same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage and gay marriage are terms for a Law or socially recognized marriage between two people of the same sex. While state-sanctioned same-sex marriage is a relatively new phenomenon in the modern world, same-sex unions have been documented throughout human history....
and the use of cannabis

Cannabis

Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa L., Cannabis indica Lam., and Cannabis ruderalis Janisch....
for medical purposes, and had proposed complete decriminalization

Decriminalization

Decriminalization is the abolition of crime sentence in relation to certain acts, perhaps retroactively, though perhaps regulated permits or fines might still apply ....
of possession of small amounts of it. The party generally holds progressive views on various other social issues like abortion

Abortion

An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death....
. In spite of this, a socially conservative wing does exist within the party. For example, when the Civil Marriage Act

Civil Marriage Act

The Civil Marriage Act was legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in Canada. It was introduced as Bill C-38 in the first session of the 38th Canada Parliament of Canada on February 1, 2005....
was passed in 2004 (which legalized same-sex marriage), 32 Liberal MPs voted against the act.

During the 2006 election

Canadian federal election, 2006

The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Canadian Parliament of Canada....
the Liberal party's platform included an

Introduction of a national childcare
Childcare

Childcare is the act of caring for and supervising Minor children. ...
program
Immediately cut tax for low income earners by 1 point from 16% to 15%
Tougher firearm
Firearm

A firearm is a tool that projects either single or multiple projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion. The firing is achieved by the gases produced through rapid, confined combustion of a propellant....
laws, including a ban on handguns and semi-automatic rifle
Semi-automatic rifle

A semi-automatic rifle is a type of rifle that fires a single bullet each time the trigger is pulled. They may be operated by a number of mechanisms, all of which derive their power from the explosion of the powder in the cartridge that also fires the bullet....
s
Reducing wait times for medical treatments
Increased support and opportunities for seniors, immigrants and the aboriginal
Aboriginal peoples in Canada

Aboriginal people in Canada, also known as First Nations, Inuit and M?tis, are people who belong to recognized indigenous groups in the Canada Constitution Act, 1982, Section Twenty-five of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Section Thirty-five of the Constitution Act, 1982, respectively as First Nations, M?tis people , and...
populations
Increased spending on military
Military

A military is an organization authorized by its nation to use force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or Threat of force ....
Additional investment in research
Research

Research is defined as human activity based on intellectual application in the investigation of matter. The primary purpose for applied research is discovery , interpretation , and the development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of our world and the universe....
and higher education
Higher education

Higher education refers to a level of education that is provided by university, vocational university, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, Institute of technology and other collegiate level institutions, such as Vocational school, trade schools and career colleges, that award academic degrees or professional certifications....
.

In June 2008, the Liberal Party unveiled a new policy based on an ecotax

Ecotax

Ecotax, short for Ecological taxation, can refer to:A policy that introduces taxes intended to promote Sustainability via economic incentives....
called Green Shift.

Regional Liberal parties

Each province and one territory in Canada has its own Liberal Party.

Current governments and premiers:

Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party

The Ontario Liberal Party is a centrist provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It currently forms the Government of Ontario since the Ontario general election, 2003....
, Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty

Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., Legislative Assembly of Ontario is a Canada lawyer and politician and, since October 23, 2003, Premier of Ontario....
, MPP
New Brunswick Liberal Association
New Brunswick Liberal Association

The New Brunswick Liberal Association, more popularly known as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or Liberal Party of New Brunswick, is one of the two major political party in the Canada Provinces of Canada of New Brunswick....
, Shawn Graham
Shawn Graham

Shawn Michael Graham, Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is a New Brunswick politician and is the current Premier of New Brunswick. After being trained as a school teacher, he worked for New Brunswick's civil service before being elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in 1998....
, MLA
Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its chambers of parliament. The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as in a number of Latin American countries....
Prince Edward Island Liberal Party
Prince Edward Island Liberal Party

The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party is a major political party in the province of Prince Edward Island, Canada. The PEI Liberals are aligned with the federal Liberal Party of Canada....
, Robert Ghiz
Robert Ghiz

Robert W.J. Ghiz, Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island is the Premier of Prince Edward Island of Prince Edward Island. He is also the son of former Premier Joe Ghiz....
, MLA
Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its chambers of parliament. The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as in a number of Latin American countries....

