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Electoral history of Kim Campbell

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Kim Campbell in 2009.

This article is the Electoral history of Kim Campbell, the nineteenth Prime Minister of Canada.

A Progressive Conservative, Campbell was the first woman to serve as prime minister. She served one short term in 1993. She succeeded Brian Mulroney as prime minister and then led the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in the general election of 1993. The Progressive Conservatives were almost wiped out in the election, going from a majority government of 154 seats at dissolution, to two seats and loss of party status in the House of Commons. It was the worst defeat of a federal government in Canadian history.

Campbell lost her own seat and announced her resignation on election night. Jean Chrétien, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, succeeded her as prime minister. Jean Charest became leader of the Progressive Conservative party.

Campbell stood for election to the House of Commons twice. She was elected in the general election of 1988, but defeated in the 1993 election.

Prior to entering federal politics, Campbell had been involved in provincial and municipal politics in her home province of British Columbia.

Summary

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

Campbell ranks twenty-first out of twenty-three prime ministers for time in office, serving one term of 132 days. Only Charles Tupper and John Turner had shorter terms in office.[1]

She was the second prime minister from British Columbia, the other being John Turner.

Mulroney announced his retirement early in 1993, triggering a leadership convention in June, 1993. Campbell won on the second ballot, defeating Jean Charest.

When she succeeded Mulroney as prime minister on June 25, 1993, there were only two months left in the five-year term of the 34th Canadian Parliament, which had been elected in 1988. Campbell was required to call a general election quickly. The election was a disaster for the Progressive Conservative party: they went from a solid majority in the Commons to only two seats. Under the rules of the House of Commons, the Progressive Conservatives did not have enough seats for official party status. It was the worst loss for a federal government in Canadian history.[2]

Campbell was defeated in her own seat and announced her resignation. Jean Charest became the party leader.[2]

Campbell stood for election to the Commons twice: she won her seat in 1988, and was defeated in 1993. She served in the Commons for four years, eleven months, and three days.[3]

Prior to entering federal politics, Campbell had been on the Vancouver School Board, and then a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, elected as a member of the Social Credit Party of British Columbia. In 1986, she entered the leadership race for the Social Credit party, but came in last on the first ballot and was eliminated.[2]

Federal general election: 1993

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Campbell led the Progressive Conservative Party in one general election (1993). She was decisively defeated by Jean Chrétien and the Liberals, reduced to two seats in the House of Commons, the worst defeat of a federal government in Canadian history.

Canadian Federal Election, 1993 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
Party Leaders Seats Won Popular Vote
Liberal Jean Chrétien1 177 41.2%
Bloc Québécois Lucien Bouchard2 54 13.5%
Reform Preston Manning 52 18.7%
  New Democratic Party Audrey McLaughlin 9 6.9%
  Progressive Conservative Kim Campbell3 2 16.0%
  Independent 1 0.7%
Total 295 97.0%4
Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

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

Federal constituency elections: 1988 and 1993

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Campbell stood for election to the House of Commons two times. She was elected the first time, in 1988, but defeated the second time, in 1993.

1988 Federal Election: Vancouver Centre

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Federal Election, 1988: Vancouver Centre, British Columbia
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
  Progressive Conservative Yes Kim Campbell 23,620 37.2%
  New Democratic Party Johanna Den Hertog 23,351 36.8%
Liberal Tex Enemark 14,467 22.8%
Reform Paula Folkard 876 1.4%
Green Murray Gudmundson 514 0.8%
Rhinoceros Bob Nitestalker Colebrook 262 0.4%
Libertarian Duane H. Pye 156 0.2%
  Independent Scott Adams 125 0.2%
  Non-affiliated Dorothy-Jean O'Donnell 58 0.1%
Total 63,429 99.9%1
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Vancouver Centre

Yes Elected.
1 Rounding error.

1993 Federal Election: Vancouver Centre

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Federal Election, 1993: Vancouver Centre, British Columbia
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Liberal Yes Hedy Fry 20,095 31.1%
  Progressive Conservative X Kim Campbell 16,274 25.2%
Reform Ian Isbister 11,235 17.4%
  New Democratic Party Betty Baxter 9,830 15.2%
National Thorsten Ewald 5,144 8.0%
Natural Law John Cowhig 670 1.0%
Green Imtiaz Popat 616 1.0%
Christian Heritage Darren Lowe 254 0.4%
Libertarian Tunya Audain 252 0.4%
  Independent Brian Godzilla Gnu Salmi 109 0.2%
  Independent Scott Adams 99 0.2%
Commonwealth of Canada Lucille Boikoff 27 0.0%1
  Independent Peter C. Nuthall 24 0.0%1
Total 64,629 99.9%2
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Vancouver Centre

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Less than 0.5%; rounded to zero.
2 Rounding error.

