2008 Canadian federal election explained

Election Name:2008 Canadian federal election
Country:Canada
Type:parliamentary
Party Colour:no
Party Name:no
Previous Election:2006 Canadian federal election
Previous Year:2006
Previous Mps:List of House members of the 39th Parliament of Canada
Next Election:2011 Canadian federal election
Next Year:2011
Elected Mps:List of House members of the 40th Parliament of Canada
Seats For Election:308 seats in the House of Commons
155 seats needed for a majority
Opinion Polls:Opinion polling in the Canadian federal election, 2008
Turnout:58.8% (5.9pp)
Leader1:Stephen Harper
Leader Since1:March 20, 2004
Leaders Seat1:Calgary Southwest
Last Election1:124 seats, 36.27%
Seats Before1:127
Seats1:143
Seat Change1:16
Popular Vote1:5,209,069
Percentage1:37.65%
Swing1:1.38pp
Leader2:Stéphane Dion
Leader Since2:December 2, 2006
Leaders Seat2:Saint-Laurent—Cartierville
Last Election2:103 seats, 30.23%
Seats Before2:95
Seats2:77
Seat Change2:18
Popular Vote2:3,633,185
Percentage2:26.26%
Swing2:3.97pp
Image3:Gilles Duceppe 2011-04-01 (cropped).jpg
Leader3:Gilles Duceppe
Leader Since3:March 15, 1997
Leaders Seat3:Laurier—Sainte-Marie
Last Election3:51 seats, 10.48%
Seats Before3:48
Seats3:49
Seat Change3:1
Popular Vote3:1,379,991
Percentage3:9.98%
Swing3:0.50pp
Leader4:Jack Layton
Leader Since4:January 24, 2003
Leaders Seat4:Toronto—Danforth
Last Election4:29 seats, 17.48%
Seats Before4:30
Seats4:37
Seat Change4:7
Popular Vote4:2,515,288
Percentage4:18.18%
Swing4:0.70pp
Leader5:Elizabeth May
Leader Since5:August 27, 2006
Leaders Seat5:Ran in Central Nova (lost)
Last Election5:0 seats, 4.48%
Seats Before5:1
Seats5:0
Seat Change5:1
Popular Vote5:937,613
Percentage5:6.78%
Swing5:2.30pp
Prime Minister
Posttitle:Prime Minister after election
Before Election:Stephen Harper
After Election:Stephen Harper

The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on October 14, 2008, to elect members to the House of Commons of Canada of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by Governor General Michaëlle Jean on September 7, 2008.

Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the election due to his belief that there was a lack of cooperation between the minority government Conservatives and the opposition parties, which the former had to rely on to pass legislation; hence Harper argued that Parliament had reached the end of its productiveness.

The election resulted in a second but stronger minority government for Harper's Conservatives. While they were a dozen seats away from a majority government, the Liberal Party led by Stéphane Dion lost 18 seats as the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois made slight gains. The Green Party failed to win any seats and lost its only Member of Parliament. Following the election, the Liberals and New Democrats attempted to form a coalition government and topple the Conservatives from power, but were unsuccessful in doing so.

Background

See also: Fixed election dates in Canada. In 2007, Parliament passed a law fixing federal election dates every four years and scheduling the next election date as October 19, 2009, but the law did not limit the powers of the Governor General to dissolve Parliament at any time, such as when opposition parties bring down the government on a vote of confidence. In this election there was no loss of a non-confidence vote, but the Prime Minister asked the Governor General to call an election. The Governor General granted the Prime Minister's request.

2006 election

64.7% of eligible voters cast ballots in the 2006 federal election. The Conservative Party received the most votes of any single party, with 36% of the vote, and won 124 seats (127 at dissolution). The Liberal Party won fewer seats than in 2004 – 103 seats (96 at dissolution), and 30% of the vote. The Bloc Québécois lost three seats, lowering its total to 51 seats (48 at dissolution), with 10.5% of the vote. The NDP retained its seats held at the dissolution of Parliament, and won 11 more, making its total 29 seats (30 at dissolution), with 17.5% of the vote. The Green Party received 4.5% of the vote, a minimal increase from the previous election, but did not win any seats (1 at dissolution). Independents and other parties constituted 1% of the total vote with one independent winning a seat.

Events since the 2006 election

Since the 2006 election, seven Members of Parliament (MPs) had changed party: David Emerson, Wajid Khan, and Joe Comuzzi from Liberal to Conservative; Garth Turner from Conservative to Independent to Liberal; Blair Wilson from Liberal to Independent to Green; Louise Thibault from Bloc Québécois to Independent; and Bill Casey from Conservative to Independent. In by-elections, the NDP gained one seat from the Liberal Party, while the Conservative Party gained two seats, one from the Liberals and one from the Bloc Québécois. Four seats were vacant when the election was called: three previously held by the Liberal Party, one by the Bloc Québécois.

The parliament preceding this election was led by the Conservatives, who governed with the smallest plurality ever in the Canadian House of Commons, just 40.6% of the seats. Although the average length of a minority parliament in Canada is 1 year, 5 months, and 22 days (measured from the return of the writs after an election to the dissolution of that parliament), minorities led by the former Progressive Conservative Party have been much shorter: the longest previous Conservative minority was just 6 months and 19 days.[1] The 39th Parliament became Canada's longest serving Conservative minority on October 24, 2006.

On May 30, 2006, the Conservatives tabled Bill C-16, which would amend the Canada Elections Act to provide fixed election dates. The bill received royal assent on May 3, 2007. The bill states that there will be an election in 2009, and it would be the first to have a fixed election date, the third Monday in October (October 19, 2009). Despite the bill, on September 7, 2008, the Prime Minister sought the dissolution of the 39th Parliament, and the Governor General agreed to hold a general election on October 14, 2008.

On February 15, 2007, The Globe and Mail reported that the Conservatives were preparing for an election expected to be called shortly after the 2007 budget, due on March 19, 2007. Part of the reason for the timing of the election was given as strengthening Conservative poll numbers coupled with the desire to take advantage of the perception that Harper has "better leadership qualities than Liberal counterpart Stéphane Dion".[2]

On March 17, 2007, an internal Conservative Party memo was leaked to The Canadian Press, telling members that they "need to be ready to campaign within the next week". The memo asked members to donate $75 to $150 to help to fund the early stages of the election campaign. None of these predictions for a federal election to occur in 2007 proved true, but the majority of pundits still believed a federal election would be triggered before the fixed election date of October 19, 2009, for sometime in 2008.

Stephen Harper hinted at the possibility of dissolving parliament on August 14, 2008. Speaking in Newfoundland and Labrador, he cited Stéphane Dion as the main player in making Parliament become increasingly "dysfunctional". "I'm going to have to make a judgment in the next little while as to whether or not this Parliament can function productively," Harper said. This came after repeated confidence votes that resulted in the NDP and Bloc parties not voting in favour of the government, and the Liberal Party voting in favour or not attending the vote. Rumours of a possible fall election were further fuelled by Harper's announcement of a fourth federal by-election for September 22 in the Toronto riding of Don Valley West.[3] [4]

On August 27, 2008, Harper asked Governor General Michaëlle Jean to cancel her trip to the Paralympic Games in Beijing, adding fuel to speculation that the Prime Minister would seek a dissolution. On September 7, 2008 after much speculation, Harper asked the Governor General to call a federal election on October 14, 2008.

Timeline

Pre-election

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he was considering calling an election because of a lack of cooperation in Parliament, saying "all the signs indicate that this Parliament is at the end of its productiveness," while in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The Conservative Party of Canada fueled rumours of an oncoming election when it released several campaign advertisements that focused on a range of issues, and attacked the Liberal Party of Canada for their proposed carbon tax. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) confirmed that Harper would call an election for October 14 after meeting with New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe, which gave the Prime Minister little hope that a fall session of Parliament can be productive, PMO officials said.[13] Senior government officials announced on the first of September that Stephen Harper would ask the Governor General, Michaëlle Jean, to dissolve parliament and call an election for October 14, after he met with Liberal leader Stéphane Dion who called the meeting a "charade". Dion said the two were unable to agree on how to make the upcoming session of Parliament, slated to begin September 15, more productive.

Liberal Party members gathered in Winnipeg on September 2, for a three-day caucus which changed from preparing for a new parliamentary session to a strategy session to formulate a plan to attack the Conservatives while healing internal party rifts that have surfaced in recent weeks. Conservatives began spending at least $60 million on pre-election funding projects to a wide variety of institutions and groups. A few announcements have been big, including Industry Minister Jim Prentice's pledge of $25 million for the expansion of the Northlands exhibition facility in Edmonton. But the Tories have also announced a number of smaller projects, including $40,000 for the 2008 55+ Games and $25,000 for the Peace Window of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Winnipeg. The announcements have also been spread out across the country. The Atlantic region is to get more than $500,000 for youth jobs and eight cultural organizations. The Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia will receive $81,000. Jack Layton attacked the Conservative Party as bribing the public and doing the same thing they used to complain about the Liberals doing before elections.

A survey conducted by Environics found that 38 per cent of Canadians would vote for the Conservative party if an election were held immediately, 28 per cent would vote for the Liberal party, 19 for the NDP, eight for the Bloc Québécois and seven for the Green party. The poll shows Conservatives taking early leads in Ontario, British Columbia and the Prairies. In Atlantic Canada, Liberals still hold a strong majority, while in Quebec the Bloc Québécois leads while the Conservatives and Liberals are almost tied for second. When asked, most Canadians said the Conservatives would handle the economy better, while most said the Liberals would handle the environment better.

On September 7, Harper officially asked for the dissolution of Parliament, and called for an election on October 14.

Election campaign

The 40th Canadian Federal Election campaign officially began at 8:20 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time when Governor General Michaëlle Jean accepted Stephen Harper's request to dissolve Parliament and call an election for October 14, 2008. The party leaders jumped right into the campaign, with Stéphane Dion attacking the Conservative's record, presenting the Liberal plan, and rejected the accusation by Harper that the Liberal party is a risky choice. Jack Layton took a more forceful approach than previous elections, in which the New Democratic Party has just tried to maintain a high number of seats in Parliament to influence government. Layton has made it clear he will campaign for the position of prime minister itself this time, but also returned to a longstanding NDP theme: alleged abuses by big business. He promised to stop what he called "ripoffs" by big oil, cellphone and banks, and his attacks are expected to focus on the Conservatives and all but ignore the Liberals. Elizabeth May of the Green Party said Canadians would care enough about the environment to vote for her party, as long as she was able to get into the television debates. Stephen Harper has stated his objection to including the Green Party into television debates because of the similar policies of the Green and Liberal party, and how it would be unfair. Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said the Conservatives must be prevented from winning a majority, and the BQ is the only party that can do that. Duceppe compared Harper to US President George W. Bush, and said the government is incompetent.

Leaders' Debates

The two Leaders' Debates of 2008, one each in French and English, included the leaders of five parties, Stephen Harper of the Conservatives, Stéphane Dion of the Liberals, Jack Layton of the NDP, Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Québécois and Elizabeth May of the Green Party.

The French-language debate aired on Wednesday, October 1 from 8 to 10 p.m. EDT, moderated by Stéphan Bureau, a journalist and host. The English-language debate aired Thursday, October 2 from 9 to 11 p.m. EDT, with Steve Paikin of TVOntario as moderator.

Participation

Three parties — the Conservatives, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP — opposed the inclusion of the Green Party, citing statements made by Green Party leader Elizabeth May to the effect that the best outcome of the election would be a Liberal-led government, and a deal struck between the Green Party and Liberals where the Liberals would not run in May's riding, Central Nova, and the Green party in Liberal leader Stéphane Dion's riding, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, which they say make May a "second Liberal candidate".[14]

Stephen Harper and Jack Layton are reported to have said that if the Green Party were included, they would not participate in the Leaders' Debates. Dion said that while he supports May's inclusion, he would not attend if Harper does not, and the Bloc Québécois has stated it will not boycott the debates if May is included.[15] The media consortium in charge of the debate, made up of the CBC, CTV, Global Television and TVA, had decided that it would prefer to broadcast the debates with the four major party leaders, rather than risk not at all or with minimal participation. The Green Party indicated they had begun procedures to lodge a formal complaint with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission,[16] [17] as they have in past federal elections.

On September 10, Harper and Layton released statements that they would not oppose May's inclusion in the debate, citing public backlash and protests — with neither acknowledging making the threat of boycotting the debate — and that the media consortium would reconvene to discuss the matter. Layton stated that "debating about the debate" had become a "distraction", and that he had only one condition, that Stephen Harper be there. In response, spokespeople for Stephen Harper announced they would not stand alone in opposition to the Green Party's inclusion in the debates and also changed their position on the matter.[14] Later that day the consortium announced that May would be allowed to participate in the debate.[14]

Format change

On September 30, Harper announced that he would ask for the 12 minutes on the economy scheduled for the Leader's Debate to be extended to an hour, citing that the 2007–2008 financial crisis "has deepened since the debate format was finalized", a change which would require agreement from the other parties in the debate to be approved. The NDP released a statement soon after that they supported the move, while public response has been concerned that other topics such as the environment would not end up with enough time to cover the issue.[18]

On October 1, the day of the first debate, it was announced that both debates would get extended time, from 12 to 30 minutes, for the economy, and leaders would not give opening and closing statements, to allow for longer discussions on the economy without removing time from other topics. It was also revealed that instead of leaders standing at individual podiums for the debate, as had been done in past years, the debate would be done in a round table format.[19]

Debates

French debate

Much of the French debate revolved around the economy and the environment, with the two topics repeatedly being brought up in discussions allotted for other topics. Stephen Harper came under criticism from every other leader in nearly every topic, especially the economy and environment, with the other party leaders stating that Harper's politics had led to Canada's current crises in those two areas. Their points included that Harper's environmental plan was considered the worst of all developed countries by organizations around the world, with Elizabeth May labeling it "a type of fraud",[20] and that his attempts to remove regulations in the financial sectors, similar to those done by the Bush administration in the United States, have led Canada to being nearly as hard hit by the 2007–2008 financial crisis as the United States.

Continuous comparisons of Harper to George W. Bush were made over the course of the debate, with Jack Layton stating at one point that with Bush ending his presidency at the end of the year, Harper would be "the last leader of a developed country to follow the Bush doctrine".

English debate

Following the same tone as the French debate, much of the discussion revolved around the economy and the environment. The other four leaders keep criticizing Harper, especially for his lack of an economic platform despite asking for the format change to focus more on the economy due to the Great Recession, and instead using the time to criticize the economic platforms of the other leaders. May lashed out at Harper for not understanding that Canadians were worried about their homes, jobs and finances, and comparing the current situation to Dutch disease, Dion stated that the only thing that keeps Canada from being hit as hard by the crisis as the US are laws created by the previous Liberal government that the Conservatives had been attempting to overturn, Duceppe repeatedly criticized Harper for financial practices and attitudes similar to the Bush administration, and Layton at one point stated that Harper's position showed he was either incompetent or uncaring to the situation, and asked which one he was, to which Harper did not respond. Harper also came under criticism for his laissez-faire attitude to the job sector, supporting primarily the oil companies and companies that outsource jobs in the manufacturing sector.

When it turned to the environment, the Carbon Tax proposal came up repeatedly, with both Dion and May supporting it, although May to more ambitious figures than Dion, pointing out it was the most recommended and proven way to deal with carbon emissions by countries and organizations around the world, noting the growth that Sweden and Germany have had with this system. Harper criticized the plan, saying would increase taxpayers' burden and that Dion should be "honest with the people" that some environmental measures will cost the economy and said the plan includes $40 billion in carbon taxes and $26 billion in tax cuts. Dion defended the Liberal's Green Shift, saying that "[Harper's statements are] not true at all", and that "for every dollar that we will raise, you will have a tax cut, and these tax cuts will be on your income". Duceppe commented that he would like targets to be applied to individual provinces, thereby allowing Quebec to financially benefit due to already-implemented greenhouse gas reductions. Layton, who favours a cap-and-trade system, said that it is a "figment of Mr. Harper's imagination" that emissions will fall under his plan. When Harper sought to outline his government's record on other environmental fronts, giving examples of his minority government supported the preservation of hundreds of thousands of hectares of environmentally sensitive land through the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and that the government declared a protected marine area by Lake Superior and created a whale sanctuary by Baffin Island, May responded by saying "The only word he said that's true is on national parks".