Current official oppositions and leaders:

Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador

For pre-1949 Liberal parties see Liberal parties in Newfoundland The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, Yvonne Jones
Yvonne Jones

Yvonne Jones is a Canada politician and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. She currently represents the electoral district of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, and was one of only three Liberal incumbents in the entire province to retain her seat in the Newfoundland...
, MHA
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador....
Yukon Liberal Party
Yukon Liberal Party

The Yukon Liberal Party is a political party in the Yukon Territory in Canada. After twenty years as a minor party, the Yukon Liberal Party won the 2000 general election and formed a government under Premier Pat Duncan ....
, Arthur Mitchell
Arthur Mitchell (politician)

Arthur Mitchell is the leader of the Yukon Liberal Party. He is a former real estate agent and an assistant to John Ostashek, the Yukon Party government leader from 1992 to 1996....
, MLA
Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its chambers of parliament. The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as in a number of Latin American countries....

Third party status and leaders:

Nova Scotia Liberal Party, Stephen McNeil
Stephen McNeil

Stephen McNeil is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the riding of Annapolis in Nova Scotia and is the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party....
, MLA
Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty Canadian monarchy represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada....
Manitoba Liberal Party
Manitoba Liberal Party

The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870....
, Jon Gerrard
Jon Gerrard

Jon Gerrard, Queen's Privy Council of Canada, Member of the Legislative Assembly is a politician and medical doctor in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 1997, and was a secretary of state in the government of Jean Chr?tien....
, MLA
Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its chambers of parliament. The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as in a number of Latin American countries....

Not represented provincially and leader:

Saskatchewan Liberal Party
Saskatchewan Liberal Party

The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a political party in the Canada province of Saskatchewan....
, Frank Proto (Interim Leader) / Ryan Bater (Leader-Elect)

The relationship between the federal and provincial Liberal parties in Canada varies across Canada. In the four largest provinces (BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec) the parties are informally linked to varying degrees. In the case of BC and Quebec, the provincial party severed formal ties with the federal party and tends to maintain neutrality in federal politics. In the 6 other provinces and one territory, the provincial parties are direct organizational affiliates with their federal counterpart.

The Quebec Liberal Party

Parti libéral du Québec

The Quebec Liberal Party , is a liberal parties political party in the Canada province of Quebec. It has been independent of the Liberal Party of Canada since 1955....
was long affiliated with the federal Liberals since Confederation. In the 1940s, the party's fortunes were aided and hindered by close association with the federal Grits over the issue of conscription

Conscription Crisis of 1944

The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis following the introduction of conscription in Canada during World War II. It was similar to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, but was not as politically damaging....
, winning the 1939 election but losing in 1944. The provincial party, serving a long spell in opposition, partially due to the conscription fallout, formally severed ties in 1955. Since then, relations have been tense between the federal and provincial parties, as examplified by Pierre Trudeau

Pierre Trudeau

Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Order of Canada, Order of the Companions of Honour, Queen's Counsel, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada , was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984....
and Robert Bourassa

Robert Bourassa

Robert Bourassa, National Order of Quebec was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as Quebec Liberal Party Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994....
's arugments over Quebec nationalism

Quebec nationalism

Quebec nationalism is a contemporary nationalist movement in Quebec province of Canada.Canadien liberal nationalism1534?1774...
.

