1937 British Columbia general election
The 1937 British Columbia general election was the nineteenth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 14, 1937, and held on June 1, 1937. The new legislature met for the first time on October 26, 1937.
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48 seats of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 25 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The governing Liberal Party, despite winning only 37% of the popular vote, benefited from the split in the vote between the Conservative Party and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, and won a solid majority of the seats in the legislature.
The rift in the Conservative Party that led to its decision not to nominate candidates in the 1933 election had been resolved, and the party was able to form the official opposition.
The Conservatives and CCF each won about 29% of the vote, and only 8 seats and 7 seats, respectively. The remaining two seats were won by Labour and Independent candidates.
Health insurance plebiscite
In 1936, the Legislature passed an Act providing for the creation of a health insurance plan for the Province.[1] This was 26 years ahead of its introduction in Saskatchewan in 1962. The medical profession resisted its implementation to such a degree that a plebiscite was held on the same day as the election.
The question asked was, "Are you in favour of a comprehensive Health Insurance plan progressively applied?" The results were as follows:
| Type of vote | Yes | No | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary and absentee votes | 143,218 | 98,946 | 242,164 |
| Yes or No written on the ballot | 4,613 | 4,687 | 9,300 |
| Total | 147,831 | 103,633 | 251,464 |
| Percentage | 58.79% | 41.21% | 100.00% |
| Electoral districts carried | 42 | 6 | 48 |
Despite the majority in favour, the legislation was never brought into force,[2] but it would not be repealed until 1973.[3] Medicare was finally introduced after the 1967 passage of the Medical Services Act.[4]
Results
| Political party | Party leader | MLAs | Votes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | 1933[a 1] | 1937 | ± | # | ± | % | ± (pp) | |||
| Liberal | Duff Pattullo | 48 | 35 | 31 | 4 | 156,074 | 3,057 | 37.34 | 4.40 | |
| Conservative[a 2] | Frank Porter Patterson | 43 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 119,521 | 54,278 | 28.60 | 11.48 | |
| CCF split | ||||||||||
| █ Co-operative Commonwealth | None[a 3] | 46 | 7 | 7 |  | 119,400 | 785 | 28.57 | 2.96 | |
| █ Social Constructive | Robert Connell | 14 | – | – | – | 8,086 | 8,086 | 1.93 | New | |
| Independent | 11 | 1 | 1 | | 7,341 | 18,317 | 1.76 | 4.97 | ||
| Labour (all factions) | 2 | 1 | 1 | | 1,787 | 570 | 0.43 | 0.19 | ||
| Social Credit League | Andrew Henry Jukes | 18 | – | – | – | 4,812 | 4,812 | 1.15 | New | |
| Communist | 1 | – | – | – | 567 | 567 | 0.14 | New | ||
| Socialist | 2 | – | – | – | 287 | 287 | 0.07 | Returned | ||
| Financial Justice | 1 | – | – | – | 54 | 54 | 0.01 | New | ||
| Total | 186 | 48 | 48 | 417,929 | 100.00% | |||||
| Rejected ballots[6] | 4,143 | 763 |
||||||||
| Actual voters who voted[6] | 265,446 | 29,031 |
71.20% | 1.87 | ||||||
| Registered voters[6] | 372,781 | 49,241 |
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- Assembly was increased mid-term by the division of Columbia-Revelstoke, thus reviving the previous districts of Columbia and Revelstoke.
- Compared to the 1933 aggregate of all Conservative factions.
- CCF leader Robert Connell was expelled from the party over doctrinal differences.
| Party | Seats | Votes | Change (pp) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| █ Liberal | 31 / 48 |
37.34% |
-4.40 | ||
| █ Conservative (all factions) | 8 / 48 |
28.60% |
11.48 | ||
| █ Co-operative Commonwealth | 7 / 48 |
28.57% |
-2.96 | ||
| █ Social Constructive | 0 / 48 |
1.93% |
1.93 | ||
| █ Independent | 1 / 48 |
1.76% |
-4.97 | ||
| █ Social Credit League | 0 / 48 |
1.15% |
1.15 | ||
| █ Other | 1 / 48 |
0.65% |
-2.23 | ||
MLAs elected
|
Alberni-Nanaimo: George Sharratt Pearson
Atlin: William James Asselstine
Burnaby: Ernest Winch
Cariboo: Louis LeBourdais
Chilliwack: Leslie Harvey Eyres
Columbia: Thomas King
Comox: Colin Cameron
Cowichan-Newcastle: Samuel Guthrie
Cranbrook: Frank Mitchell MacPherson
Delta: Leonard Shepherd
Dewdney: Frank Porter Patterson
Esquimalt: Elmer Victor Finland
Fernie: Thomas Aubert Uphill (ILP)
Fort George: Henry George Thomas Perry
Grand Forks-Greenwood: Ezra Churchill Henniger
The Islands: MacGregor MacIntosh |
Kamloops: Robert Henry Carson
Kaslo-Slocan: Charles Sidney Leary
Lillooet: George Murray
Mackenzie: John Melvin Bryan, Sr.