Layton also criticized Dion for his lack of accomplishments as official opposition during the minority government, and his party's previous leader's broken promises in areas such as Child Care and Pharmacare.

Duceppe painted the Conservative government's $45 million in national arts and culture funding cuts as an assault on the province's identity, saying "How can you recognize the Quebec nation and then cut culture [funding], which is the soul of a nation?" followed by citing the economic benefits of culture.

Harper also said he had erred in calling for Canada's participation in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, saying "It was absolutely an error, it's obviously clear", adding that the claim of weapons of mass destruction proved false.[21]

Commenting on the debate, Layton said that he "thoroughly enjoyed" May's contributions to the debate.[22] Reporter Julie Van Dusen said that Harper managed to take the hits calmly, as "someone must have told him ... if you fight back or get too partisan, you're going to alienate voters, especially women".[22] Duceppe said he was happy to have forced Harper to admit his support of joining the Iraq war in 2003 was a mistake, adding he will use the admission in the campaign as "Exhibit A" that the Conservative leader lacks solid judgment skills, and that Harper was weakened when he confirmed he does not support a refundable tax credit for the manufacturing industry to encourage companies to improve productivity.[22]

Issues

Arts

Stephen Harper had cut $45 million from arts funding while in office, a move that drew much criticism from the other leaders and Quebec citizens, with most leaders seeking to restore the funding. The Conservatives have stated that the money is being reallocated to other arts and cultural programs, including various official languages projects, the 400th anniversary of Quebec City and projects connected with the 2010 Vancouver-Whistler Winter Olympic Games, although the Conservative's refusal to have a parliamentary review of their cuts and for a moratorium on the measures until the House of Commons Heritage Committee had a chance to hold hearings on culture and arts funding has most opposition members calling foul.[23]

Both Stéphane Dion and Jack Layton have promised to reverse the cut, with Dion also promising to increase funding to Canada Council for the Arts to $360 million, while Layton also promised to bring income averaging for artists to the national level and providing an annual tax exemption of $20,000 for income earned by copyright and residuals, stating that "one of the key things we must do, before we start giving $50-billion tax giveaways to banks and oil companies, is to protect and promote the arts" and "stable, sure and appropriate funding" for CBC/Radio-Canada while also protecting Telefilm Canada and the Canadian Television Fund.[23]

Harper has said that he believes that the issue is a "niche topic", and that "ordinary Canadians" are not particularly concerned with the issue.[24] A group of Canadian performers, which included Art Hindle, Wendy Crewson and Gordon Pinsent, held a press conference on September 24, saying the cuts would cripple the Canadian arts industry.[24]

On September 29, Harper unveiled a new tax credit plan worth an estimated $150 million a year to encourage parents to enroll their kids in arts programs like music and drama. The credit will apply on up to $500 of eligible fees for children under 16 who participate in eligible arts activities. Harper said that "[the Conservatives] spend a lot more on culture and arts" but "in a way that we ensure is an effective use of taxpayers' money and ultimately, in this case, benefits families and all of society as well". Harper has come under criticism when the week before he expressed his opinion that "ordinary working people were unable to relate to taxpayer-subsidized cultural elites when they see them at a rich gala on television".[25]

Alleged Cadman bribe attempt

In early 2008 it was alleged that Independent MP Chuck Cadman of Surrey North, who was terminally ill with cancer at the time, had been offered a million dollar life insurance policy in exchange for voting against the proposed Liberal budget in May 2005, which he turned down. Under section 119 of the Criminal Code, it is illegal to bribe an MP. Accordingly, Opposition Liberal party Intergovernmental Affairs critic Dominic LeBlanc asked the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in February 2008 to investigate this allegation. In May 2008, the RCMP announced that there was not enough evidence to support charges.[26] Cadman died in July. The following month, Harper stated in a court deposition that any such million-dollar offer would have to be authorized by him, and that he did not issue any such authorization.[27] [28] There is currently an ongoing legal battle between the Liberals and the Conservatives over the matter.

On September 24, while campaigning in Surrey North, Stephen Harper's campaign team barred reporters from talking with the local Conservative candidate, Dona Cadman, who is Chuck Cadman's widow. The campaign team called in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and ordered them to "Keep [the reporters] out" while Cadman was taken away by staff. Harper spokesman Kory Teneycke later stated that he had not seen the incident, but the local candidates did not need to be interviewed, that "Local candidates' priority is campaigning in their local ridings, and not talking to the national media", and that it should be enough that they hold daily news conferences with the party's most prominent members.[29]

The incident has reminded people of Conservative tactics during the 2006 election, where attempts by the media to speak with local candidates were stopped by campaign personnel, especially the Harold Albrecht incident, where campaign officials forced Albrecht to stay in a restaurant kitchen when journalists attempted to interview him.

The Conservatives chose former U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Bruce Koenig to analyze a tape of reporter Tom Zytaruk interviewing Harper on the Cadman bribe attempt. The tape was a key piece of evidence in the ongoing legal battle. On October 10, Koenig announced that the tape had not been altered in any way, contrary to the claims by Stephen Harper that it had been altered.[30]

Canadian involvement in Afghanistan

See main article: Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan. The ongoing involvement of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan may also influence voters. Desmond Morton, a political science professor at McGill University suggested that the Conservatives could be blamed for the war because they have extended the mission twice, despite the fact that it was then Liberal Leader Jean Chrétien who was Canada's prime minister when Canada's current military involvement in Afghanistan first started in 2001. Both the Conservatives and Liberals have at various times agreed to extend the mission(s) to at least 2011, so this may result in some Canadians who are strongly against Canada's ongoing involvement, who might have otherwise typically voted either Liberal or Conservative in the past, to take their votes elsewhere in 2008.[31]

Cities and infrastructure

Toronto Mayor David Miller has spoken out that the parties need to focus more on cities and their infrastructure, stating that 8 out of 10 Canadians live in cities, and that so far only the Green party has revealed a platform on the issue, with a national transit strategy and plans to give cities a permanent revenue source to help fix a growing infrastructure backlog. Miller stated he will not endorse a specific party, but urges people to choose a party that will "help cities thrive". He disagrees with Stephen Harper's opinion that "cities are not of national importance".[32]

On September 18, Stéphane Dion pledged to spend more than $70 billion over the next 10 years to improve Canada's infrastructure if elected, and budget surpluses that exceed a $3-billion contingency fund to infrastructure projects, particularly those with a green focus, calling Canada's cities and towns "the engines of our economy". Stephen Harper immediately lashed out at the spending proposal, saying Dion was "promising money no government could afford" and that the Conservative's infrastructure plans "are modest and affordable within the four-year budget we've published".[33]

On September 23, Montreal and Toronto mayors Gérald Tremblay and David Miller laid out their demands for urban municipalities, describing cities' current financial problems as a national issue, saying that cities have become the country's economic, social and cultural development engines and need appropriate support, and that they need better "fiscal tools" to continue their role as Canada's economic engines or the country will suffer. They listed Homelessness, traffic gridlock, crowded buses and overstretched police departments as just a few of the symptoms, that "These problems are too big and too important to be solved on the backs of property taxpayers" and that "in order to remain competitive, transport goods efficiently and attract new talent, our cities require quality infrastructure, affordable housing and first-rate recreational and cultural facilities". Jean Perrault, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and mayor of Sherbrooke, Quebec, has stated that things like the Federal Gas Tax Fund were an important federal commitment, but that more is needed to tackle cities' overwhelming infrastructure needs.[34]

On September 29, Layton announced plans to direct one cent per litre of the gas tax, approximately $400 million a year, into transit projects across the country, and direct $350 million from the sale of carbon permits to big polluters, saying that "the major polluters would be the ones paying to make transit greener, not you and your families", and that "fighting climate change requires investing in transit, and that's what our plan does".[35]

Economy

Polls have suggested that the economy is the major issue going into this election, especially with the resulting high price of gas, along with rising prices of other goods and services, such as food, and the possible impact the 2007–2008 financial crisis may have on Canada. Some experts say that Canada has just narrowly dodged a recession, although the economy is in its worst shape since 1991.[36]

Both Dion and Harper have said that the others' plans will lead Canada into a recession, while Dion also stated that Harper has "mismanaged a once-booming economy into one with growth dropping to among the lowest of the G8 nations".

The Conservatives have stated possible negative consequences that could happen to the economy based on Liberal election promises if they were to be elected. As of September 20, 2008, Liberal election promises have totaled in excess of $80 billion spending over the next decade.[37] In contrast, the cost of programs promised by the Conservatives to date is less than $2 billion annually.[37] Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister, has criticized the Liberal's spending promises, saying they are making "mind-boggling" spending plans that he predicts would send Canada into deficit.[37]

After the rejection of the proposed bailout of the United States financial system and resulting market fluctuation all over the world, including the Toronto Stock Exchange, Jack Layton called for Harper to call a special meeting for federal party leaders to discuss the potential effects of the U.S economic crisis on Canadians, suggestion the afternoon of October 1, since all leaders would be in Ottawa for the first Leaders' Debate that night. A spokesman for Harper later reported that Harper would not call such a meeting, and to save discussion for the Leader's Debate, as "[they] will have an opportunity later this week to debate—not behind closed doors but in front of all Canadians—the issues at stake not [just] for our economy but for our country".[38] Harper later announced that he would ask for the 12 minutes on the economy scheduled for the Leader's Debate to be extended to an hour, citing that the 2007–2008 financial crisis "has deepened since the debate format was finalized", a change which would require agreement from the other parties in the debate to be approved. The NDP released a statement soon after that they supported the move, while public response has been concerned that other topics such as the environment would not end up with enough time to cover the issue. All the leaders supported the idea, and the opening and closing statements were dropped and the allotted time for the economy extended to 30 minutes without affecting the other topics.

During the Leaders' Debates Harper repeatedly came under fire for lack of an economic plan in the current time of crisis and while campaigning, and for his lack of ability to explain how he would deal with the current crisis, merely repeating that Canada was unlikely to face such a crisis as he had made "different choices" than the US while in power without being able to explain what those different choices were, as all of his examples were immediately compared to practices done by the Bush administration, and insisted that Canadians "don't panic". In response to mounting pressure from the public, Harper announced on October 3 that he would reveal his party's platform, including economic matters, on October 7, one week before the election.

Environment

Shortly after the election was called, Harper was criticized for using a four-vehicle motorcade that included a van and SUV to travel the 395m (1,296feet) across the street from the door of 24 Sussex Drive to the door of Rideau Hall to dissolve parliament.[6] In return, the Conservatives criticized the Liberal party's decision to use a 29-year-old Boeing 737-200 for campaigning, saying that the older airplane's poor fuel efficiency demonstrates hypocrisy on environmental matters. Daniel Lauzon, a spokesperson for the Liberals, denied their airplane was substantially less efficient than the Conservatives' Airbus A319.[39]

The Tories have been previously criticized for backing out of Canada's commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.[40] Their new plan requires industries to reduce the rate at which they generate greenhouse gases, with a goal of reducing overall emissions by 45 to 65 percent by 2050.[41] The plan has been criticized by groups such as the Sierra Club, who called it "completely inadequate".[42] Criticism has focused on the use of "intensity-based" targets, for which emission reductions are relative to overall production, so overall emissions could potentially increase if production also increases.[41] This is in contrast to a "hard cap" on emissions, for which the overall amount cannot increase. The Conservatives' plan includes a hard cap to begin in 2020 or 2025,[41] while environmental groups have advocated for an immediate hard cap.[42]

The Liberals have developed a "Green Shift" plan, creating a carbon tax that will be coupled with reductions to income tax rates. The proposal was to tax greenhouse gas emissions, starting at $10 (Canadian) per ton of CO2 and reaching $40 (Canadian) per ton within four years. The plan would engage in revenue recycling by matching the tax with reductions in the income tax.[43] Criticism of the Green Shift plan has focused on its economic effects, with the Conservatives predicting it would cause a "big recession".[44] When pressed by reporters to provide evidence of this impact, Harper "wasn't able to cite a study that specifically modelled the impact of the Liberal Green Shift plan",[45] instead citing an older economic model about the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.

One trucking association claimed the Liberal carbon tax plan could put up to 10,000 jobs in jeopardy in Moncton alone.[46] Environmental activist David Suzuki has come out in support of Dion's plan, saying "To oppose [the carbon tax plan], it's just nonsense. It's certainly the way we got to go"[47] and giving an interview explaining why it is the most effective way to solve the environmental crisis.[48]

The NDP's plan for the environment has focused on emissions trading, claiming their system will decrease greenhouse emissions by 80% by 2050.[49] The plan includes a series of financial incentives to retrofit public transit systems and transition the economy to be "green-collar". The plan would also halt new oil sands development until emissions have been capped.[50] Layton has also criticized the Liberal carbon tax plan, stating it taxes families instead of polluters.[51]

Equalization

See main article: Anything But Conservative. Danny Williams, the Progressive Conservative premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, launched a campaign called Anything But Conservative, primarily targeted at Harper and the federal Conservatives. He opposes a Conservative majority, due in part to Harper's promise during the 2006 election to modify the equalization formula to fully share offshore oil revenues with the province, which Williams says Harper has broken, and what Harper has stated he will do with a majority government.[52] Accordingly, all but one member of the provincial PC caucus supported not voting Conservative in this election.

Leo Power, a veteran of federal politics and the Conservative Party of Canada's campaign co-chair for Newfoundland and Labrador, said raising money and recruiting volunteers has proved difficult, and blames Williams's ABC campaign, saying it has cut deep into the federal election machine that is struggling to compete. Power has also said his party's best hope of winning a seat in the province is in the riding of Avalon with incumbent candidate Fabian Manning.[53] Manning was defeated by Liberal Scott Andrews, while St. John's East and St. John's South—Mount Pearl, which were represented by Conservatives not running for re-election, were won by the NDP and Liberals, respectively, leaving the Conservatives with no representatives in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Leadership

Since before the election was announced, the Conservative party ran attack ads about Dion, saying he was not a capable leader. Dion criticized the Conservatives for running the ads.[54]

On October 9, Stephen Harper called into question the abilities of Liberal leader Dion after footage from the false starts of an interview on CTV Atlantic, and later rebroadcast on Mike Duffy Live, were aired to the public, and criticized Dion's grasp of the English language and the strength of the Liberals' plan for the Canadian economy. In the footage Dion repeatedly failed to understand the conditional perfect construction used by the interviewer in a single repeatedly asked question.

The footage shows interviewer Steve Murphy asking Dion the question: "If you were the Prime Minister now, what would you have done about the economy, and this crisis, that Mr. Harper has not done?". Dion had difficulty in understanding the question, repeatedly asking Murphy to clarify if he meant if Dion was Prime Minister now, next Tuesday on election day, last week, last month, 60 weeks ago, or two and a half years ago. Eventually, after three start overs to the interview, Dion responded with what he would do if elected Prime Minister in the future. CTV initially agreed to restart the interviews and not air the false starts but changed their minds and announced that they felt it was their responsibility to show it.[55] Harper responded to the clips by saying that "When you're running a trillion-and-a-half-dollar economy you don't get a chance to have do-overs, over and over again" and "What this incident actually indicates very clearly is Mr. Dion and the Liberal Party really don't know what they would do on the economy", and when told that the difficulties were in part due to English being Dion's second language, Harper said: "I don't think this is a question of language at all. The question was very clear. It was asked repeatedly".[56] [57] [58] [59]

Mark Dunn, a spokesman for Dion, accused the Tories of making fun of the Liberal leader's hearing issues. Dion responded to Harper's comments, saying Harper had "no class", saying "I did not understand the question", and "Maybe it's because I have a hearing problem, maybe because [English is] my second language, but I did not understand the question".[60] Both the Conservatives and the CTV have come under criticism for their handling of the footage, but they have stated they stand by their actions. Duceppe has called Harper's comments a "double standard", saying that many English-speaking politicians have little or no ability to speak French, yet francophones are somehow always expected to be perfect, and that the attack was an attempted "low blow". But Duceppe also took the opportunity to criticise Dion, suggesting he understood the question. "The real question is that I think Dion understood the question. The real problem wasn't the language, it was the substance," Duceppe said, "He had nothing to say".[61] Layton also defended Dion, saying he has "struggled with questions, too".

Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has come out criticizing Harper's leadership abilities, noting especially Harper's controlling ways with his cabinet ministers, saying he would have quit if former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau had treated him that way, that "Mr. Dion was a minister for nine years. And Mr. Harper arrived there with no experience and it shows", that the phrase 'Tory times are bad times', in use since the 1930s, was still true and that "Harper destroyed 50 years of relationships with China", Canada's second biggest trading partner after the US, noting both past Liberal and Progressive Conservative governments sought to maintain its dealings with the key trading partner. Former Prime Minister Paul Martin has also supported Dion's plans and abilities, and many have noted Dion's ability to get both Chrétien and Martin to support him, despite Chrétien and Martin's ongoing feud.[62]

Listeriosis outbreak

See main article: 2008 Canadian listeriosis outbreak. The Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz, who has already been criticized by Canada's food scientists for his handling of the 2008 listeriosis outbreak,[63] has also been criticized for making inappropriate comments, further angering the families of those affected. Ritz had joked about the outbreak while he was on a conference call with scientists and political staffers on August 30, saying the political fallout from the outbreak was "like a death by a thousand cuts, or should I say cold cuts". In addition, when he was informed of a listeriosis-related death in Prince Edward Island, he quipped: "Please tell me it's [Liberal agriculture critic] Wayne Easter". Despite calls for Ritz's resignation from the other parties and the public, Stephen Harper has supported Ritz and rebuffed calls for his resignation.[64]

The Public Service Alliance of Canada revealed to the media that the Conservative party plans to cut federal funding to meat inspection programs by $3 million, effectively ending their operation in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.[65]

Speech plagiarism

On September 30, it was revealed by Bob Rae of the Liberal Party that on March 20, 2003, Stephen Harper had plagiarized a speech that called for troops to be deployed to Iraq to assist the US invasion from Australian Prime Minister John Howard, which Howard had delivered two days before, on March 18.[66]

Following Rae's statement, Harper's spokesman Kory Teneycke dismissed the issue as irrelevant, saying "I'm not going to get into a debate about a five-year-old speech that was delivered three Parliaments ago, two elections ago, when the prime minister was the leader of a party that no longer exists".

The Canadian Alliance staff member and former Fraser Institute policy analyst, Owen Lippert, who wrote that speech was working on the current election campaign at Conservative campaign headquarters. On September 30, 2008 he issued a statement and resigned as a result of the incident.[67]

He stated:

On October 3, there was a second plagiarism allegation from the Liberals, who said that Harper had copied several sentences from a speech by former Ontario premier Mike Harris. Harper denied the allegation, saying "we're talking about a couple of sentences of fairly standard political rhetoric".[68]

On October 6, the Conservatives contended that Dion had also committed plagiarism when, as Minister of the Environment in 2005, he went to a United Nations conference on climate change to deliver a speech which had substantial similarities to the executive summary of a year old UN report. The Liberal party did not respond to the plagiarism allegation.[69] [70]

Controversies

Missing ballot boxes

In Quebec City, several ballot boxes containing votes from advance polls disappeared after the close of advance polling on October 7. The boxes were stored in a closet at the home of a deputy returning officer.[71] Although there was no tampering of the boxes or the votes, three deputy returning officers were fired.[72] Deputy returning officers are the only polling officials allowed to handle ballots during the vote count and the law did allow for them to store the sealed boxes as may be necessary in large remote rural ridings. However the boxes were returned a day late after the riding returning officer ordered their return.[73]

Strategic voting

A number of political leaders and popular websites supported strategic voting in the election, mostly against the Conservative Party. The reasons varied from regional, such as Newfoundland and Labrador premier Danny Williams and his "Anything But Conservative" campaign, to ideological. The popular website VoteForEnvironment.ca, which received over one million page views in the first 12 days of its existence[74] and whose founders were interviewed on CBC and other mainstream media, showed regional breakdowns per riding and offered recommendations based on which candidate was most likely to beat the Conservative candidate. If the Conservative candidate had little chance of winning the riding or was strongly entrenched, the site recommended "vote with your heart". Similarly, a vote swapping organization on Facebook entitled "Anti-Harper Vote Swap Canada" also gained press.[75] The premise of that organization is that eligible voters in different electoral districts may exchange their votes, so that an opponent of a Conservative candidate in each district might have a better chance of being elected in that district. Elections Canada deemed the practice legal.[76]

Green Party leader Elizabeth May sent out mixed signals about strategic voting. On October 12, she recommended that in close ridings, supporters of green policies should consider voting for the NDP or Liberals to defeat the Conservatives,[77] but on the same day she said: "I do not support strategic voting and I have not advised voters to choose any candidate other than Green".[78] In addition, during the final days of the campaign the Liberals attempted to attract strategic NDP and Green votes to stop the Conservatives, and the Conservatives attempted to attract Bloc votes to stop the Liberals.[79]

Voter identification

Some students, homeless, and transient voters were turned away at the polls when they were unable to provide identification showing or otherwise confirming a place of residence. Legislation introduced in 2007 requires all voters to show one or two pieces of identification which confirm the voter's name and address, or to be vouched for by another voter who is able to show such identification.[80]

Region Turnout (%)
Alberta52.9
British Columbia61.0
Manitoba56.8
New Brunswick62.8
Newfoundland and Labrador48.1
Northwest Territories48.6
Nova Scotia60.7
Nunavut49.4
Ontario59.1
Prince Edward Island69.5
Saskatchewan59.4
Quebec61.1
Yukon63.7

Voter turnout

See also: Voter turnout in Canada. Voter turnout at 58.8% was the lowest in Canadian election history.[81] All federally funded parties except for the Greens attracted fewer total votes than in 2006; the Greens received nearly 280,000 more votes. The Conservatives lost about 170,000 votes, the Liberals 850,000, the Bloc 170,000 and the NDP 70,000. Some voters were at first turned away because of failure to meet new and stricter proof of address requirements, including 2/3 of those attempting to vote at Dalhousie University, for example. The effect this may have had on voter turnout is unknown.[82]

Judicial recounts

In a federal election, a judicial recount is automatically ordered in a riding where the margin of victory is less than 0.1% (one one-thousandth) of the votes cast. In cases where there is a larger but still narrow margin of victory, an elector can request a judicial recount.

Judicial recounts were ordered in six ridings. In one case, Brossard—La Prairie, the judicial recount overturned the reported victor, giving the seat to the Liberals' Alexandra Mendès instead of the Bloc incumbent Marcel Lussier.

In four other ridings, the recount confirmed the election results, although Liberal Ujjal Dosanjh's margin in Vancouver South was reduced from 33 votes to just 20.[83] [84] This was the slimmest victory of any riding in the entire election, until the results of the Kitchener-Waterloo recount reduced Peter Braid's margin of victory to a mere 17 votes. Dosanjh's Conservative opponent, Wai Young, appealed the recount to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, citing that not all of the ballot boxes were fully recounted.[85] All ballots were eventually counted by November 4, confirming Dosanjh's victory by 20 votes, after the initial partial recount indicated a margin of 22 votes.

In a sixth riding, the recount was cancelled when the elector who had requested it withdrew the request.

RidingInitial validated results - First and second placeRecount typeRecount dateJudicially certified results - First and second place
CandidateVotes%CandidateVotes%
Egmont, PEI Gail Shea, Con.8,12244.0%RequestedOctober 23, 2008 Gail Shea, Con.8,11043.9%
 Keith Milligan, Lib.8,06043.6% Keith Milligan, Lib.8,05543.6%
Brossard—La Prairie, QC Marcel Lussier, BQ19,20232.6%RequestedOctober 24, 2008 Alexandra Mendès, Lib.19,10332.6%
 Alexandra Mendès, Lib.19,11032.4% Marcel Lussier, BQ19,03432.5%
Brampton West, ON Andrew Kania, Lib.21,73940.3%RequestedNovember 6, 2008 Andrew Kania, Lib.21,74640.3%
 Kyle Seeback, Con.21,51639.9% Kyle Seeback, Con.21,51539.9%
Kitchener—Waterloo, ON Peter Braid, Cons.21,85136.1%AutomaticOctober 31, 2008 Peter Braid, Cons.21,83036.1%
 Andrew Telegdi, Lib.21,80336.0% Andrew Telegdi, Lib.21,81336.0%
Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC Keith Martin, Lib.20,04234.2%RequestedJudicial recount terminated at the request of the elector who had requested it
 Troy DeSouza, Con.19,97434.1%
Vancouver South, BC Ujjal Dosanjh, Lib.16,10138.5%AutomaticNovember 4, 2008 Ujjal Dosanjh, Lib.16,11038.5%
 Wai Young, Con.16,06838.4% Wai Young, Con.16,09038.4%

Candidates

Conservative

Chris Reid, the Conservative candidate from Toronto Centre, resigned over controversial statements on his blog, which advocated revising Canadian gun control legislation to legalize concealed carriage of handguns.[86] He was replaced by David Gentili.

The Conservatives apologized after an aide to Pontiac candidate Lawrence Cannon told Aboriginal protesters that they were free to meet with Cannon "if you behave and you're sober and there's no problems and if you don't do a sit down and whatever".[87]

Liberal

Liberal candidate Simon Bédard was also asked to resign after he reiterated his 1990 comments, suggesting that lethal force should have been used in the Oka Crisis.[88] [89]

Liberal candidate Lesley Hughes was dropped by the Liberal Party after making controversial comments about the September 11, 2001 attacks. She continued to campaign as an independent, though she appeared as a Liberal on the ballot.[90]

NDP

Andrew McKeever, an NDP candidate in Durham, announced on October 3 that he would resign from the election campaign after it was revealed that he had posted comments on Facebook in which he called one war activist a "fascist bitch" and threatened to beat up another person. Mr. McKeever wrote comments peppered with expletives and calling the operators of a war resister website "Nazis". McKeever was also quoted as saying "I like the part in Schindler's List when the guard starts waxing the prisoners." McKeever's decision to drop out of the race came with just over a week left in the campaign, meaning his name would remain on the ballot. One week before the publication of McKeever's resignation, NDP leader Jack Layton defended McKeever and refused to make him step down.

Julian West, the candidate for the riding of Saanich—Gulf Islands, dropped out of the race after details surfaced about an environmental event he attended 12 years ago when he went skinny-dipping and asked two teenagers to body-paint him. Two other candidates in British Columbia who were proponents of marijuana decriminalization — Dana Larsen and Kirk Tousaw — resigned earlier after videos they had produced for Internet site Pot-TV were released to the media. One of the videos, filmed in 2000, showed Mr. Larsen, former leader of the BC Marijuana Party, preparing to light up a joint before driving a car, after having taken the short-acting hallucinogenic drug DMT earlier in the evening.[91] [92]

Green

John Shavluk, the Green candidate in Newton—North Delta, was removed from the party's slate of candidates on September 4, just before the election call, after it was revealed that he had previously published comments in his blog about the September 11 attacks in 2001, in which he referred to the World Trade Center as "the shoddily built Jewish world bank headquarters".[93] He was replaced by Liz Walker as the Green Party candidate, but remained on the ballot as an independent.

Independent

At an all-candidates debate staged for a high school student audience in Sudbury on September 29, independent candidate David Popescu responded to a question about same-sex marriage by stating that "homosexuals should be executed". His remarks were widely criticized across Canada, and the Greater Sudbury Police Service announced an investigation into whether the comments constituted a crime under Canadian hate speech legislation.[94] He was subsequently investigated by the Toronto Police as well, after a radio interview on October 2 in which he specifically advocated the execution of Egale Canada executive director Helen Kennedy.[95]

Vandalism

Supporters of Ontario Liberal MPs Carolyn Bennett (St. Paul's) and Gerard Kennedy (Parkdale—High Park) who had Liberal signs outside their houses were subject to vandalism during the later hours of October 3, including graffiti, phone and cable lines being cut, and damage to vehicles that included brake cutting. Toronto police reported over 30 incidents of vandalism as of October 6.[96] Some of the victims did not realize their brakes had been cut until they were in traffic, and there was at least one near-accident.[97] Liberal Senator Jerry Grafstein was one of the residents who reported vandalism to his car.[98]

Vandalism was also reported at the campaign offices of Trinity—Spadina Liberal candidate Christine Innes and Beaches—East York New Democratic Party candidate Marilyn Churley,[98] as well as in Niagara Falls.[99]

Legality of the election

After the election was called, Democracy Watch, an Ottawa-based advocacy group, filed a legal suit claiming that the election call was illegal[100] because it violated the 2007 amendments to the Canada Elections Act. These amendments, introduced by the Harper government, set fixed dates for elections, and fulfilled a 2006 promise made by Harper to end the Prime Minister's ability to call snap elections.

On September 17, 2009, the Federal Court of Canada ruled that the election was not unfair, and therefore not illegal. Democracy Watch's appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal was also dismissed, and the Supreme Court denied leave to hear a further appeal.[101]

Target seats

The following is a list of ridings which had narrowly been lost by the indicated party in the 2006 election. For instance, under the Liberal column are the 15 seats in which they came closest to winning but did not. Listed is the name of the riding, followed by the party which was victorious (in parentheses) and the margin, in terms of percentage of the vote, by which the party lost.

These ridings were targeted by the specified party because the party had lost them by a very slim margin in the 2006 election.

Up to 15 are shown, with a maximum margin of victory of 15%.

* Indicates incumbent not running again. To clarify further; this is a list of federal election winners with their party in parentheses, and their margin as a percentage of the vote over the party whose list the seat is on (not the same as the margin of victory if the party potentially "targeting" the seat in that list did not finish second in the previous election). "Won" means that the targeting party won the seat from the incumbent party. "Held" means the incumbent party held the seat.

ConservativeLiberal
  1. Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK (Lib) 0.3%* (won)†
  2. Brant, ON (Lib) 0.9% (won)
  3. West Nova, NS (Lib) 1.1% (won)
  4. Vancouver Island North, BC (NDP) 1.1% (won)
  5. Oakville, ON (Lib) 1.3% (won)
  6. West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC (Lib) 1.5% (won)‡
  7. Huron—Bruce, ON (Lib) 1.8%* (won)
  8. London West, ON (Lib) 2.2% (won)
  9. Madawaska—Restigouche, NB (Lib) 2.4% (held)
  10. Newton—North Delta, BC (Lib) 3.6% (held)
  11. Saint Boniface, MB (Lib) 3.6% (won)
  12. Saint John, NB (Lib) 3.6% (won)
  13. Mississauga South, ON (Lib) 4.1% (held)
  14. Richmond, BC (Lib) 4.1% (won)
  15. Random—Burin—St. George's, NL (Lib) 4.7% (held)
  1. Parry Sound-Muskoka, ON (Con) <0.1% (held)
  2. Winnipeg South, MB (Con) 0.3% (held)
  3. Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON (Con) 0.4% (held)
  4. Tobique—Mactaquac, NB (Con) 0.9% (held)
  5. St. Catharines, ON (Con) 1.1% (held)
  6. Ahuntsic, QC (BQ) 1.7% (held)
  7. Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC (Con) 1.9% (held)
  8. London—Fanshawe, ON (NDP) 1.9% (held)
  9. Ottawa—Orléans, ON (Con) 2.0% (held)
  10. Simcoe North, ON (Con) 2.0% (held)
  11. Brossard—La Prairie, QC (BQ) 2.2% (won)
  12. Papineau, QC (BQ) 2.2% (won)
  13. Burnaby—Douglas, BC (NDP) 2.6% (held)
  14. Barrie, ON (Con) 2.7% (held)
  15. Kitchener—Conestoga, ON (Con) 2.7% (held)
Bloc QuébécoisNew Democratic
  1. Louis-Hébert, QC (Con) 0.4% (won)
  2. Beauport—Limoilou, QC (Con) 1.6% (held)
  3. Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC (Con) 2.7% (held)
  4. Hull—Aylmer, QC (Lib) 3.3% (held)
  5. Honoré-Mercier, QC (Lib) 3.8% (held)
  6. Pontiac, QC (Con) 5.0% (held)
  7. Laval—Les Îles, QC (Lib) 6.1% (held)
  8. Outremont, QC (Lib) 6.3%¹ (held by NDP)
  9. Bourassa, QC (Lib) 11.4% (held)
  10. Jonquière—Alma, QC (Con) 12.8% (held)
  11. Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC (Ind) 13.9% (held)
  1. Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON (Lib) 1.0%* (won)
  2. Newton—North Delta, BC (Lib) 1.6% (held)
  3. Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON (Lib) 1.7% (won)
  4. Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON (Lib) 3.7% (won)
  5. Nickel Belt, ON (Lib) 4.6%* * (won)
  6. Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC (Lib) 4.6% (held)
  7. Welland, ON (Lib) 4.8% (won)
  8. Oshawa, ON (Con) 5.2% (held)
  9. Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC (Con) 5.2% (held)
  10. Beaches—East York, ON (Lib) 5.4% (held)
  11. Kenora, ON (Lib) 5.7% (won by Conservatives)
  12. Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK (Con) 6.5%* (held)
  13. Central Nova, NS (Con) 7.8% (held)
  14. South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS (Con) 8.3% (held)
  15. Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC (Con) 8.3% (held)
† Won by the Conservatives[102] in an intervening by-election with more than a 15% margin over the Liberals.
‡ The incumbent had become an independent and was sitting as a Green at the time of dissolution.
¹ Won by the NDP in an intervening by-election with more than a 19% margin over the Liberals.