Some in the Alberta Liberal Party

Alberta Liberal Party

The Alberta Liberal Party is a Provinces and territories of Canada political party in Alberta, Canada. Since 1993 they have been the official opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
feel it has suffered as a result of federal Liberal policies unpopular in Western Canada

Western Canada

File:Western Canada2.svgWestern Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a list of regions of Canada generally including all parts of Canada west of the provinces and territories of Canada of Ontario....
, such as the National Energy Program

National Energy Program

The National Energy Program was an energy policy of the Government of Canada. It was enacted by the government of Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau in 1980, and administered by the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources....
and official bilingualism. The British Columbia Liberal Party

British Columbia Liberal Party

The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected as the government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, returning to power in 2001....
ended its own ties with the federal party in 1987.

The Northwest Territories

Northwest Territories

Nunavut

Nunavut is the largest and newest Provinces and territories of Canada of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999 via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993....
have non-partisan legislatures. Historically the Northwest Territories

Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories are a provinces and territories of Canada of Canada.Located in northern Canada, it borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south....
had political parties between 1898 and 1905. In 1905 the bulk of the populated parts were formed into the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. the Northwest Territories Liberal Party

Northwest Territories Liberal Party

The Northwest Territories Liberal Party was a short-lived branch of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Northwest Territories.The party existed between 1898 and 1905....
formed the opposition for two elections before 1905.