Nelson-Creston: Frank Putnam
North Okanagan: Kenneth Cattanach MacDonald
North Vancouver: Dorothy Steeves
Omineca: Mark Matthew Connelly
Peace River: Glen Everton Braden
Revelstoke: Harry Johnston
Rossland-Trail: Richard Ronald Burns
Saanich: Norman William Whittaker
Salmon Arm: Rolf Wallgren Bruhn
Similkameen: Charles H. P. Tupper
Skeena: Edward Tourtellotte Kenney |
South Okanagan: Cecil Robert Bull
Vancouver-Burrard: John Howard Forester
Vancouver-Burrard: Helen Douglas Smith
Vancouver Centre: Fred Crone
Vancouver Centre: Gordon Sylvester Wismer
Victoria City: William Thomas Straith
Victoria City: Herbert Anscomb
Victoria City: Joseph Douglas Hunter
Yale: John Joseph Alban Gillis
|
Synopsis of results
| Riding | Winning party | Votes | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | 1933 | Party | Votes | Share | Margin # |
Margin % |
Lib | Con | CCF | SCP | SCL | Ind | Oth | Total | ||
| Alberni-Nanaimo | Lib | Lib | 3,616 | 44.34% | 487 | 5.98% | 3,616 | 1,014 | 3,129[a 1] | 397 | – | – | – | 8,156 | ||
| Atlin | Lib | Lib | 562 | 54.56% | 299 | 29.03% | 562 | 205 | 263 | – | – | – | – | 1,030 | ||
| Burnaby | CCF | CCF | 5,908 | 44.03% | 2,529 | 18.85% | 3,379 | 2,307 | 5,908 | 644 | 136 | 1,073 | – | 13,417 | ||
| Cariboo | Lib | Lib | 1,921 | 74.57% | 1,266 | 49.14% | 1,921 | – | – | – | – | 655 | – | 2,576 | ||
| Chilliwack | Lib | Con | 2,524 | 40.08% | 304 | 4.83% | 2,220 | 2,524 | 1,554 | – | – | – | – | 6,298 | ||
| Columbia | Lib | Lib | 921 | 57.06% | 550 | 34.07% | 921 | 371 | 322 | – | – | – | – | 1,614 | ||
| Comox | Lib | CCF | 2,336 | 44.83% | 460 | 8.83% | 1,876 | 999 | 2,336 | – | – | – | – | 5,211 | ||
| Cowichan-Newcastle | OG | CCF | 1,560 | 33.58% | 336 | 7.23% | 1,224 | 639 | 1,560 | – | – | 1,222 | – | 4,645 | ||
| Cranbrook | Lib | Lib | 3,110 | 76.73% | 2,167 | 53.46% | 3,110 | – | 943 | – | – | – | – | 4,053 | ||
| Delta | CCF | CCF | 3,192 | 32.93% | 90 | 0.92% | 3,102 | 2,815 | 3,192 | 583 | – | – | – | 9,692 | ||
| Dewdney | Lib | Con | 1,870 | 39.27% | 252 | 5.29% | 1,618 | 1,870 | 1,274 | – | – | – | – | 4,762 | ||
| Esquimalt | Un | Con | 1,642 | 41.60% | 226 | 5.72% | 1,416 | 1,642 | 765 | – | 57 | 67 | – | 3,947 | ||
| Fernie | ILP | ILP | 1,701 | 53.64% | 231 | 7.28% | 1,470 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,701 | 3,171 | ||
| Fort George | Lib | Lib | 1,493 | 51.54% | 323 | 11.15% | 1,493 | 234 | 1,170 | – | – | – | – | 2,897 | ||
| Grand Forks-Greenwood | Lib | Lib | 722 | 41.93% | 19 | 1.11% | 722 | 703 | 164 | 133 | – | – | – | 1,722 | ||
| The Islands | Lib | Con | 953 | 45.12% | 259 | 12.26% | 694 | 953 | 414 | – | 51 | – | – | 2,112 | ||
| Kamloops | Lib | Lib | 1,786 | 38.89% | 325 | 7.07% | 1,786 | 1,461 | 1,345 | – | – | – | – | 4,592 | ||
| Kaslo-Slocan | Lib | Lib | 1,064 | 38.86% | 135 | 4.93% | 1,064 | 715 | 929 | – | 30 | – | – | 2,738 | ||
| Lillooet | Lib | Lib | 1,176 | 39.78% | 251 | 8.49% | 1,176 | 925 | 855 | – | – | – | – | 2,956 | ||
| Mackenzie | CCF | Lib | 1,828 | 33.93% | 167 | 3.10% | 1,828 | 1,661 | 1,625 | 152 | 122 | – | – | 5,388 | ||
| Nelson-Creston | Lib | Lib | 2,149 | 39.17% | 248 | 4.52% | 2,149 | 1,901 | 1,121 | – | 177 | 139 | – | 5,487 | ||
| New Westminster | Lib | Lib | 4,055 | 52.02% | 2,289 | 29.36% | 4,055 | 1,766 | 1,321 | – | – | – | 653 | 7,795 | ||
| North Okanagan | Lib | Lib | 2,689 | 52.64% | 970 | 18.99% | 2,689 | 1,719 | 700 | – | – | – | – | 5,108 | ||