Targeted Cabinet ministers

The following Cabinet ministers were elected by a margin of less than 10% in 2006:

  1. Tony Clement, Health and Federal Economic Initiative for Northern Ontario: 0.1% over Lib in Parry Sound-Muskoka, ON
  2. Lawrence Cannon, Transport, Infrastructure and Communities: 5.0% over BQ in Pontiac, QC
  3. Jim Flaherty, Finance: 5.7% over Lib in Whitby—Oshawa, ON
  4. Rob Nicholson, Justice: 5.9% over Lib in Niagara Falls, ON
  5. Peter MacKay, Defence and Atlantic Opportunities: 7.8% over NDP in Central Nova, NS
  6. John Baird, Environment: 9.0% over Lib in Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Potential fall of government

See main article: 2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute. On December 1, 2008, as the result of opposition dissatisfaction with the government's economic update (which failed to include stimulus measures to help the Canadian economy contend with the global crisis and included a 'poison pill' regarding the cessation of public party financing), the leaders of the Liberal Party, New Democratic Party, and Bloc Québécois announced they had reached an agreement to approach the Governor General for the purpose of forming a coalition government. Combined, the three opposition parties constitute a majority of seats in the House of Commons. Parliament was due to vote on a no-confidence motion on December 8; if successful, the Liberals and NDP would have formally asked the Governor General to form a coalition minority government for 30 months, while the BQ pledged to support for at least 18 months. Liberal leader Stéphane Dion would have become prime minister until the selection of his successor at the Liberal leadership convention in May 2009, and a coalition cabinet would have comprised 18 Liberal (including a finance minister) and 6 NDP ministers. Governor General Michaëlle Jean had cut short a state visit to Europe "in light of the current political situation in Canada".[10] On December 4, 2008, Jean granted Harper's request to prorogue Parliament until January 26, 2009, thereby staving off the prospect of an imminent change in government.[103] Dion stood down as Liberal leader on December 10 and was replaced by interim leader Michael Ignatieff, who would later be elected unopposed as permanent leader.[104] Ignatieff soon ended the coalition agreement with the other two parties, motivated largely in part by Harper's publicly indicating that he would advise Jean to hold a new election rather than recommending that Ignatieff be allowed to form a minority government should the government lose a confidence vote,[105] and polling indicating that any such election would almost certainly result in the Conservatives winning a strong majority.[106]

Opinion polls

See main article: Opinion polling for the 2008 Canadian federal election.

Candidates by party

Results

See main article: Results of the 2008 Canadian federal election and Results of the 2008 Canadian federal election by riding.

Elections to the 40th Canadian Parliament (2008)[107] [108] [109]
PartyLeaderCandidatesVotesSeats
±%Change (pp)20062008±GLStephen Harper307 5,209,069 165,002 37.6512419256Stéphane Dion307 3,633,185 846,230 26.2610326531Jack Layton308 2,515,288 74,309 18.18298113Gilles Duceppe75 1,379,991 173,210 9.9851213Elizabeth May303 937,613 273,545 6.7871 94,844 12,984 0.69111Ron Gray59 26,475 1,677 0.19 Anna Di Carlo59 8,565 415 0.06 Dennis Young26 7,300 4,298 0.05 0.03Sinclair Stevens10 5,860 8,291 0.04 -0.05Miguel Figueroa24 3,572 550 0.03 0.01Connie Fogal20 3,455 2,647 0.02 -0.02Blair Longley8 2,298 6,873 0.02 -0.05François Gourd7 2,122 2,122 0.02 NewTom Hickey3 1,713 1,713 0.01 NewBarbara Wardlaw6 1,611 410 0.01 Liz White4 527 455 Conrad Schmidt1 425 425 NewWestern BlockDoug Christie1 195 899 -0.01Roger Poisson2 186 186 New
Total 1,60113,834,294100.00%
Rejected ballots94,799 3,255
Turnout13,929,093 979,61058.83% 5.84
Registered voters23,677,639 623,024

Synopsis of results

Results by riding — 2008 Canadian federal election
Riding2006Winning partyTurnout
[110]
Votes[111]
PartyVotesShareMargin
#
Margin
%
ConLibNDPBQGreenOtherTotal
 