British Columbia Constituency Elections: 1983, 1986

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Campbell stood for election in two provincial elections, 1983 and 1986, as a candidate for the British Columbia Social Credit Party. She was defeated in 1983, but elected in 1986.

British Columbia constituency election: 1983

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1983 British Columbia Election: Vancouver Centre
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
  New Democratic Party Yes X Emery Oakland Barnes 18,960 28.7%
  New Democratic Party Yes X Gary Vernon Lauk 18,743 28.4%
Social Credit Kim Campbell 12,740 19.3%
Social Credit Philip Owen 12,415 18.8%
Liberal Shirley McLoughlin 2,084 3.2%
Progressive Conservative Kevin Baden Bruce 880 1.3%
Communist Maurice Rush 244 0.4%
Total 66,066 100.0%1

Note: the riding returned two members.

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Rounding error.

British Columbia constituency election: 1986

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1986 British Columbia Election: Vancouver-Point Grey
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
Social Credit Yes Kim Campbell 19,716 23.2%
  New Democratic Party Yes Darlene Marzari 18,311 21.6%
Social Credit X Patrick Lucey McGeer 18,256 21.5%
  New Democratic Party Richard J. Gathercole 15,729 18.5%
Liberal Doreen Braverman 6,680 7.9%
Liberal Thomas Airlie Brown 5,505 6.5%
Green Douglas Dunn 498 0.6%
People's Front Allen Harvey Soroka 120 0.1%
Total 84,815 99.9%1

Note: the riding returned two members.

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.
1 Rounding error.

Vancouver Municipal Politics

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Campbell began her political career by standing for the Vancouver School Board (1981-1984). She served two terms, including terms as Chair (1983) and Vice-Chair (1984).[2][4]

Leadership Conventions

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Progressive Conservative Party of Canada: 1993

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Mulroney announced his retirement in February, 1993. Campbell won the party leadership at a convention in June, 1993, winning on the second ballot.

Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention, June 13, 1993
Voting results by ballot
Candidate First Ballot Second Ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast %
Kim Campbell 1,664 48.0% 1,817 52.6%
Jean Charest 1,369 39.5% 1,639 47.4%
Jim Edwards
307
Withdrew after first ballot.
8.8%
Garth Turner
76
Withdrew after first ballot.
2.2%
Patrick Boyer
53
Eliminated after first ballot.
1.5%
Total 3,469 100.0% 3,456 100.0%
Source: CPAC – 1993 Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention

Social Credit Party of British Columbia: 1986

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Following the resignation of Bill Bennett as leader of the British Columbia Social Credit Party, there was a leadership convention in July, 1986. Campbell was a candidate in the crowded field, but was eliminated on the first ballot.

British Columbia Social Credit Leadership Convention, July 29–30, 1986
Voting results by ballot
Candidate First Ballot Second Ballot Third Ballot Fourth Ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast %
Bill Vander Zalm 367 28.4% 457 35.7% 625 49.1% 801 63.8%
Grace McCarthy 244 18.9% 280 21.9%


305
Eliminated after third ballot.
24.0%
Bud Smith 202 15.6%


219
Withdrew after second ballot.
17.1%
Brian Smith 196 15.1% 255 19.9% 342 26.9% 454 36.2%
Jim Nielsen 54 4.2%


30
Eliminated after second ballot.
2.3%
John Reynolds 54 4.2% 39
Withdrew after second ballot.
3.0%
Stephen Rogers


43
Withdrew after first ballot.
3.3%
Bob Wenman


40
Withdrew after first ballot.
3.1%
Cliff Michael


32
Withdrew after first ballot.
2.5%
Bill Ritchie


28
Withdrew after first ballot.
2.2%
Mel Couvelier


20
Withdrew after first ballot.
1.5%
Kim Campbell


14
Eliminated after first ballot.
1.1%
Total 1,294 100.1%1 1,280 99.9%1 1,272 100.0% 1,255 100.0%

1 Rounding error.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ PARLINFO: Prime Ministers of Canada.
  2. ^ a b c d "Canadian Encyclopedia: "Kim Campbell"". Archived from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  3. ^ PARLINFO: The Right Hon. A. Kim Campbell, P.C., Q.C., C.C.
  4. ^ The Right Honourable Kim Campbell: Quick Facts and Timeline.
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