1958 Manitoba general election explained

Election Name:1958 Manitoba general election
Country:Manitoba
Flag Year:1958
Flag Image:Flag of Manitoba.svg
Type:parliamentary
Vote Type:Popular
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1953 Manitoba general election
Previous Year:1953
Next Election:1959 Manitoba general election
Next Year:1959
Seats For Election:57 seats of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Majority Seats:29
Leader1:Duff Roblin
Leaders Seat1:Wolseley
Last Election1:12
Seats1:26
Seat Change1:14
Percentage1:40.6%
Swing1:9.5pp
Last Election2:35
Seats2:19
Seat Change2:16
Percentage2:34.7%
Swing2:4.4pp
Leader3:Lloyd Stinson
Leaders Seat3:Osborne
Last Election3:5
Seats3:11
Seat Change3:6
Percentage3:20.0%
Swing3:3.44pp
Premier of Manitoba
Before Election:Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Posttitle:Premier after election
After Election:Dufferin Roblin

The 1958 Manitoba general election was held on June 16, 1958 to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. The election resulted in a minority victory for the Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin.

This election was the first in Manitoba after a comprehensive electoral redistribution in 1956. The redistribution saw the city of Winnipeg abandon its three four-member districts. St. Boniface also was broken up into two single-member districts. The old Winnipeg, St. Boniface and two suburban districts were made into 20 single-member constituencies altogether, to give the City of Winnipeg increased representation in the legislature. Elections hereafter used FPTP.

As well the other districts in the province had dropped the Alternative Voting system and simply used the plurality first past the post system from here on.[1]

Premier Douglas Campbell's Liberal-Progressives lost the majority they had held since 1922. The Progressive Conservative Party under the leadership of Dufferin Roblin won 26 seats, three short of a majority, while the Liberal-Progressives were reduced to second-place status with 19. The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) held the balance of power with 11 seats, and independent Stephen Juba was also elected in Winnipeg. Both Social Credit and the Labour Progressive Party lost their legislative representation.

After the election, the Liberal-Progressives attempted to form a coalition with the CCF to remain in power. The CCF rejected this offer, instead giving confidence and supply to a PC government under Roblin and ending 36 years of Progressive and Liberal-Progressive led governments in Manitoba. Although the Progressive Conservatives had been part of a coalition government with the Liberal-Progressives from 1940 to 1950, this was the first time since 1915 that they had formed an administration on their own. This was the last time the Liberals formed government in Manitoba. This would begin a sharp decline for the Liberals, and a concurrent rise for the CCF.

Roblin's government proved unstable, and was defeated in the legislature in early 1959. Manitobans returned to the polls shortly thereafter, and gave the Tories an outright majority while the Liberals were cut down to only 11 seats.

Results

PartyParty leader
  1. of
    candidates
SeatsPopular vote
1953ElectedChange%% ChangeProgressive ConservativeDufferin Roblin561226+14 40.6%-3.9%Liberal-ProgressiveDouglas Campbell563519-16 34.7%align="right"-9.5%Co-operative CommonwealthLloyd Stinson43511+6 20.0%3.44%none1220align="right"-2 1.8%align="right"-11.56%William Cecil Ross110align="right"-1   Independent1121align="right"-1   
Total 5757  100% 

Riding results

Party key:

(incumbent) denotes incumbent.

Arthur

Assiniboia

Birtle-Russell

Brandon

Brokenhead

Burrows

Carillon

Churchill

Dauphin

Dufferin

Elmwood

Emerson

Ethelbert Plains

Fisher

Flin Flon

Fort Garry

Fort Rouge

Gimli

Gladstone

Hamiota

Inkster

Kildonan

Lac Du Bonnet

Lakeside

La Verendrye

Logan

Minnedosa

Morris

Osborne

Pembina

Portage la Prairie

Radisson

Rhineland

River Heights

Roblin

Rock Lake

Rockwood-Iberville

Rupertsland

St. Boniface

St. George

St. James

St. Johns

St. Matthews

St. Vital

Ste. Rose

Selkirk

Seven Oaks

Souris-Lansdowne

Springfield

Swan River

The Pas

Turtle Mountain

Virden

Wellington

Winnipeg Centre

Wolseley

[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. "History of Electoral Process from 1870 to 2011," Elections Manitoba website (accessed July 2, 2019)
  2. Web site: Events in Manitoba History: Manitoba Provincial Election (1958). www.mhs.mb.ca.