Electoral history

align=top| Liberal Party Federal Electoral Results
Year	Seats in House	Liberal candidates	Seats won	Seat Change	Popular vote	% of popular vote	Result	Liberal leader
1867 Canadian federal election, 1867 The Canadian federal election of 1867, held from August 7 to September 20, was the first election for the new nation of Canada. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 1st Canadian Parliament of Canada....	180	65	62	+62	60,818	22.7%	Cons. majority	Brown
1872 Canadian federal election, 1872 The Canadian federal election of 1872 was held from July 20 to October 12, 1872, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 2nd Canadian Parliament of Canada....	200	111	95	+33	110,556	34.7%	Cons. majority	Blake
1874 Canadian federal election, 1874 The Canadian federal election of 1874 was held on January 22, 1874, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 3rd Canadian Parliament of Canada....	206	140	133	+38	128,059	39.5%	Majority gov't	Mackenzie
1878 Canadian federal election, 1878 The Canadian federal election of 1878 was held on September 17 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 4th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	206	121	63	-70	180,074	33.1%	Cons. majority	Mackenzie
1882 Canadian federal election, 1882 The Canadian federal election of 1882 was held on June 20, 1882 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 5th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	211	112	73	+10	160,547	31.1%	Cons. majority	Blake
1887 Canadian federal election, 1887 The Canadian federal election of 1887 was held on February 22, 1887 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 6th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	215	184	80	+7	312,736	43.1%	Cons. majority	Blake
1891 Canadian federal election, 1891 The Canadian federal election of 1891 was held on March 5 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 7th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	215	194	90	+10	350,512	45.2%	Cons. majority	Laurier
1896 Canadian federal election, 1896 The Canadian federal election of 1896 was held on June 23, 1896 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 8th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	213	190	118	+28	401,425	41.4%	Majority gov't	Laurier
1900 Canadian federal election, 1900 The Canadian federal election of 1900 was held on November 7 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 9th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	213	209	132	+14	477,758	50.3%	Majority gov't	Laurier
1904 Canadian federal election, 1904 The Canadian federal election of 1904 was held on November 3 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 10th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	214	208	139	+7	521,041	50.9%	Majority gov't	Laurier
1908 Canadian federal election, 1908 The Canadian federal election of 1908 was held on October 26 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 11th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	221	213	133	-6	570,311	48.9%	Majority gov't	Laurier
1911 Canadian federal election, 1911 The Canadian federal election of 1911 was held on September 21 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 12th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	221	214	85	-48	596,871	45.8%	Cons. majority	Laurier
1917* Canadian federal election, 1917 The 1917 Canadian federal election was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 13th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	235	213	82	-3	729,756	38.8%	Coalition gov't	Laurier
1921 Canadian federal election, 1921 The Canadian federal election of 1921 was held on December 6, 1921 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 14th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	235	204	118	+36	1,285,998	41.2%	Majority gov't	King
1925 Canadian federal election, 1925 The Canadian federal election of 1925 was held on October 29 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 15th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	245	216	100	-18	1,252,684	39.7%	minority gov't	King
1926 Canadian federal election, 1926 The Canadian federal election of 1926 was held on September 14 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 16th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	245	189	116	+16	1,294,072	42.7%	Majority gov't	King
1930 Canadian federal election, 1930 The Canadian federal election of 1930 was held on July 28, 1930 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 17th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	245	226	90	-26	1,716,798	44.0%	Cons. majority	King
1935 Canadian federal election, 1935 The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	245	245	173	+83	1,967,839	44.7%	Majority gov't	King
1940 Canadian federal election, 1940 The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	245	242	181	+8	2,365,979	51.3%	Majority gov't	King
1945 Canadian federal election, 1945 The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canada history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	245	236	125	-56	2,086,545	39.8%	Majority gov't	King
1949 Canadian federal election, 1949 The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Canadian Parliament of Canada....	262	259	190	+65	2,878,097	49.2%	Majority gov't	St. Laurent
1953 Canadian federal election, 1953 The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Canadian Parliament of Canada....	265	263	171	-19	2,743,013	48.6%	Majority gov't	St. Laurent
1957 Canadian federal election, 1957 The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 23rd Canadian Parliament of Canada....	265	265	105	-66	2,703,687	40.9%	PC minority	St. Laurent
1958 Canadian federal election, 1958 The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Canadian Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the Canadian federal election, 1957....	265	265	49	-56	2,444,909	33.5%	PC majority	Pearson
1962 Canadian federal election, 1962 The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	265	264	100	+51	2,862,001	37.2%	PC minority	Pearson
1963 Canadian federal election, 1963 The Canadian federal election of 1963 was held on April 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 26th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	265	265	128	+28	3,276,995	41.5%	minority gov't	Pearson
1965 Canadian federal election, 1965 The Canadian federal election of 1965 was held on November 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 27th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	265	265	131	+3	3,099,521	40.2%	minority gov't	Pearson
1968 Canadian federal election, 1968 The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	264	263	155	+24	3,686,801	47.5%	Majority gov't	Trudeau
1972 Canadian federal election, 1972 The Canadian federal election of 1972 was held on October 30, 1972 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 29th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	264	263	109	-46	3,717,804	38.4%	minority gov't	Trudeau
1974 Canadian federal election, 1974 The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	264	264	141	+32	4,102,853	43.2%	Majority gov't	Trudeau
1979 Canadian federal election, 1979 The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Canadian Parliament of Canada....	282	282	114	-27	4,595,319	40.1%	PC minority	Trudeau
1980 Canadian federal election, 1980 The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Canadian Parliament of Canada....	282	282	147	+33	4,855,425	44.4%	Majority gov't	Trudeau
1984 Canadian federal election, 1984 The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Canadian Parliament of Canada....	282	282	40	-107	3,516,486	28.0%	PC majority	Turner
1988 Canadian federal election, 1988 The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	295	294	83	+43	4,205,072	31.9%	PC majority	Turner
1993 Canadian federal election, 1993 The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	295	295	177	+94	5,598,775	41.2%	Majority gov't	Chrétien
1997 Canadian federal election, 1997 The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	301	301	155	-22	4,994,377	38.5%	Majority gov't	Chrétien
2000 Canadian federal election, 2000 The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Member of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	301	301	172	+17	5,251,961	40.9%	Majority gov't	Chrétien
2004 Canadian federal election, 2004 The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	308	308	135	-37	4,951,107	36.7%	minority gov't	Martin
2006 Canadian federal election, 2006 The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Canadian Parliament of Canada....	308	308	103	-32	4,477,217	30.1%	Cons. minority	Martin
2008	308	307	77	-26	3,629,990	26.2%	Cons. minority	Dion

* In 1917, some Liberals ran under the Unionist banner, figures only count those who ran as "Laurier Liberals"

* 1949-1968 includes one Liberal-Labour

Liberal-Labour (Canada)

The Liberal-Labour banner has also been used several times by candidates in Canadian elections:In the early twentieth century when the idea of trade unionists running for elected office under their own banner gained ground, several working class candidates on the provincial or federal level were elected on a Labour ticket....
MP who sat with Liberal caucus.