AB Calgary CentreConCon26,085 55.60% 17,683 37.69% 53.16% 26,085 8,402 4,229 7,778 420 46,914
AB Calgary Centre-NorthConCon27,361 56.54% 19,948 41.22% 56.29% 27,361 5,699 7,413 7,392 529 48,394
AB Calgary EastConCon21,311 66.47% 17,543 54.72% 41.79% 21,311 3,255 3,768 3,403 323 32,060
AB Calgary NortheastConCon18,917 51.52% 11,484 31.27% 44.39% 18,917 7,433 3,279 2,045 4,836 211 36,721
AB Calgary—Nose HillConCon35,029 69.62% 28,372 56.39% 53.86% 35,029 6,657 3,941 4,685 50,312
AB Calgary SoutheastConCon41,425 73.89% 35,689 63.66% 57.15% 41,425 4,878 4,024 5,736 56,063
AB Calgary SouthwestConCon38,548 72.96% 33,630 63.65% 58.39% 38,548 4,918 4,102 4,743 521 52,832
AB Calgary WestConCon34,579 57.36% 21,375 35.46% 60.96% 34,579 13,204 3,832 6,722 1,790 155 60,282
AB CrowfootConCon39,342 82.03% 35,559 74.15% 54.86% 39,342 1,958 3,783 2,875 47,958
AB Edmonton CentreConCon22,634 49.04% 9,973 21.61% 51.57% 22,634 12,661 6,912 3,746 203 46,156
AB Edmonton EastConCon21,487 51.32% 8,169 19.51% 45.43% 21,487 4,578 13,318 2,488 41,871
AB Edmonton—LeducConCon33,174 63.21% 23,940 45.61% 56.64% 33,174 9,234 5,994 4,081 52,483
AB Edmonton—Mill Woods—BeaumontConCon25,130 60.32% 17,421 41.82% 52.09% 25,130 7,709 6,297 2,366 157 41,659
AB Edmonton—St. AlbertConCon31,436 61.65% 23,391 45.87% 53.67% 31,436 7,441 8,045 4,072 50,994
AB Edmonton—Sherwood ParkConCon17,628 35.84% 1,668 3.39% 55.09% 17,628 5,575 6,339 3,678 15,960 49,180
AB Edmonton—Spruce GroveConCon36,402 68.55% 29,775 56.07% 53.52% 36,402 6,099 6,627 3,975 53,103
AB Edmonton—StrathconaConNDP20,103 42.58% 463 0.98% 62.86% 19,640 4,279 20,103 3,040 147 47,209
AB Fort McMurray—AthabascaConCon17,160 67.12% 13,860 54.21% 35.82% 17,160 2,710 3,300 1,628 350 419 25,567
AB LethbridgeConCon31,714 66.96% 24,981 52.74% 53.29% 31,714 4,404 6,733 3,420 1,094 47,365
AB MacleodConCon35,328 77.36% 31,167 68.25% 56.39% 35,328 2,703 3,053 4,161 422 45,667
AB Medicine HatConCon26,950 70.87% 22,763 59.86% 46.20% 26,950 2,639 4,187 2,338 1,551 363 38,028
AB Peace RiverConCon29,550 69.51% 23,426 55.11% 44.24% 29,550 2,843 6,124 3,303 689 42,509
AB Red DeerConCon33,226 73.24% 28,186 62.13% 49.87% 33,226 2,863 5,040 4,239 45,368
AB Vegreville—WainwrightConCon34,493 77.09% 30,263 67.64% 54.03% 34,493 2,345 4,230 3,676 44,744
AB Westlock—St. PaulConCon27,338 72.71% 23,529 62.58% 51.13% 27,338 3,418 3,809 2,522 510 37,597
AB WetaskiwinConCon32,528 77.14% 28,892 68.51% 52.94% 32,528 2,362 3,636 3,395 249 42,170
AB Wild RoseConCon36,869 72.92% 30,479 60.28% 56.18% 36,869 2,890 4,169 6,390 246 50,564
AB YellowheadConCon26,863 71.85% 22,276 59.58% 49.97% 26,863 1,489 4,587 3,437 1,014 37,390
BC AbbotsfordConCon30,853 63.32% 22,920 47.04% 59.50% 30,853 7,933 6,444 3,141 358 48,729
BC British Columbia Southern InteriorNDPNDP22,693 47.51% 5,571 11.66% 63.89% 17,122 3,292 22,693 4,573 80 47,760
BC Burnaby—DouglasNDPNDP17,937 37.94% 798 1.69% 57.70% 17,139 9,177 17,937 2,822 203 47,278
BC Burnaby—New WestminsterNDPNDP20,145 46.50% 6,995 16.15% 54.35% 13,150 6,681 20,145 3,067 282 43,325
BC Cariboo—Prince GeorgeConCon22,637 55.39% 12,056 29.50% 54.32% 22,637 4,309 10,581 2,614 729 40,870
BC Chilliwack—Fraser CanyonConCon29,198 62.32% 20,407 43.56% 57.52% 29,198 3,990 8,791 4,107 766 46,852
BC Delta—Richmond EastConCon26,252 55.75% 15,881 33.73% 60.06% 26,252 10,371 6,803 3,663 47,089
BC Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca[112] LibLib20,042 34.18% 68 0.12% 64.57% 19,974 20,042 13,322 4,854 309 130 58,631
BC Fleetwood—Port KellsConCon21,389 44.70% 8,887 18.57% 55.57% 21,389 12,502 10,916 3,045 47,852
BC Kamloops—Thompson—CaribooConCon25,209 46.16% 5,608 10.27% 62.02% 25,209 5,375 19,601 4,430 54,615
BC Kelowna—Lake CountryConCon31,907 55.94% 23,283 40.82% 58.76% 31,907 8,469 8,624 7,821 218 57,039
BC Kootenay—ColumbiaConCon23,402 59.59% 14,510 36.95% 59.76% 23,402 3,044 8,892 3,933 39,271
BC LangleyConCon32,594 61.46% 23,696 44.68% 61.94% 32,594 5,888 8,898 5,059 594 53,033
BC Nanaimo—AlberniConCon28,930 46.68% 9,250 14.93% 64.77% 28,930 5,578 19,680 7,457 331 61,976
BC Nanaimo—CowichanNDPNDP27,454 45.17% 4,610 7.58% 63.45% 22,844 4,483 27,454 5,816 182 60,779
BC New Westminster—CoquitlamNDPNDP20,787 41.83% 1,488 2.99% 61.74% 19,299 5,615 20,787 3,574 417 49,692
BC Newton—North DeltaLibLib16,481 36.42% 2,493 5.51% 62.07% 13,988 16,481 11,824 2,533 305 121 45,252
BC North VancouverLibCon24,371 42.26% 2,820 4.89% 66.45% 24,371 21,551 5,417 6,168 166 57,673
BC Okanagan—CoquihallaConCon28,765 58.13% 20,529 41.48% 59.63% 28,765 5,883 8,236 6,603 49,487
BC Okanagan—ShuswapConCon28,002 51.72% 17,338 32.02% 60.71% 28,002 5,414 10,664 9,368 416 278 54,142
BC Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—MissionConCon26,512 51.81% 9,618 18.80% 60.24% 26,512 3,394 16,894 3,833 238 300 51,171
BC Port Moody—Westwood—Port CoquitlamConCon25,535 54.61% 15,117 32.33% 58.83% 25,535 6,918 10,418 3,568 321 46,760
BC Prince George—Peace RiverConCon22,325 63.59% 16,155 46.02% 48.89% 22,325 2,954 6,170 3,656 35,105
BC RichmondLibCon21,359 49.81% 8,138 18.98% 51.99% 21,359 13,221 5,059 2,753 486 42,878
BC Saanich—Gulf IslandsConCon27,991 43.42% 2,625 4.07% 70.40% 27,991 25,366 3,667 6,742 694 64,460
BC Skeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPNDP17,219 49.84% 4,658 13.48% 56.51% 12,561 1,916 17,219 1,613 1,237 34,546
BC South Surrey—White Rock—CloverdaleConCon31,216 56.65% 19,701 35.75% 65.08% 31,216 11,515 7,146 4,951 273 55,101
BC Surrey NorthNDPCon13,714 39.37% 1,106 3.18% 51.56% 13,714 5,227 12,608 1,925 271 1,088 34,833
BC Vancouver CentreLibLib19,506 34.51% 5,318 9.41% 59.37% 14,188 19,506 12,047 10,354 434 56,529
BC Vancouver EastNDPNDP22,506 54.40% 15,379 37.18% 53.51% 6,432 7,127 22,506 4,708 596 41,369
BC Vancouver Island NorthNDPCon25,963 45.78% 2,497 4.40% 64.58% 25,963 2,380 23,466 4,544 362 56,715
BC Vancouver KingswayLibNDP15,933 35.18% 2,769 6.11% 56.45% 12,419 13,164 15,933 3,031 749 45,296
BC Vancouver QuadraLibLib25,393 45.59% 4,832 8.68% 63.37% 20,561 25,393 4,493 4,916 333 55,696
BC Vancouver SouthLibLib16,110 38.49% 20 0.05% 52.42% 16,090 16,110[113] 7,376 2,065 211 41,852
BC VictoriaNDPNDP26,443 44.61% 10,106 17.05% 67.48% 16,337 10,006 26,443 6,252 237 59,275
BC West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky CountryLibCon26,949 44.57% 10,880 17.99% 63.36% 26,949 16,069 8,728 8,723 60,469
MB Brandon—SourisConCon19,558 57.06% 13,503 39.40% 55.96% 19,558 2,836 6,055 5,410 416 34,275
MB Charleswood—St. James—AssiniboiaConCon21,588 53.83% 13,074 32.60% 63.36% 21,588 8,514 7,190 2,632 180 40,104
MB ChurchillLibNDP8,734 47.46% 3,445 18.72% 40.15% 3,773 5,289 8,734 606 18,402
MB Dauphin—Swan River—MarquetteConCon18,132 61.36% 13,218 44.73% 54.71% 18,132 4,128 4,914 1,923 452 29,549
MB Elmwood—TransconaNDPNDP14,355 45.77% 1,579 5.03% 54.04% 12,776 2,079 14,355 1,839 312 31,361
MB Kildonan—St. PaulConCon19,751 53.40% 7,658 20.71% 58.48% 19,751 3,009 12,093 1,685 214 233 36,985
MB Portage—LisgarConCon22,036 68.27% 17,662 54.71% 53.77% 22,036 4,374 2,353 2,606 911 32,280
MB ProvencherConCon23,303 64.66% 18,356 50.93% 58.01% 23,303 4,531 4,947 2,089 1,170 36,040
MB Saint BonifaceLibCon19,440 46.32% 4,712 11.23% 64.32% 19,440 14,728 5,502 2,104 195 41,969
MB Selkirk—InterlakeConCon23,302 60.63% 13,796 35.90% 57.68% 23,302 3,203 9,506 2,126 295 38,432
MB Winnipeg CentreNDPNDP12,285 48.92% 6,848 27.27% 43.25% 5,437 3,922 12,285 2,777 361 331 25,113
MB Winnipeg NorthNDPNDP14,097 62.61% 9,064 40.26% 42.85% 5,033 2,075 14,097 1,070 241 22,516
MB Winnipeg SouthConCon19,954 48.84% 5,733 14.03% 65.63% 19,954 14,221[114] 4,673 1,839 173 40,860
MB Winnipeg South CentreLibLib16,438 42.27% 2,335 6.00% 65.68% 14,103 16,438 5,490 2,860 38,891
NB Acadie—BathurstNDPNDP25,849 57.53% 15,999 35.61% 68.32% 8,331 9,850 25,849 904 44,934
NB BeauséjourLibLib20,059 46.76% 7,553 17.61% 69.25% 12,506 20,059 7,242 3,087 42,894
NB FrederictonLibCon17,962 42.53% 4,643 10.99% 62.13% 17,962 13,319 6,490 4,293 168 42,232
NB Fundy RoyalConCon17,211 51.63% 9,304 27.91% 61.09% 17,211 5,773 7,907 2,443 33,334
NB Madawaska—RestigoucheLibLib16,266 47.40% 4,864 14.17% 66.77% 11,402 16,266 5,361 1,287 34,316
NB MiramichiLibCon12,058 42.08% 1,468 5.12% 65.78% 12,058 10,590 4,904 1,105 28,657
NB Moncton—Riverview—DieppeLibLib17,797 39.13% 1,500 3.30% 61.31% 16,297 17,797 7,394 3,998 45,486
NB New Brunswick SouthwestConCon17,474 58.32% 11,611 38.75% 61.17% 17,474 5,863 4,958 1,667 29,962
NB Saint JohnLibCon13,782 39.55% 497 1.43% 54.01% 13,782[115] 13,285 5,560 1,888 330 34,845
NB Tobique—MactaquacConCon18,071 57.40% 11,298 35.88% 59.73% 18,071 6,773 4,830 1,810 31,484
NL AvalonConLib14,866 45.28% 3,324 10.13% 51.80% 11,542 14,866 5,707 714 32,829
NL Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—WindsorLibLib20,089 70.27% 15,735 55.04% 41.15% 4,354 20,089 3,577 568 28,588
NL Humber—St. Barbe—Baie VerteLibLib17,956 68.22% 13,353 50.73% 44.25% 2,799 17,956 4,603 964 26,322
NL LabradorLibLib5,426 70.28% 4,048 52.43% 38.60% 615 5,426 1,378 302 7,721
NL Random—Burin—St. George'sLibLib12,557 53.72% 6,994 29.92% 41.07% 4,791 12,557 5,563 462 23,373
NL St. John's EastConNDP30,881 74.55% 25,670 61.97% 56.89% 3,836 5,211 30,881 570 925 41,423
NL St. John's South—Mount PearlConLib14,920 43.32% 949 2.76% 51.95% 4,324 14,920 13,971 643 179 402 34,439
NS Cape Breton—CansoLibLib17,447 48.10% 8,923 24.60% 63.31% 8,524 17,447 7,660 2,641 36,272
NS Central NovaConCon18,240 46.60% 5,620 14.36% 67.01% 18,240 7,659 12,620 623 39,142
NS Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit ValleyConInd27,303 69.01% 22,429 56.69% 57.77% 3,493 3,344 4,874 27,853[116] 39,564
NS Dartmouth—Cole HarbourLibLib16,016 39.49% 3,223 7.95% 58.73% 9,109 16,016 12,793 2,417 219 40,554
NS HalifaxNDPNDP19,252 42.69% 6,794 15.06% 60.67% 9,295 12,458 19,252 3,931 162 45,098
NS Halifax WestLibLib17,129 41.56% 4,928 11.96% 59.13% 8,708 17,129 12,201 2,920 257 41,215
NS Kings—HantsLibLib16,641 44.19% 6,795 18.04% 58.59% 9,846 16,641 8,291 2,353 528 37,659
NS Sackville—Eastern ShoreNDPNDP24,279 61.42% 16,081 40.68% 58.52% 8,198 5,018 24,279 2,034 39,529
NS South Shore—St. Margaret'sConCon14,388 35.99% 932 2.33% 60.20% 14,388 9,536 13,456 2,090 513 39,983
NS Sydney—VictoriaLibLib17,303 49.40% 8,744 24.96% 57.41% 7,223 17,303 8,559 1,941 35,026
NS West NovaLibCon16,779 39.94% 1,594 3.79% 62.48% 16,779[117] 15,185 7,097 2,106 844 42,011
ON Ajax—PickeringLibLib21,675 44.53% 3,204 6.58% 56.71% 18,471 21,675 4,422 3,543 565 48,676
ON Algoma—Manitoulin—KapuskasingLibNDP15,249 45.50% 4,347 12.97% 56.53% 5,914 10,902 15,249 1,451 33,516
ON Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—WestdaleConCon26,297 46.50% 10,975 19.41% 66.70% 26,297 15,322 9,632 5,149 148 56,548
ON BarrieConCon27,927 52.37% 15,195 28.49% 58.50% 27,927 12,732 6,403 5,921 344 53,327
ON Beaches—East YorkLibLib18,967 40.97% 4,092 8.84% 62.93% 7,907 18,967 14,875 4,389 155 46,293
ON Bramalea—Gore—MaltonLibLib22,272 45.06% 3,919 7.93% 49.74% 18,353 22,272 5,945 2,551 309 49,430
ON Brampton—SpringdaleLibLib18,577 41.04% 773 1.71% 54.24% 17,804 18,577 5,238 3,516 135 45,270
ON Brampton West[118] LibLib21,746 40.33% 231 0.43% 49.72% 21,515 21,746 7,334 3,329 53,924
ON BrantLibCon22,736 41.95% 4,793 8.84% 58.38% 22,736 17,943 9,331 3,814 371 54,195
ON Bruce—Grey—Owen SoundConCon22,975 47.66% 9,880 20.50% 61.36% 22,975 6,892 4,640 13,095 599 48,201
ON BurlingtonConCon28,614 48.60% 9,037 15.35% 64.99% 28,614 19,577 6,597 4,083 58,871
ON CambridgeConCon24,895 48.63% 12,918 25.23% 55.92% 24,895 11,977 10,044 4,279 51,195
ON Carleton—Mississippi MillsConCon39,433 57.77% 24,179 35.43% 69.16% 39,433 15,254 6,583 6,983 68,253
ON Chatham-Kent—EssexConCon19,960 47.92% 7,833 18.81% 55.86% 19,960 12,127 6,850 2,712 41,649
ON DavenportLibLib15,953 45.77% 5,057 14.51% 53.03% 3,838 15,953 10,896 3,655 172 339 34,853
ON Don Valley EastLibLib18,264 48.08% 6,487 17.08% 53.48% 11,777 18,264 5,062 2,618 266 37,987
ON Don Valley WestLibLib22,212 44.36% 2,771 5.53% 62.12% 19,441 22,212 5,102 3,155 162 50,072
ON Dufferin—CaledonConCon23,363 53.21% 14,868 33.86% 56.79% 23,363 8,495 4,385 7,377 284 43,904
ON DurhamConCon28,551 54.05% 16,384 31.02% 60.48% 28,551 12,167 5,485 6,041 577 52,821
ON Eglinton—LawrenceLibLib19,133 43.99% 2,060 4.74% 59.75% 17,073 19,133 3,663 3,629 43,498
ON Elgin—Middlesex—LondonConCon22,970 48.39% 11,801 24.86% 59.66% 22,970 11,169 9,135 3,241 243 715 47,473
ON EssexConCon20,608 40.00% 5,635 10.94% 58.22% 20,608 14,973 13,703 2,234 51,518
ON Etobicoke CentreLibLib24,537 48.85% 5,698 11.34% 62.48% 18,839 24,537 4,164 2,688 50,228
ON Etobicoke—LakeshoreLibLib23,536 46.13% 5,743 11.26% 59.31% 17,793 23,536 5,950 3,562 181 51,022
ON Etobicoke NorthLibLib15,244 48.58% 5,808 18.51% 49.60% 9,436 15,244 4,940 1,460 300 31,380
ON Glengarry—Prescott—RussellConCon25,659 47.30% 5,662 10.44% 67.29% 25,659 19,997 5,678 2,908 54,242
ON GuelphLibLib18,974 32.22% 1,788 3.04% 64.59% 17,186 18,974 9,713 12,454 58 504 58,889
ON Haldimand—NorfolkConCon19,657 40.83% 4,080 8.47% 60.98% 19,657 15,577 5,549 2,041 4,821 501 48,146
ON Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockConCon30,391 55.95% 19,298 35.53% 60.10% 30,391 11,093 7,952 4,505 374 54,315
ON HaltonConCon32,986 47.50% 7,850 11.30% 60.45% 32,986 25,136 6,118 4,872 337 69,449
ON Hamilton CentreNDPNDP20,010 49.25% 10,959 26.97% 50.36% 9,051 7,164 20,010 3,625 779 40,629
ON Hamilton East—Stoney CreekNDPNDP19,919 41.28% 6,464 13.40% 56.59% 11,556 13,455 19,919 2,142 323 853 48,248
ON Hamilton MountainNDPNDP22,796 43.65% 6,786 12.99% 59.26% 16,010 10,531 22,796 2,884 52,221
ON Huron—BruceLibCon22,182 44.77% 5,846 11.80% 64.59% 22,182 16,336 7,426 2,617 242 747 49,550
ON KenoraLibCon9,395 40.46% 2,051 8.83% 54.48% 9,395 7,344 5,394 1,087 23,220
ON Kingston and the IslandsLibLib22,734 39.15% 3,839 6.61% 60.10% 18,895 22,734 10,158 6,282 58,069
ON Kitchener CentreLibCon16,480 36.70% 339 0.75% 57.03% 16,480 16,141 8,122 3,823 215 127 44,908
ON Kitchener—ConestogaConCon23,525 49.32% 11,649 24.42% 56.52% 23,525 11,876 7,173 5,124 47,698
ON Kitchener—WaterlooLibCon21,830 36.06% 17 0.03% 62.31% 21,830 21,813 8,915 7,326 107 543 60,534
ON Lambton—Kent—MiddlesexConCon24,516 51.28% 12,704 26.58% 61.10% 24,516 11,812 7,427 3,386 663 47,804
ON Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and AddingtonConCon30,272 55.88% 18,463 34.08% 61.04% 30,272 11,809 7,112 4,629 347 54,169
ON Leeds—GrenvilleConCon27,473 58.44% 19,398 41.27% 62.86% 27,473 8,075 6,511 4,522 426 47,007
ON London—FanshaweNDPNDP17,672 43.06% 5,013 12.22% 55.11% 12,659 7,774 17,672 2,656 276 41,037
ON London North CentreLibLib21,018 39.13% 3,306 6.15% 56.97% 17,712 21,018 9,387 5,603 53,720
ON London WestLibCon22,556 39.09% 2,121 3.68% 63.14% 22,556 20,435 8,409 5,630 667 57,697
ON Markham—UnionvilleLibLib25,296 55.02% 11,441 24.88% 52.01% 13,855 25,296 4,682 1,921 225 45,979
ON Mississauga—Brampton SouthLibLib21,220 47.69% 6,556 14.73% 49.39% 14,664 21,220 5,268 2,947 395 44,494
ON Mississauga East—CooksvilleLibLib20,457 50.16% 7,180 17.61% 49.13% 13,277 20,457 4,632 2,138 277 40,781
ON Mississauga—ErindaleLibCon23,863 42.71% 397 0.71% 56.20% 23,863 23,466 4,774 3,636 129 55,868
