Canadian Election Series - Triple Leadership 1954-55

The anti-socialist vote was heavily divided, resulting in an increased CCF majority

CCF: 45% (+3%), 151 seats (+15)
Liberal: 22% (-3%), 67 seats (+11)
Social Credit: 14% (+10%), 26 seats, (+17)
Unionist: 19% (-10%), 21 seats, (-40)

CCF garnered an increased majority, but their relative weakness in Quebec and Ontario stopped them from getting a landslide. The main story of the election though was the collapse of the Tories, whose relatively even support worked against them and the more concentrated Liberal, CCF, and Socred support. The Unionists were left with a modest Maritime caucus, a few well to do seats in Toronto and Montreal, and a smattering of hardline Protestant seats in rural Ontario. Drew managed to hold onto his seat, but resigned the leadership on election night.

Although the Liberals declined in support, their main competition was the Tories. They managed a sizeable increase in their caucus. Social Credit also managed a record result, but their were hindered by their regionally concentrated support, racking up massive wins in Alberta, and distant losses in most of the rest of Canada. However they did manage a breakthrough in British Columbia, where they more or less replaced the Tories as the main right wing party, as well as taking some of the more populist CCF voters.

Although Frederic Dorion had led his party to another successful election, he faced increasing strife in his party. The Anglos were never content under his rule, and they had more influence after the Tory collapse. Furthermore, a new generation of francophone Liberal MP’s who were not devout Catholics had begun to emerge and chafe under his rule. Under increasing pressure from his caucus, Dorion spoke with the Prime Minister, who appointed him as a judge in Quebec, leaving the Liberal leadership open.

Lastly, the old Socred leader, J.H. Blackmore resigned due to failing health, giving Canada three leadership elections during 1954-55.

Donald Fleming, Former Finance Minister, MP for Eglinton, ON
Briefly Finance Minister under Drew, Fleming represents a well to do Toronto constituency. Fleming is a business Tory, with a background in the financial sector. Fleming wants to focus on the urban middle class by abandoning Protestant nationalism and focusing on being good fiscal managers with free markets and low taxes as key policy planks.

William Rowe, Former Leader of the Ontario Unionist Party, MP for Dufferin-Simcoe, ON
Rowe is a populist MP who came second in the last leadership election. Rowe proposes to embrace the CCF’s economic agenda, arguing that their real weakness is on social and foreign policy. He plans to attack the CCF for being soft on the “godless commies” in order to drive a wedge between the CCF and their union/small farmer base.

Eric Kierans, Liberal activist from Montreal, QC
Virtually unknown to the public at large, Kierans is still known among Liberal delegates as a fairly prominent activist. Kierans is running a one issue campaign, proposing that the Liberals merge with the CCF. Kierans does not have a major following, although he has managed to find support among some Maritime Liberals, who are left leaning compared to the party at large due to CCF weakness there.

Jean Lesage, Liberal Justice Critic, MP for Montmagny--l'Islet, QC
Lesage is one of the primary people responsible for Dorion’s resignation. He argues that as long as the Liberals focus on centrist economics, they will be crowded out by the socialists and conservatives. Instead, Lesage wants the party to focus on social liberalism in order to differentiate itself from the socially conservative Social Credit/Unionists and the “family wage” CCF. Lesage’s support is mostly in urban centres, especially Montreal.

Paul Martin, Liberal Health Critic, MP for Essex East, ON
Paul Martin has seen his position shift in the party. Once a leading member of the party left, he now seems to be on the Liberal right. Martin wants to continue the Liberal focus on anti-socialist, pro-welfare state economics. His support mostly comes from rural Ontario, and the Prairies, although his bilingualism and Lesage’s social liberalism have allowed him to break new ground in parts of rural Quebec.

Ernest Manning, Premier of Alberta, MLA for Edmonton
The popular premier of Alberta, Manning wants Social Credit to attempt to replace the Tories as the main party of the right. To do this, he wants the party to abandon it’s social credit economics and take advantage of the Unionist shift to the left, by becoming more of a generic party of the populist right. Manning is strong among BC, and urban Alberta voters, but is weaker among the party’s more hardline base in rural Alberta.

Solon Low, Social Credit Labour Critic, MP for Peace River, AB
Low is a long time MP from northern Alberta who opposes Manning’s plans to to modernize the party. He wants to keep true to social credit economics and continue to campaign on the party’s “National Dividend” policy. Low is strong in rural Alberta, and has secured the support of the party’s small Quebec wing, which is region most in favour of social credit economics.

Usual leadership rules apply. Three days.

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