History of leaders

Name	Term start	Term end	Notes
George Brown George Brown (Canadian politician) George Brown was a Scotland-born Canada journalist, politician and one of the Father of Confederation#Fathers of Confederation. A noted Reform Party politician, he was also the founder and editor of the Toronto Globe, which is today known as the Globe and Mail....	1861	1867	First Leader (Interim)
Edward Blake Edward Blake Dominick Edward Blake, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Queen's Counsel , was List of Premiers of Ontario, Canada, from 1871 to 1872 and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1880 to 1887....	1869	1870	(Interim)
Alexander Mackenzie Alexander Mackenzie Alexander Mackenzie, Queen's Privy Council for Canada , a building contractor and newspaper editor, was the List_of_Prime_Ministers_of_Canada Prime Minister of Canada from November 7, 1873 to October 9, 1878....	1873	1880	2nd Prime Minister
Edward Blake Edward Blake Dominick Edward Blake, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Queen's Counsel , was List of Premiers of Ontario, Canada, from 1871 to 1872 and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1880 to 1887....	1880	1887
Wilfrid Laurier Wilfrid Laurier Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Order of St. Michael and St. George, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, King's Counsel, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from July 11, 1896, to October 5, 1911....	1887	1919	7th Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Order of Merit , Order of St Michael and St George was a Canadian lawyer, economist, university professor, civil servant, journalist, and politician....	1919	1948	10th Prime Minister
Louis St. Laurent Louis St. Laurent Louis Stephen St-Laurent, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Order of Canada, Queen's Counsel , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from November 15, 1948, to June 21, 1957....	1948	1958	12th Prime Minister
Lester B. Pearson Lester B. Pearson Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Order of Merit , Companion of the Order of Canada, Order of the British Empire was a Canadian statesman, diplomat and politician who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957....	1958	1968	14th Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau Pierre Trudeau Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Order of Canada, Order of the Companions of Honour, Queen's Counsel, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada , was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984....	1968	1984	15th Prime MInister
John Turner John Turner John Napier Wyndham Turner, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Order of Canada, Queen's Counsel is a retired Canadian lawyer and politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....	1984	1990	17th Prime Minister
Herb Gray Herb Gray Herbert Eser Gray, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Order of Canada, Queen's Counsel is a retired Canada politician. He was Canada's first Jewish cabinet minister , and is one of only a few Canadians ever granted the title The Right Honourable who was not so entitled by virtue of a position held....	1990	1990	(Interim)
Jean Chrétien Jean Chrétien Joseph Jacques Jean Chr?tien, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Order of Canada, Queen's Counsel , is a Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003, and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1990 to 2003....	1990	2003	20th Prime Minister
Paul Martin Paul Martin Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, Queen's Privy Council for Canada was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....	2003	2006	21st Prime Minister
Bill Graham Bill Graham William Carvel "Bill" Graham, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Queen's Counsel is a former Canadian politician. In 2006, he was Canada's Leader of the Opposition as well as the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada between the resignation of Paul Martin and the election of St?phane Dion as his successor....	2006	2006	(Interim)
Stéphane Dion Stéphane Dion St?phane Maurice Dion, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Member of Parliament is a Canadian politican who has been the Member of Parliament for the Electoral district of Saint-Laurent?Cartierville in Montreal since 1996....	2006	2008
Michael Ignatieff Michael Ignatieff Michael Grant Ignatieff, Doctor of Philosophy, Member of Parliament is a Canadian historian, politician, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in Canada....	2008	Present	(Interim)

External links

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Liberal Party of Canada

Principles and policies

Regional Liberal parties

Electoral history

History of leaders

See also

Further reading

External links