| North Vancouver | CCF | CCF | 2,749 | 32.23% | 363 | 4.25% | 1,847 | 1,522 | 2,749 | – | – | 2,411[lower-alpha 4] | – | 8,529 | ||
| Omineca | Lib | Lib | 1,013 | 50.90% | 230 | 11.55% | 1,013 | 194 | 783 | – | – | – | – | 1,990 | ||
| Peace River | NP | Lib | 1,168 | 42.61% | 263 | 9.59% | 1,168 | 434 | 905 | – | – | 234 | – | 2,741 | ||
| Prince Rupert | Lib | Lib | 1,446 | 49.55% | 650 | 22.27% | 1,446 | 662 | 796 | – | 14 | – | – | 2,918 | ||
| Revelstoke | Lib | Lib | 1,162 | 61.16% | 629 | 33.11% | 1,162 | 533 | 205 | – | – | – | – | 1,900 | ||
| Rossland-Trail | Lib | Lib | 1,877 | 46.70% | 626 | 15.57% | 1,877 | 1,251 | 891 | – | – | – | – | 4,019 | ||
| Saanich | Lib | Lib | 2,106 | 36.14% | 447 | 7.67% | 2,106 | 1,659 | 1,531 | 224 | 271 | 37 | – | 5,828 | ||
| Salmon Arm | NP | Ind | 1,533 | 48.33% | 649 | 20.46% | 884 | – | 755 | – | – | 1,533[a 2] | – | 3,172 | ||
| Similkameen | Lib | Lib | 2,266 | 43.55% | 136 | 2.61% | 2,266 | 2,130 | 807 | – | – | – | – | 5,203 | ||
| Skeena | Lib | Lib | 1,006 | 59.74% | 328 | 19.48% | 1,006 | – | 678 | – | – | – | – | 1,684 | ||
| South Okanagan | Lib | Lib | 2,388 | 45.02% | 287 | 5.41% | 2,388 | 2,101 | 815 | – | – | – | – | 5,304 | ||
| Yale | Lib | Lib | 968 | 59.94% | 546 | 33.81% | 968 | 225 | 422 | – | – | – | – | 1,615 | ||
- James Lyle Telford was nominated by the local CCF Club, but suspended and repudiated by provincial Executive
- supported and endorsed by SCP
- = open seat
- = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
- = incumbent had switched allegiance
- = previously incumbent in another riding
- = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
- = incumbency arose from byelection gain
- = other incumbents renominated
- = multiple candidates
| Riding | Winning party | Votes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | MLAs | 1933 | 1937 | Lib | Con | CCF | SCP | SCL | Ind | Oth | Total |
| Vancouver-Burrard | 2 | 2 | 2 |
16,903 | 13,503 | 14,423 | 765 | 581 | – | 54 | 46,229 |
| Vancouver Centre | 2 | 2 | 2 |
12,821 | 8,261 | 11,461 | 891 | 922 | – | 234 | 34,590 |
| Vancouver East | 2 | 2 | 2 |
10,314 | 5,914 | 23,102 | 1,146 | 389 | – | 53 | 40,918 |
| Vancouver-Point Grey | 3 | 3 | 2 1 |
27,243 | 29,134 | 18,589 | – | 1,001 | – | – | 75,967 |
| Victoria City | 4 | 2 1 1 | 2 2 |
26,571 | 25,574 | 9,598 | 3,151 | 1,061 | – | – | 65,955 |
Notes
- CCF leader Robert Connell had been expelled from the party over doctrinal differences. Connell contested the election as leader of the British Columbia Social Constructive Party.
- Result for the Unionist Party of British Columbia.
- Compared to the Unionist Party of British Columbia.
- Joseph Bentley Leyland, Reeve of West Vancouver and a driving force behind the construction of the Lions Gate Bridge, came in second with 2,386 votes.[8]
References
- Health Insurance Act, S.B.C. 1936, c. 23
- Elections BC 1988, pp. 420–421.
- Statute Law Amendment Act, 1973, S.B.C. 1973, c. 84, s. 8
- Medical Services Act, S.B.C. 1967, c. 24
- Elections BC 1988, pp. 173, 183.
- Elections BC 1988, p. 2.
- Elections BC 1988, pp. 175–180, 185–189.
- "Leyland, Joseph B." MemoryBC. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
Further reading
- An Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871-1986 (PDF). Victoria: Elections British Columbia. 1988. ISBN 0-7718-8677-2.
- The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1937 and 1938. Toronto: The Annual Review Company. 1940.
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