ON Mississauga SouthLibLib20,518 44.22% 2,152 4.64% 60.08% 18,366 20,518 4,104 3,407 46,395
ON Mississauga—StreetsvilleLibLib21,710 45.76% 4,725 9.96% 56.13% 16,985 21,710 4,710 3,179 857 47,441
ON Nepean—CarletonConCon39,921 55.84% 23,178 32.42% 69.39% 39,921 16,743 6,946 7,880 71,490
ON Newmarket—AuroraLibCon24,873 46.70% 6,623 12.43% 62.07% 24,873 18,250 4,548 4,381 1,209 53,261
ON Niagara FallsConCon24,016 46.70% 10,149 19.74% 54.60% 24,016 13,867 9,186 4,356 51,425
ON Niagara West—GlanbrookConCon28,089 51.98% 15,134 28.01% 63.69% 28,089 12,955 7,980 3,897 1,118 54,039
ON Nickel BeltLibNDP19,021 46.54% 8,273 20.24% 57.75% 8,869 10,748 19,021 2,056 112 66 40,872
ON Nipissing—TimiskamingLibLib18,510 44.56% 5,078 12.23% 59.42% 13,432 18,510 6,582 2,808 204 41,536
ON Northumberland—Quinte WestConCon27,615 48.71% 11,406 20.12% 60.75% 27,615 16,209 8,230 4,633 56,687
ON Oak Ridges—MarkhamLibCon32,028 42.24% 545 0.72% 55.66% 32,028 31,483 7,126 5,184 75,821
ON OakvilleLibCon26,011 46.98% 5,483 9.90% 66.34% 26,011 20,528 4,143 4,681 55,363
ON OshawaConCon19,951 41.37% 3,201 6.64% 55.25% 19,951 7,741 16,750 3,374 415 48,231
ON Ottawa CentreNDPNDP25,399 39.74% 8,766 13.71% 69.11% 15,065 16,633 25,399 6,348 473 63,918
ON Ottawa—OrléansConCon27,244 44.91% 3,695 6.09% 71.34% 27,244 23,549 6,025 3,845 60,663
ON Ottawa SouthLibLib29,035 49.91% 9,618 16.53% 66.82% 19,417 29,035 4,920 3,939 864 58,175
ON Ottawa—VanierLibLib23,948 46.20% 9,810 18.93% 64.04% 14,138 23,948 8,845 4,447 227 230 51,835
ON Ottawa West—NepeanConCon25,109 44.98% 4,948 8.86% 66.44% 25,109 20,161 6,432 3,558 414 150 55,824
ON OxfordConCon23,330 52.68% 14,744 33.29% 59.02% 23,330 8,586 7,982 3,355 1,036 44,289
ON Parkdale—High ParkNDPLib20,705 42.98% 3,373 7.00% 64.60% 5,992 20,705 17,332 3,601 549 48,179
ON Parry Sound-MuskokaConCon21,831 50.19% 10,960 25.19% 62.71% 21,831 10,871 5,355 5,119 325 43,501
ON Perth WellingtonConCon20,765 48.09% 10,540 24.41% 59.39% 20,765 10,225 7,334 3,874 982 43,180
ON PeterboroughConCon27,630 47.40% 9,213 15.81% 63.32% 27,630 18,417 8,115 4,029 98 58,289
ON Pickering—Scarborough EastLibLib22,874 49.69% 7,934 17.24% 60.22% 14,940 22,874 4,875 3,023 321 46,033
ON Prince Edward—HastingsConCon26,061 50.19% 12,013 23.14% 59.06% 26,061 14,048 7,156 4,379 276 51,920
ON Renfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConCon28,908 61.10% 19,171 40.52% 63.15% 28,908 9,737 5,175 3,201 293 47,314
ON Richmond HillLibLib21,488 47.00% 5,170 11.31% 52.05% 16,318 21,488 4,526 3,388 45,720
ON St. CatharinesConCon23,474 45.90% 8,822 17.25% 61.20% 23,474 14,652 9,428 3,477 113 51,144
ON St. Paul'sLibLib26,286 50.61% 12,338 23.76% 63.98% 13,948 26,286 6,666 4,726 312 51,938
ON Sarnia—LambtonConCon23,195 50.01% 13,158 28.37% 58.66% 23,195 9,404 10,037 3,201 545 46,382
ON Sault Ste. MarieNDPNDP16,572 40.43% 1,111 2.71% 59.42% 15,461 6,870 16,572 1,774 316 40,993
ON Scarborough—AgincourtLibLib22,795 56.63% 10,959 27.23% 54.16% 11,836 22,795 3,748 1,870 40,249
ON Scarborough CentreLibLib17,927 48.68% 6,839 18.57% 52.13% 11,088 17,927 5,801 2,011 36,827
ON Scarborough-GuildwoodLibLib18,098 50.17% 7,217 20.01% 54.02% 10,881 18,098 5,183 1,913 36,075
ON Scarborough—Rouge RiverLibLib23,718 58.78% 14,558 36.08% 47.50% 9,160 23,718 5,936 1,207 331 40,352
ON Scarborough SouthwestLibLib15,486 41.83% 4,558 12.31% 54.74% 10,928 15,486 6,943 3,514 151 37,022
ON Simcoe—GreyConCon30,897 55.05% 18,798 33.49% 60.10% 30,897 12,099 6,288 5,685 1,161 56,130
ON Simcoe NorthConCon26,328 49.66% 11,658 21.99% 60.10% 26,328 14,670 6,202 5,821 53,021
ON Stormont—Dundas—South GlengarryConCon25,846 57.34% 17,292 38.36% 60.15% 25,846 8,554 6,107 1,880 2,581 105 45,073
ON SudburyLibNDP15,094 35.15% 2,125 4.95% 58.11% 11,073 12,969 15,094 3,330 80 397 42,943
ON ThornhillLibCon26,660 49.01% 5,212 9.58% 56.80% 26,660 21,448 3,601 2,686 54,395
ON Thunder Bay—Rainy RiverLibNDP14,478 40.32% 2,889 8.05% 57.05% 8,466 11,589 14,478 1,377 35,910
ON Thunder Bay—Superior NorthLibNDP13,187 37.03% 3,104 8.72% 57.37% 9,556 10,083 13,187 2,463 327 35,616
ON Timmins-James BayNDPNDP17,188 56.54% 10,448 34.37% 51.00% 5,536 6,740 17,188 938 30,402
ON Toronto CentreLibLib27,462 53.53% 18,060 35.20% 57.39% 9,402 27,462 7,743 6,081 146 472 51,306
ON Toronto—DanforthNDPNDP20,323 44.78% 6,987 15.39% 60.91% 5,287 13,336 20,323 5,995 130 316 45,387
ON Trinity—SpadinaNDPNDP24,454 40.84% 3,484 5.82% 62.21% 8,249 20,970 24,454 5,418 296 491 59,878
ON VaughanLibLib27,773 49.18% 8,383 14.84% 51.92% 19,390 27,773 5,442 3,870 56,475
ON WellandLibNDP16,842 32.91% 300 0.59% 59.67% 16,542 14,295 16,842 2,816 569 114 51,178
ON Wellington—Halton HillsConCon29,191 57.63% 17,879 35.30% 63.21% 29,191 11,312 4,747 4,987 414 50,651
ON Whitby—OshawaConCon30,704 50.99% 15,244 25.32% 60.91% 30,704 15,460 8,584 5,067 395 60,210
ON WillowdaleLibLib23,889 48.67% 7,958 16.21% 51.92% 15,931 23,889 5,011 3,130 260 864 49,085
ON Windsor—TecumsehNDPNDP20,914 48.70% 10,638 24.77% 50.65% 10,276 9,005 20,914 2,749 42,944
ON Windsor WestNDPNDP20,791 52.51% 11,837 29.89% 47.33% 8,954 7,357 20,791 2,253 241 39,596
ON York CentreLibLib16,164 43.46% 2,032 5.46% 52.31% 14,132 16,164 4,503 2,390 37,189
ON York—SimcoeConCon27,412 56.70% 18,368 37.99% 56.17% 27,412 9,044 5,882 4,887 1,120 48,345
ON York South—WestonLibLib16,071 46.60% 6,430 18.64% 50.35% 7,021 16,071 9,641 1,757 34,490
ON York WestLibLib16,997 59.39% 11,634 40.65% 48.33% 4,773 16,997 5,363 1,488 28,621
PE CardiganLibLib10,105 52.81% 4,444 23.23% 70.26% 5,661 10,105 1,556 710 1,101 19,133
PE CharlottetownLibLib8,893 50.06% 3,189 17.95% 66.10% 5,704 8,893 2,187 858 124 17,766
PE Egmont[119] LibCon8,110 43.93% 55 0.30% 68.15% 8,110[120] 8,055[121] 1,670 626 18,461
PE MalpequeLibLib8,312 44.19% 924 4.91% 71.41% 7,388 8,312 1,819 1,291 18,810
QC Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—EeyouBQBQ10,995 39.65% 2,573 9.28% 49.06% 8,422 5,108 2,276 10,995 928 27,729
QC Abitibi—TémiscamingueBQBQ20,929 47.91% 11,874 27.18% 55.01% 8,267 9,055 4,151 20,929 976 302 43,680
QC AhuntsicBQBQ18,815 39.49% 423 0.89% 65.64% 4,937 18,392 4,276 18,815 1,228 47,648
QC Alfred-PellanBQBQ20,686 38.83% 5,092 9.56% 66.05% 8,662 15,594 6,406 20,686 1,665 259 53,272
QC Argenteuil—Papineau—MirabelBQBQ26,455 48.10% 16,471 29.95% 60.86% 9,584 9,984 6,819 26,455 2,055 98 54,995
QC Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—BécancourBQBQ26,821 54.67% 17,917 36.52% 65.45% 8,904 7,987 4,010 26,821 1,334 49,056
QC BeauceConCon31,883 62.41% 24,740 48.43% 62.38% 31,883 5,270 4,352 7,143 2,436 51,084
QC Beauharnois—SalaberryBQBQ26,904 50.07% 16,046 29.86% 63.22% 10,858 7,995 6,214 26,904 1,764 53,735
QC Beauport—LimoilouConCon17,994 36.76% 2,032 4.15% 59.40% 17,994 7,030 5,986 15,962 1,363 610 48,945
QC Berthier—MaskinongéBQBQ24,945 45.83% 12,867 23.64% 62.75% 12,078 10,035 5,684 24,945 1,691 54,433
QC BourassaLibLib19,869 49.79% 9,724 24.37% 58.32% 5,405 19,869 3,188 10,145 1,166 130 39,903
QC Brome—MissisquoiBQBQ17,561 35.21% 1,204 2.41% 65.78% 9,309 16,357 4,514 17,561 1,784 354 49,879
QC Brossard—La PrairieBQLib19,103 32.59% 69 0.12% 64.57% 11,062 19,103 7,452 19,034 1,816 157 58,624
QC Chambly—BorduasBQBQ31,773 50.08% 21,124 33.30% 68.41% 9,564 10,649 8,998 31,773 2,460 63,444
QC Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-CharlesConCon20,566 41.15% 5,964 11.93% 63.66% 20,566 7,039 6,542 14,602 1,231 49,980
QC Châteauguay—Saint-ConstantBQBQ25,086 45.58% 14,982 27.22% 66.36% 9,827 10,104 8,261 25,086 1,755 55,033
QC Chicoutimi—Le FjordBQBQ19,737 41.31% 3,057 6.40% 62.25% 16,680 6,425 3,742 19,737 1,193 47,777
QC Compton—StansteadBQBQ20,332 41.86% 9,386 19.32% 62.97% 9,445 10,946 5,483 20,332 2,368 48,574
QC DrummondBQBQ17,613 38.79% 6,123 13.49% 62.21% 11,490 7,697 7,460 17,613 1,144 45,404
QC Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-MadeleineBQBQ14,636 40.10% 4,796 13.14% 54.11% 8,334 9,840 2,549 14,636 1,136 36,495
QC GatineauBQBQ15,189 29.15% 1,577 3.03% 61.13% 8,762 13,193 13,612 15,189 1,342 52,098
QC Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—MatapédiaBQBQ11,984 37.53% 616 1.93% 54.38% 5,771 11,368[122] 1,497 11,984 1,139 175 31,934
QC HochelagaBQBQ22,720 49.73% 13,278 29.07% 58.24% 4,201 9,442 6,600 22,720 1,946 774 45,683
QC Honoré-MercierLibLib21,544 43.67% 7,673 15.55% 62.16% 7,549 21,544 4,986 13,871 1,380 49,330
QC Hull—AylmerLibLib19,750 37.45% 8,125 15.41% 61.00% 7,996 19,750 10,454 11,625 2,784 121 52,730
QC Jeanne-Le BerBQBQ17,144 34.91% 1,303 2.65% 57.66% 5,494 15,841 7,708 17,144 2,345 577 49,109
QC JolietteBQBQ28,040 52.40% 18,500 34.57% 62.02% 9,540 7,769 5,579 28,040 2,588 53,516
QC Jonquière—AlmaConCon26,639 52.48% 7,604 14.98% 64.79% 26,639 2,616 2,475 19,035 50,765
QC La Pointe-de-l'ÎleBQBQ25,976 56.09% 18,573 40.10% 59.46% 5,179 7,403 5,975 25,976 1,340 438 46,311
QC Lac-Saint-LouisLibLib23,842 46.39% 11,757 22.87% 64.03% 12,085 23,842 8,105 2,953 4,415 51,400
QC LaSalle—ÉmardLibLib17,226 40.60% 6,842 16.13% 57.82% 6,802 17,226 5,622 10,384 1,579 674 144 42,431
QC Laurentides—LabelleBQBQ24,956 47.08% 10,813 20.40% 60.40% 6,914 14,143 4,896 24,956 2,094 53,003
QC Laurier—Sainte-MarieBQBQ24,103 50.24% 15,305 31.90% 61.10% 2,320 8,798 8,209 24,103 3,801 93 651 47,975
QC LavalBQBQ19,085 37.80% 4,895 9.69% 62.24% 9,101 14,190 6,289 19,085 1,607 221 50,493
QC Laval—Les ÎlesLibLib21,603 40.45% 9,027 16.90% 61.69% 11,017 21,603 6,124 12,576 1,752 336 53,408
QC Lévis—BellechasseConCon24,785 45.90% 11,038 20.44% 62.45% 24,785 8,130 5,856 13,747 1,370 113 54,001
QC Longueuil—Pierre-BoucherBQBQ23,118 46.12% 12,198 24.34% 65.89% 7,210 10,920 7,021 23,118 1,752 103 50,124
QC Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-ChaudièreConCon24,495 47.27% 11,757 22.69% 66.15% 24,495 6,498 6,828 12,738 1,265 51,824
QC Louis-HébertConBQ20,992 36.23% 4,649 8.02% 70.29% 16,343 13,669 5,403 20,992 1,408 119 57,934
QC Louis-Saint-LaurentConCon23,683 47.14% 10,353 20.61% 62.88% 23,683 6,712 5,252 13,330 1,260 50,237
QC ManicouaganBQBQ15,272 49.29% 6,898 22.26% 49.20% 8,374 4,737 1,491 15,272 1,112 30,986
QC Marc-Aurèle-FortinBQBQ25,552 45.53% 11,824 21.07% 67.41% 7,759 13,728 6,907 25,552 2,178 56,124
QC Mégantic—L'ÉrableConCon20,697 46.70% 8,414 18.99% 64.42% 20,697 6,185 4,191 12,283 959 44,315
QC MontcalmBQBQ33,519 55.69% 25,132 41.75% 61.73% 8,096 8,387 8,337 33,519 1,854 60,193
QC Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-LoupBQBQ20,494 46.03% 6,854 15.39% 57.49% 13,640 6,835 2,428 20,494 978 147 44,522
QC Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-NordBQBQ21,068 48.88% 9,279 21.53% 58.35% 11,789 5,769 3,332 21,068 1,147 43,105
QC Mount RoyalLibLib19,702 55.65% 10,026 28.32% 52.30% 9,676 19,702 2,733 1,543 1,565 186 35,405
QC Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—LachineLibLib19,554 44.62% 12,446 28.40% 58.09% 7,108 19,554 6,641 6,962 3,378 177 43,820
QC OutremontLibNDP14,348 39.53% 2,343 6.46% 56.61% 3,820 12,005 14,348 4,554 1,566 36,293
QC PapineauBQLib17,724 41.47% 1,189 2.78% 61.77% 3,262 17,724 3,734 16,535 1,213 267 42,735
QC Pierrefonds—DollardLibLib21,468 46.94% 9,653 21.11% 57.81% 11,815 21,468 4,823 4,357 3,161 111 45,735
QC PontiacConCon14,023 32.71% 3,627 8.46% 54.55% 14,023 10,396 6,616 9,576 2,148 112 42,871
QC Portneuf—Jacques-CartierIndInd15,063 33.49% 662 1.47% 60.83% 7,320 5,707 14,401 1,452 16,102[123] 44,982
QC QuébecBQBQ21,064 41.76% 8,121 16.10% 62.68% 12,943 8,845 5,933 21,064 1,650 50,435
QC RepentignyBQBQ31,007 53.05% 22,154 37.91% 65.90% 8,168 8,751 8,853 31,007 1,666 58,445
QC Richmond—ArthabaskaBQBQ23,913 46.02% 8,833 17.00% 65.57% 15,080 6,599 4,509 23,913 1,337 526 51,964
QC Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les BasquesBQBQ17,652 44.69% 9,715 24.59% 58.73% 7,216 7,937 4,084 17,652 645 1,966 39,500
QC Rivière-des-Mille-ÎlesBQBQ23,216 45.68% 13,305 26.18% 67.18% 9,911 8,823 6,741 23,216 2,134 50,825
QC Rivière-du-NordBQBQ26,588 53.57% 19,401 39.09% 59.26% 7,170 6,755 7,187 26,588 1,656 273 49,629
QC Roberval—Lac-Saint-JeanBQCon16,055 43.54% 1,436 3.89% 58.99% 16,055 3,721 1,738 14,619 737 36,870
QC Rosemont—La Petite-PatrieBQBQ27,260 52.00% 17,475 33.34% 64.65% 3,876 9,785 8,522 27,260 2,406 83 489 52,421
QC Saint-Bruno—Saint-HubertBQBQ23,767 44.99% 12,012 22.74% 67.70% 8,125 11,755 7,154 23,767 2,031 52,832
QC Saint-Hyacinthe—BagotBQBQ22,719 47.36% 12,524 26.11% 63.12% 10,195 6,649 6,721 22,719 1,682 47,966
QC Saint-JeanBQBQ26,506 49.61% 17,076 31.96% 65.47% 9,281 9,430 5,529 26,506 2,160 520 53,426
QC Saint-LambertBQBQ16,346 37.63% 3,963 9.12% 59.45% 6,867 12,383 6,280 16,346 1,566 43,442
QC Saint-Laurent—CartiervilleLibLib25,095 61.72% 18,096 44.51% 53.55% 6,999 25,095 3,654 4,611 299 40,658
QC Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelLibLib21,652 57.26% 16,025 42.38% 53.59% 5,627 21,652 4,039 5,146 1,063 122 165 37,814
QC Saint-Maurice—ChamplainBQBQ20,397 43.96% 9,314 20.07% 59.25% 11,083 9,755 3,601 20,397 1,562 46,398
QC SheffordBQBQ21,650 42.82% 10,840 21.44% 63.14% 9,927 10,810 6,323 21,650 1,848 50,558
QC SherbrookeBQBQ25,502 50.08% 15,555 30.55% 62.85% 8,331 9,947 6,676 25,502 467 50,923
QC Terrebonne—BlainvilleBQBQ28,303 52.35% 19,366 35.82% 66.00% 7,551 8,937 7,278 28,303 1,714 283 54,066
QC Trois-RivièresBQBQ22,405 45.27% 10,407 21.03% 64.58% 11,998 9,008 4,544 22,405 1,540 49,495
QC Vaudreuil-SoulangesBQBQ27,044 41.34% 11,548 17.65% 67.76% 15,496 13,954 6,298 27,044 2,625 65,417
QC Verchères—Les PatriotesBQBQ27,602 50.85% 18,731 34.51% 71.87% 7,742 8,871 8,388 27,602 1,679 54,282
QC Westmount—Ville-MarieLibLib18,041 46.47% 9,137 23.53% 50.65% 6,139 18,041 8,904 2,818 2,733 47 145 38,827
SK Battlefords—LloydminsterConCon15,621 60.11% 9,049 34.82% 51.11% 15,621 2,140 6,572 1,287 368 25,988
SK BlackstrapConCon20,747 53.95% 10,871 28.27% 64.57% 20,747 5,509 9,876 2,325 38,457
SK Cypress Hills—GrasslandsConCon17,922 64.36% 13,528 48.58% 62.79% 17,922 3,691 4,394 1,840 27,847
SK Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill RiverLibCon8,964 46.67% 3,148 16.39% 44.75% 8,964 5,816 3,414 733 282 19,209
SK PalliserConCon14,159 44.12% 3,294 10.26% 64.35% 14,159 5,489 10,865 1,580 32,093
SK Prince AlbertConCon16,542 57.73% 8,299 28.96% 55.52% 16,542 2,289 8,243 1,413 167 28,654
SK Regina—Lumsden—Lake CentreConCon16,053 51.09% 7,090 22.56% 63.09% 16,053 4,668 8,963 1,737 31,421
SK Regina—Qu'AppelleConCon14,068 51.85% 5,369 19.79% 56.61% 14,068 2,809 8,699 1,556 27,132
SK Saskatoon—HumboldtConCon18,610 53.80% 8,978 25.96% 61.50% 18,610 4,135 9,632 2,211 34,588
SK Saskatoon—Rosetown—BiggarConCon12,231 45.39% 262 0.97% 54.82% 12,231 1,188 11,969 1,232 138 188 26,946
SK Saskatoon—WanuskewinConCon18,320 56.51% 10,422 32.15% 58.78% 18,320 4,020 7,898 2,182 32,420
SK Souris—Moose MountainConCon19,293 70.49% 14,694 53.69% 58.68% 19,293 1,834 4,599 1,643 27,369
SK WascanaLibLib17,028 46.08% 4,230 11.45% 64.20% 12,798 17,028 5,418 1,706 36,950
SK Yorkton—MelvilleConCon19,824 68.03% 13,748 47.18% 56.86% 19,824 1,578 6,076 1,664 29,142
Terr LibCon2,815 34.92% 466 5.78% 47.35% 2,815 2,349 2,228 669 8,061
Terr NDPNDP5,669 41.45% 523 3.82% 47.71% 5,146[124] 1,858 5,669 752 252 13,677
Terr YukonLibLib6,715 45.80% 1,927 13.14% 63.23% 4,788 6,715 1,276 1,881 14,660

= went to a judicial recount

= Open seat

= turnout is above national average

= Incumbent had switched allegiance

= Previously incumbent in another riding

= Not incumbent; was previously elected to the House

= Incumbency arose from by-election gain

= other incumbents defeated

= Multiple candidates

Summary analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
Con Lib NDP BQ Grn Ind
78 50 9 5 1 143
57 13 7 77
20 17 37
18 28 3 49
1 1 2
Total95 123 67 17 5 1 308
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
143 95 56 12 1
77 123 79 28
49 17 5 2 2
37 67 129 75
2 1 1 3 26
5 38 185 74
1 47
1 8
1 1
19
16
10
7
6
4
1
1
1
Source !!colspan="6"
Party
align="center" Con align="center" Lib align="center" NDP align="center" Bloc align="center" IndTotal
Seats retained Incumbents returned105 66 24 42 1 238
Open seats held12 7 2 5 26
Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance1 1 1 3
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated17 3 6 1 27
Open seats gained6 4 10
Byelection gains held2 1 3
Incumbent changing allegiance1 1
Total143 77 37 49 2 308

Significant results among independent and minor party candidates

Those candidates not belonging to a major party, receiving more than 1,000 votes in the election, are listed below:[109]

Riding Party Candidates Votes Placed
Rogere Richard 4,8363rd
Kirk Schmidt 1,790 5th
Larry McGuire 1,101 4th
27,303 1st
James Ford 15,960 2nd
4,821 4th
Geoffrey Capp 1,094 5th
1,004 5th
Dave Bylsma 1,118 5th
Shaun MacDonald 1,036 5th
15,063 1st
Jean Paradis 1,039 6th
David Reimer 1,170 5th
1,966 5th
Peter Van der Zaag 1,018 5th
Rod Taylor 1,125 5th
2,581 4th

Results by province

Party nameBCABSKMBONQCNBNSPENLNUNTYTTotalConservativeSeats:22271395110631-1style="text-align:right;"-style="text-align:right;"-143Vote:44.464.653.748.839.221.739.426.136.216.534.837.632.837.6LiberalSeats:5style="text-align:right;"-1138143536style="text-align:right;"-style="text-align:right;"-177Vote:19.311.414.919.133.823.732.429.847.746.629.213.645.326.2Bloc QuébécoisSeats:     49       49Vote:     38.1       10.0New DemocraticSeats:91style="text-align:right;"-417112style="text-align:right;"-1style="text-align:right;"-1style="text-align:right;"-37Vote:25.012.725.624.018.212.221.928.99.833.927.641.59.018.2Vote:9.48.85.66.88.03.56.28.04.71.78.45.513.06.8Independent / No affiliationSeats:11    2Vote:  0.6 6.6     0.7Total seats:3628141410675101147111308

Seats that changed hands

Incumbent MPs not running for re-election

Conservatives

Electoral DistrictResigning incumbentSucceeded by
NLSt. John's East Norman Doyle[125]  Jack Harris
NLSt. John's South—Mount Pearl Loyola Hearn[126]  Siobhán Coady
ONThunder Bay—Superior North Joe Comuzzi[127]  Bruce Hyer
MBPortage—Lisgar Brian Pallister[128]  Candice Hoeppner
SKPalliser Dave Batters[129]  Ray Boughen
SKPrince Albert Brian Fitzpatrick[130]  Randy Hoback
SKSaskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar Carol Skelton[131]  Kelly Block
ABCalgary Northeast Art Hanger[132]  Devinder Shory
ABEdmonton—St. Albert John G. Williams[133]  Brent Rathgeber
ABEdmonton—Sherwood Park Ken Epp[134]  Tim Uppal
ABMedicine Hat Monte Solberg[135]  LaVar Payne
ABRed Deer Bob Mills[136]  Earl Dreeshen
ABWild Rose Myron Thompson[137]  Blake Richards
BCKamloops—Thompson—Cariboo Betty Hinton[138]  Cathy McLeod
BCVancouver Kingsway David Emerson Don Davies

Liberals

Electoral DistrictResigning incumbentSucceeded by
NLRandom—Burin—St. George's Bill Matthews[139]  Judy Foote
PEIEgmont Joe McGuire[140]  Gail Shea
NBFredericton Andy Scott[141]  Keith Ashfield
QCLaSalle—Émard Paul Martin[142]  Lise Zarac
ONBrampton West Colleen Beaumier[143]  Andrew Kania
ONEtobicoke North Roy Cullen[144]  Kirsty Duncan
ONHuron—Bruce Paul Steckle[145]  Ben Lobb
ONNewmarket—Aurora Belinda Stronach[146]  Lois Brown
ONNickel Belt Raymond Bonin[147]  Claude Gravelle
ONScarborough Southwest Tom Wappel[148]  Michelle Simson
NUNunavut Nancy Karetak-Lindell[149]  Leona Aglukkaq

Bloc Québécois

Electoral DistrictResigning incumbentSucceeded by
QCDrummond Pauline Picard Roger Pomerleau
QCLongueuil—Pierre-Boucher Caroline St-Hilaire Jean Dorion
QCRepentigny Raymond Gravel[150]  Nicolas Dufour
QCRivière-des-Mille-Îles Gilles Perron Luc Desnoyers

New Democrats

Electoral DistrictResigning incumbentSucceeded by
NSHalifax Alexa McDonough[151]  Megan Leslie
MBElmwood—Transcona Bill Blaikie[152]  Jim Maloway
BCSurrey North Penny Priddy[153]  Dona Cadman

Vacancies upon dissolution

By-elections in progress in four vacant ridings were cancelled when the general election was called.

Electoral DistrictPrevious MPNew MP
QCSaint-Lambert Maka Kotto Josée Beaudin
QCWestmount—Ville-Marie Lucienne Robillard Marc Garneau
ONDon Valley West John Godfrey Rob Oliphant
ONGuelph Brenda Chamberlain Frank Valeriote

Defeated incumbents

Conservatives

Electoral DistrictIncumbentDefeated by
NLAvalon Fabian Manning Scott Andrews
QCLouis-Hébert Luc Harvey Pascal-Pierre Paillé
ONMississauga—Streetsville Wajid Khan Bonnie Crombie
ABEdmonton—Strathcona Rahim Jaffer Linda Duncan

Liberals

Electoral DistrictIncumbentDefeated by
NSWest Nova Robert Thibault Greg Kerr
NBMiramichi Charles Hubbard Tilly O'Neill-Gordon
NBSaint John Paul Zed Rodney Weston
ONAlgoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing Brent St. Denis Carol Hughes
ONBrant Lloyd St. Amand Phil McColeman
ONHalton Garth Turner Lisa Raitt
ONKenora Roger Valley Greg Rickford
ONKitchener Centre Karen Redman Stephen Woodworth
ONKitchener—Waterloo Andrew Telegdi Peter Braid
ONLondon West Sue Barnes Ed Holder
ONMississauga—Erindale Omar Alghabra Bob Dechert
ONOak Ridges—Markham Lui Temelkovski Paul Calandra
ONOakville Bonnie Brown Terence Young
ONSudbury Diane Marleau Glenn Thibeault
ONThornhill Susan Kadis Peter Kent
ONThunder Bay—Rainy River Ken Boshcoff John Rafferty
ONWelland John Maloney Malcolm Allen
MBChurchill Tina Keeper Niki Ashton
MBSaint Boniface Raymond Simard Shelly Glover
BCRichmond Raymond Chan Alice Wong
BCNorth Vancouver Don Bell Andrew Saxton

New Democrats

Electoral DistrictIncumbentDefeated by
ONParkdale—High Park Peggy Nash Gerard Kennedy
BCVancouver Island North Catherine Bell John Duncan

Bloc Québécois

Electoral DistrictIncumbentDefeated by
QCBrossard—La Prairie Marcel Lussier Alexandra Mendès[154]
QCPapineau Vivian Barbot Justin Trudeau

Independents

See also

External links

Projections and predictions

Notes and References

  1. http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/info/parl-dates.asp?lang=E&srt=DESC&Hist=Y&param=MIN Key Dates for each Parliament
  2. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070215.wtories15/BNStory/National/home Tories prepped for March campaign
  3. News: Harper hints at triggering election . . August 14, 2008 . August 18, 2008 .
  4. News: Harper calls a 4th federal by-election, sets stage for possible fall general election . . August 17, 2008 . August 18, 2008 .
  5. Web site: Public events for September 7, 2008. Office of the Prime Minister. September 5, 2008. September 7, 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081210212651/http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=4&id=2266. December 10, 2008. mdy-all.
  6. News: PM talks the talk but doesn't walk to Rideau Hall . . September 7, 2008 . September 7, 2008 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20080916010404/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080907/election2008_green_efforts_080907/20080907?s_name=election2008 . September 16, 2008 . mdy-all.
  7. http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2008/2008-09-08-x4/pdf/g2-142x4.pdf Three letters patent
  8. News: Proclamation Summoning Parliament to Meet on November 18, 2008. Canada Gazette. November 10, 2008. December 9, 2008.
  9. News: An Accord on a Cooperative Government to Address the Present Economic Crisis . . December 1, 2008 . December 9, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081209092933/http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/docs/081201_Accord_en_signed.pdf . December 9, 2008 .
  10. News: Liberals, NDP, Bloc sign deal on proposed coalition. CBC News. December 1, 2008. December 9, 2008.
  11. News: A Policy Accord to Address the Present Economic Crisis . . December 1, 2008 . December 9, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081217110920/http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/docs/081201_Policy_Frame_en_signed.pdf . December 17, 2008 .
  12. News: Proclamation Proroguing Parliament to January 26, 2009. Canada Gazette. December 5, 2008. December 9, 2008.
  13. News: Layton predicts fall election call after meeting with Harper . CBC News . August 30, 2008.
  14. News: Green leader allowed into debates, networks confirm. September 10, 2008 . . September 10, 2008 . CBC News.
  15. Web site: Green leader blames Harper, Layton for being barred from debates . canada.com . September 9, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080916195727/http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/story.html?id=ce3e7a10-554b-4aa7-ad89-5bef5927cd98 . September 16, 2008 . mdy-all .
  16. Web site: News Release - 2008 Leaders' Debates . CNW group . September 9, 2008.
  17. News: Greens can't participate in leaders debates, networks rule . September 9, 2008 . . September 8, 2008 . CBC News.
  18. News: More time set aside for economy during leaders' debates . . September 30, 2008 . September 30, 2008 . CBC News.
  19. News: Economy to dominate French-language debate . . October 1, 2008 . October 1, 2008 . CBC News.
  20. News: Harper targeted on economy, crime in French debate . . October 2, 2008 . October 2, 2008 . CBC News.
  21. News: Show us the platform, party leaders dare Harper on economy . . October 3, 2008 . October 3, 2008 . CBC News.
  22. News: Barbs fly over economy as leaders return to campaign trail . . October 3, 2008 . October 3, 2008 . CBC News.
  23. News: Layton vows to reverse Harper arts cuts, bolster culture funding . CBC News . September 23, 2008 . September 23, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080924045506/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/layton-and-duceppe-protest-culture-cuts-in-montreal-1.750190 . September 24, 2008 .
  24. News: Actors condemn Harper's culture cuts . CBC News . September 24, 2008 . September 24, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080926112951/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/actors-condemn-harper-s-culture-cuts-1.735491 . September 26, 2008 .
  25. News: Harper offers tax breaks to parents with kids in arts programs . The Canadian Press . September 30, 2008 . September 30, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081002083442/http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jeUfgJm9yH22rTH5VaCrKj3HQQGg . October 2, 2008 .
  26. News: No charges to be laid in Cadman Affair: RCMP. CBC News. May 16, 2008. July 9, 2008.
  27. Web site: Cornell Catana Reporting Services . Stephen Harper, Sworn: Cross-Examination by Mr. Paliare . Macleans.ca . September 4, 2008 . September 4, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080910215333/http://www.macleans.ca/files/pdf/harperdepo.pdf . September 10, 2008 .
  28. News: Tim Naumetz. Harper testifies he authorized offer to Cadman. Globe and Mail. September 4, 2008. September 4, 2008. Toronto.
  29. News: Tories use RCMP to block media from talking to candidate Cadman . CBC News . September 24, 2008 . September 24, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080924121234/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/tories-use-rcmp-to-block-media-from-talking-to-candidate-cadman-1.741937 . September 24, 2008 .
  30. News: Audio expert says Cadman tape not altered. CBC News. October 10, 2008. October 10, 2008.
  31. News: Deaths in Afghanistan could hurt Tory campaign. September 8, 2008. CTV News. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20080916010359/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080907/election2008_afghanistan_080907/20080907?s_name=election2008&no_ads=. September 16, 2008.
  32. News: Toronto mayor suggests Greens best bet for cities . CBC News . September 17, 2008 . September 17, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080919015841/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto-mayor-suggests-greens-best-bet-for-cities-1.770940 . September 19, 2008 .
  33. News: Dion promises $70B infrastructure boost . CBC News . September 18, 2008 . September 18, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080919111331/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/dion-promises-70b-infrastructure-boost-1.719785 . September 19, 2008 .
  34. News: Cities need more power to thrive: mayors . CBC News . September 23, 2008 . September 23, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081208133806/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/cities-need-more-power-to-thrive-mayors-1.694120 . December 8, 2008 .
  35. News: Use gas tax to pay for public transit: Layton . CBC News . September 29, 2008 . September 30, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081202045820/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/use-gas-tax-to-pay-for-public-transit-layton-1.706899 . December 2, 2008 .
  36. News: CTV News Election 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080913130222/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/20080906/economy_elxn_080906/20080906?&s_name=election2008 . dead . September 13, 2008 . CTV . September 12, 2008.
  37. Web site: Farming aid pushes Liberal pledges past $80B mark . . September 20, 2008 . September 20, 2008 .
  38. News: PM rebuffs NDP call for federal leaders' meeting on U.S. crisis . . September 30, 2008 . September 30, 2008 . CBC News.
  39. News: Fuel use of Liberal campaign jet under attack . September 12, 2008 . September 8, 2008 . Peter . Kuitenbrouwer . .
  40. News: What's the Matter With Canada? . Christopher . Flavelle . September 12, 2008 . . September 12, 2008.
  41. News: Tory bill aimed at cutting greenhouse gases in half by 2050 . CBC News . October 9, 2006 . September 13, 2008.
  42. News: Greens tops, Tories flops in Sierra Club climate-change report card. CBC News. September 5, 2008. September 7, 2008.
  43. Jones, Nicola. "Green issues dominate election: Climate change is high on Canadian agenda." Nature, September 17, 2008
  44. News: Liberal carbon tax threatens national unity, economy: Harper . . September 12, 2008 . September 12, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080914030144/http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5guTSMQRJqWWNB97ASPKDGOMEpQvA . September 14, 2008 .
  45. News: Tory's 'recession' threat based on old numbers . . September 11, 2008 . October 2, 2008 . Toronto . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090116084907/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080911.welxnharper0911/BNStory . January 16, 2009 .
  46. News: Atlantic director says Liberal proposal jeopardizes 10,000 Hub City jobs, will cost industry another $500M a year . Canadaeast News Service . David . Shipley . September 8, 2008 . September 12, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080913142914/http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/news/article/408284 . September 13, 2008 .
  47. News: Suzuki slams NDP, Tories, backs Dion's carbon tax . . May 18, 2008 . September 12, 2008 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20080529141851/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080518/carbontax_liberals_080518?s_name=&no_ads= . May 29, 2008 .
  48. News: David Suzuki explains why he thinks a carbon tax is the way to go . . October 1, 2008 . October 2, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081006132344/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/david-suzuki-explains-why-he-thinks-a-carbon-tax-is-the-way-to-go-1.722737 . October 6, 2008 .
  49. News: Layton hypes green strategy . Richard . Brennan . . September 12, 2008 . September 13, 2008.
  50. News: Layton lays out NDP's environment platform . . Chris . Boutet . September 11, 2008 . September 13, 2008 .
  51. News: Layton calls Liberal carbon tax 'wrong' . https://archive.today/20130115105855/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080907/election2008_2_080911/20080911?s_name=election2008 . live . January 15, 2013 . . September 11, 2008 . September 13, 2008 .
  52. News: Harper: Canada a more conservative country . . September 13, 2008 . October 3, 2008 . Toronto . The Globe and Mail.
  53. News: Tory organizer blames ABC campaign for party's woes . . October 3, 2008 . October 3, 2008 . CBC News.
  54. News: Tories launch attack ads aimed at Dion . CBC News . January 29, 2007.
  55. News: Stéphane Dion responds to interview gaffe: It was 'difficult to understand' and Harper has 'no class'. Yum. Kenny. October 10, 2008. National Post. October 12, 2008.
  56. Web site: Not Stéphane Dion's finest hour - Full Comment . Network.nationalpost.com . October 16, 2008 .
  57. News: TheStar.com - Federal Election - Tories show video to play up Dion's language difficulties . Thestar.com . ATV . October 9, 2008. October 16, 2008 . Toronto.
  58. News: CBC.ca - Canada Votes - Conservatives jump on Dion interview . Cbc.ca . CBC News . October 9, 2008. October 16, 2008.
  59. News: https://www.theglobeandmail.com: Liberals slam Tories for 'shamelessly' attacking Dion . Theglobeandmail.com . Tu Thanh Ha And Jane Taber And Steven Chase . October 16, 2008 . Toronto.
  60. News: Dion strikes back at Harper's criticisms of his leadership . October 10, 2008 . . October 2008 . CBC News . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081013162714/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/dion-strikes-back-at-harper-s-criticisms-of-his-leadership-1.743230 . October 13, 2008 .
  61. News: Harper's criticism of Dion interview 'double standard': Duceppe . October 10, 2008 . . October 2008 . CBC News . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081014215530/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/harper-s-criticism-of-dion-interview-double-standard-duceppe-1.757601 . October 14, 2008 .
  62. News: 'Tory times are bad times': Chrétien . October 10, 2008 . . October 10, 2008 . CBC News.
  63. News: Food scientists' union joins opposition calls for Ritz's firing . . September 20, 2008 . September 20, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080923054217/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/food-scientists-union-joins-opposition-calls-for-ritz-s-firing-1.740608 . September 23, 2008 .
  64. News: Families angry about Ritz's listeriosis jokes. CBC News. September 18, 2008. September 19, 2008.
  65. News: Conservatives to pull out of provincial meat inspection programs if elected: union. CBC News. September 19, 2008. September 19, 2008.
  66. News: Liberals accuse Harper of plagiarizing speech on Iraq . . September 30, 2008 . September 30, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081006132253/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/harper-staffer-quits-over-plagiarized-2003-speech-on-iraq-1.756590 . October 6, 2008 .
  67. News: Harper staffer quits over plagiarized 2003 speech on Iraq . October 2, 2008 . . September 2008 . CBC News . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081006132253/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/harper-staffer-quits-over-plagiarized-2003-speech-on-iraq-1.756590 . October 6, 2008 .
  68. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/harper-denies-latest-allegations-of-speech-plagiarism-1.771257 Harper denies latest allegations of speech plagiarism
  69. News: TheStar.com - Tories accuse Dion of plagiarism . Thestar.com . October 8, 2008. October 16, 2008 . Toronto . Les . Whittington.
  70. Web site: CityNews: Turnaround: Tories Claim Stéphane Dion Plagiarized Someone Else's Speech . Citynews.ca . CityNews.ca Staff . October 7, 2008 . October 16, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081011053121/http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_27724.aspx . October 11, 2008 .
  71. News: Missing ballot boxes recovered in Quebec. Séguin. Rhéal. October 13, 2008. October 14, 2008. Toronto. The Globe and Mail.
  72. News: Elections Canada fires 3 officials over missing ballot boxes. Toronto Star. October 14, 2008. October 14, 2008.
  73. Web site: Workers dismissed after missing ballot boxes found . . October 13, 2008 . December 5, 2008 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110505084835/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081010/scrutineers_election2008_081013?s_name=election2008&no_ads= . May 5, 2011 . mdy-all.
  74. http://www.londontopic.ca/article.php?artid=11132 Anti-Harper/Tory, pro-environment website slammed with pageviews
  75. Web site: Strategic Voting 2.0. Thompson. David. The Tyee. October 9, 2008. October 14, 2008.
  76. News: 7,000 ready to swap votes. Toronto Star. October 14, 2008. October 14, 2008.
  77. Tutton, Michael. May says to vote NDP or Liberal in close ridings. The Toronto Star. October 12, 2008.
  78. http://news.aol.ca/article/may-strategic/377529/ Green party says leader not calling for strategic voting to block Tories
  79. http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jqbY2PX4an9d4mAwcAheUmCmasxA Dion urges Greens to go red, May muddies waters
  80. News: New ID rules cause confusion at polls . . October 14, 2008 . October 15, 2008.
  81. Web site: Pomfret. R. Voter Turnout at Federal Elections and Referendums. Elections Canada Online. Elections Canada. February 10, 2012.
  82. News: Polls close in Nova Scotia . CBC News . October 14, 2008.
  83. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Elections-Canada-Announces-Results-Judicial/story.aspx?guid={F7BADC37-6EAC-413E-8B08-570B4AFC18FE} Elections Canada Announces Results of Judicial Recount in the Electoral District of Vancouver South
  84. http://www.elections.ca/enr/recounts/59034_e.htm Elections Canada – Election Night Results
  85. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081028.BCBRIEFS28-1/TPStory/National "Tory candidate to appeal recount"
  86. News: TheStar.com . September 23, 2008 . February 2, 2012 . Toronto . Petti . Fong.
  87. News: Curry. Bill. Tories apologize for 'sober' remark to aboriginal protester. The Globe and Mail. September 18, 2008. November 28, 2008. Toronto.
  88. Web site: Ottawa . The . Ottawa Citizen . Canada.com . September 12, 2008 . February 2, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121108105335/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=e8e54944-b517-4728-b263-219b3787d619 . November 8, 2012 .
  89. Web site: Gazette . Montreal . Canada.com . Canada.com . September 11, 2008 . February 2, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121108105403/http://www.canada.com/topics/news/features/decisioncanada/story.html?id=cdbe8c09-5c11-402f-9817-c321c4ff75a8 . November 8, 2012 .
  90. http://www.winnipegsun.com/canadavotes/news/2008/10/02/6954726.html Winnipeg Sun
  91. Web site: National Post . October 18, 2008 .
  92. Web site: POT-TV: Weedy Wednesday Smokefest - DMT and Mushrooms . October 19, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080921050702/http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-403.html . September 21, 2008 .
  93. Web site: McNair. Adrian. Elizabeth May and the John Shavluk Story Unambiguously Ambidextrous. April 25, 2013.
  94. http://www.canada.com/topics/news/features/decisioncanada/story.html?id=015205ac-a93c-4239-8e4f-abbc1d6bb836 Sudbury police investigate independent candidate over gay comments
  95. https://web.archive.org/web/20110522130243/http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20081007/Sudbury_remarks_081007/20081007/?hub=TorontoNewHome "Sudbury candidate probed after second anti-gay remark"
  96. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/more-cars-damaged-as-election-vandalism-spreads-in-toronto-1.714328 More cars damaged as election vandalism spreads in Toronto
  97. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081006.ELECTIONVANDALS6/TPStory/National Vandals target Toronto Liberals
  98. https://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/516047 "Liberal senator's Cadillac damaged"
  99. http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1237572 Police confirm three reports of brakes damage
  100. News: Judge to rule if 2008 Harper election call legal . The Star . Toronto . Sue . Bailey . September 8, 2009 . April 28, 2010.
  101. News: Sue . Bailey . Supreme Court will not weigh in on Harper fixed-election case . The Canadian Press . The Toronto Star . January 20, 2011 . April 12, 2011 .
  102. [Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River]
  103. News: GG agrees to suspend Parliament: Harper . CBC. December 4, 2008. December 4, 2008.
  104. News: Dion will bow out early to clear way for successor. CBC News. 8 December 2008. 2 April 2014. 31 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170331115430/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/dion-will-bow-out-early-to-clear-way-for-successor-1.713813. live.
  105. News: Clock ticking on coalition's chances. Harris. Kathleen. 26 January 2009. Toronto Sun. 23 April 2010.
  106. News: Harper Has Crushing Poll Lead On Crisis. 2008-12-05. Ipsos Reid. December 2008. Reuters. https://web.archive.org/web/20081208015902/http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE4B42X520081205/. 8 December 2008 . live.
  107. Book: . 2009. Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada on the 40th general election of October 14, 2008. Ottawa. Elections Canada. 0846-6351. 978-0-662-06476-3.
  108. Web site: Table 11: Voting results by electoral district. . Elections Canada. April 21, 2024.
  109. Web site: Table 12: List of candidates by electoral district and individual results. . Elections Canada. April 21, 2024.
  110. including spoilt ballots
  111. minor political parties receiving less than 1% of the national popular vote are aggregated under "Other"; independent candidates are aggregated separately
  112. recount terminated at request of applicant
  113. [Ujjal Dosanjh]
  114. [John Loewen]
  115. [Rodney Weston]
  116. [Bill Casey]
  117. [Greg Kerr]
  118. also an open seat
  119. also an open seat
  120. [Gail Shea]
  121. [Keith Milligan]
  122. [Nancy Charest]
  123. [André Arthur]
  124. [Brendan Bell (politician)|Brendan Bell]
  125. News: Veteran St. John's MP Doyle retiring from politics . CBC News . March 13, 2007.
  126. News: Chase . Steven . Emerson won't run, sources say . The Globe and Mail . September 3, 2008.
  127. http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=111281 Comuzzi won't run in upcoming election
  128. http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Manitoba/2008/01/10/4764970-sun.html Pallister to quit politics
  129. News: Sask. MP Batters won't run again, citing depression . CBC News . September 2, 2008.
  130. News: Sask. Tory MP says he won't run again . CBC News . January 9, 2007.
  131. http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=c7ed3241-2d5a-4ec0-ab28-89622184137a Tory cabinet minister to step down
  132. https://web.archive.org/web/20080916010258/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071010/art_hanger_071010/20071010?hub=QPeriod Alta. MP Art Hanger won't run in next election
  133. News: Edmonton-St. Albert MP won't run again . CBC News . August 11, 2006.
  134. http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/cityplus/story.html?id=d2b9dd9e-6b5a-4e6f-a35f-faa3a1a32dda&k=50425 Thirteen years long enough for MP Ken Epp
  135. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080904.wsolberg0904/BNStory/National/home Solberg retiring from politics
  136. http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=a125836d-91d5-4ec2-8df0-2f822f314771 Longtime Red Deer MP won't pursue sixth term
  137. http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=fdbe2ed5-f770-4440-b329-2f362ef0a5f2 Thompson will leave politics
  138. http://www.bettyhinton.ca/index.asp?id=446 MP Betty Hinton Will Not Seek Re-election
  139. News: Time right to retire, Liberal MP Matthews says . CBC News . April 3, 2007.
  140. News: Veteran P.E.I. MP to retire . CBC News . March 7, 2007.
  141. https://www.ctvnews.ca/veteran-liberal-mp-andy-scott-to-quit-politics-1.231953 Veteran Liberal MP Andy Scott to quit politics
  142. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061213.wxlapierre13/BNStory/National/home Liberal MPs to step aside in Montreal
  143. http://www.northpeel.com/news/article/55864 Longtime MP resigns and opens door for new election candidate
  144. News: Etobicoke MP will not run in next election . CBC News . February 21, 2008.
  145. https://web.archive.org/web/20070319124404/http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2007/03/07/3710078.html Veteran MP to retire from politics
  146. https://www.thestar.com/Article/202105 Belinda Stronach to quit politics
  147. http://www.northernlife.ca/news/LocalNews/2006/11-16-06-bonin_retires.asp?NLStory=11-16-06-bonin_retires MP Ray Bonin doesn't plan to run again
  148. News: Outspoken Liberal MP Wappel retiring . CBC News . March 23, 2007.
  149. http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/61222/news/nunavut/61222_01.html It's my last term as MP, Nancy Karetak-Lindell says
  150. News: Priest MP leaves politics after pressure from Vatican . CBC News . September 3, 2008.
  151. https://www.ctvnews.ca/alexa-mcdonough-calls-for-more-women-leaders-1.299849 Alexa McDonough retires from federal politics
  152. https://www.ctvnews.ca/ndp-s-bill-blaikie-won-t-seek-re-election-1.233442 NDP's Bill Blaikie won't seek re-election
  153. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=dfb292ec-1b3d-4e22-bf9c-f86af9b73d57 NDP's Penny Priddy says she won't run again
  154. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081024.wrecount1024/BNStory/Front "Liberals win seat in Quebec following recount"