Popular vote by electoral riding. (Because seats are awarded by the popular vote in each riding, the provincial popular vote does not necessarily translate to more seats.)
Sir John A. Macdonald had been sworn in as prime minister by the Governor General, Lord Monck, when the new Canadian nation was founded on 1 July 1867. As leader of the Conservative Party of Canada (known as the Liberal-Conservative Party until 1873), he led his party in this election and continued as Prime Minister of Canada when the Conservatives won a majority of the seats in the election, including majorities of the seats (and votes) in the new provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
The Liberal Party of Canada won the second most seats overall, including a majority of the seats (and votes) in the province of New Brunswick. The Liberals did not have a party leader in the election. George Brown, who was the leader of the Liberal Party of Ontario, was considered the "elder statesman" of the national party. Brown ran concurrently for seats in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and the House of Commons of Canada, and might well have been Prime Minister in the unlikely event that the Liberals prevailed over the Conservatives in the national election. Brown failed to win a seat in either body, and the national Liberals remained officially leaderless until 1873.
The Anti-Confederation Party, led by Joseph Howe, won the third most seats overall, based solely on a majority of seats (and votes) in the province of Nova Scotia. Their main desire was the reversal of the decision to join Confederation, which had become highly unpopular in that province. The goals of the Anti-Confederation Members of Parliament (MPs) were openly supported by five of the Liberal MPs of New Brunswick. The Anti-Confederation MPs sat with the Liberal caucus. When the government in Britain refused to allow Nova Scotia to secede, a majority of the Anti-Confederation MPs (11 of 18) moved to the Conservatives.
Halifax was a two-member riding at the time of the election, while the City of Saint John was represented by its own district and the County of Saint John. The election in Kamouraska, Quebec was delayed due to rioting.
The first Canadian election took place without a uniform set of election laws to govern the selection of members to the House of Commons,[2] an interim measure until Parliament could pass its own election laws, which did not come until 1885.[3] Instead, the election was contested under the rules set by each individual province prior to confederation, and future elections would be contested under provincial rules until a time when federal parliament set their own rules. Because of this, voting rights were inconsistent, as was the method of casting a ballot.[2]
The election took place over a six week period from August 7 to September 20, with electoral district polls closing at different dates throughout the period.[4] Under the system each electoral district was required to be polled in one day, but the day did not have to be the same across all electoral districts. The exception to the extended polling period (often called "polling circuits") being Nova Scotia which abolished the practice of polling different districts on different days after excessive violence was reported in the 1843 election.[5]
Franchise
The basic general requirement to vote across provinces was the requirement to be a male British subject 21 years of age or older. Voting was conducted in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia through oral vote which required an eligible elector to declare their choice.[4] New Brunswick had adopted a form of secret ballot in 1855,[4] where electors write the name of a candidate on a piece of paper and deposit the vote in a ballot box.[2]
In all provinces, women and government employees including civil servants, judges, police and prosecutors were not permitted to vote.[2]Indigenous individuals who met property criteria were excluded from voting eligibility in most provinces if they received a benefit paid by the government.[2]
The Ontario elections laws were updated in 1866, with electors required to meet a property qualification of being an owner or tenant with a property value listed on the assessment roll of $600 in a city, $400 in a town, $300 in an incorporated village, and $100 in a township or police village.[6][7][2][c] Furthermore, urban residents must prove an annual income of at least $250.[8] An estimated 16.5 per cent of the population of Ontario was enfranchised for the 1867 election.[2] In Quebec, the property qualification for being an owner was $300 in urban areas and $200 in rural areas, and a tenant required a rent of $30 in an urban area or $20 in a rural area.[8][9] Nova Scotia's election laws were passed in 1863, and had a property qualification for owners or tenants of $150, and enfranchised persons with $300 of personal property.[10][8][11] while New Brunswick had a property qualification for owners of $100 and an annual income of $400.[8][12]
Electoral districts
Electoral districts were set by the Constitution Act, 1867 on the principal of representation by population.[13] The Act provided Quebec a minimum of 65 seats and seat allotment for the remainder of the country was based by dividing the average population of Quebec's 65 electoral districts to determine the number of seats for other provinces.[14] The Act also specified that distribution and boundary reviews should occur after each 10 year census.[14]
Most of the ridings in the four provinces that participated in this election elected just one member, but one riding, Halifax, elected two members, with each voter casting up to two votes (Plurality block voting). [15]
The election in Kamouraska, Quebec, was cancelled due to rioting at the polling places. No member was elected for the riding until a by-election in 1869.[17]
^ abThough Liberal-Conservatives were identifying themselves as such, these MPs (29 MPs) and those identifying as Conservatives (71 MPs) were both led by Sir John A. Macdonald (himself a Liberal-Conservative) and sat together in the House of Commons forming a 100 MPs majority.
^The value of property required to be eligible to vote for a member of parliament is listed as $200 in an urban area and $100 in a rural area by Elections Canada A History of the Vote in Canada, however that number provided in the publication is a general amount for the period from 1867–1885 before federal law was passed governing franchise.[8]
^Anti-Confederates sat with the Liberal Party in the House of Commons.
Citations
^ ab"Voter Turnout at Federal Elections and Referendums". Elections Canada. from the original on 2019-10-23. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
^"Profile - 1867-08-07". Parlinfo. from the original on 2019-11-10. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
^Library of Parliament - History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Kamouraska.
Further reading
Elections Canada (2021). A History of the Vote in Canada(PDF) (Third ed.). Gatineau, Quebec: Elections Canada. ISBN978-0-660-37056-9.
Garner, John (1969). The Franchise and Politics in British North America, 1755-1867. Ottawa: University of Toronto Press. ISBN978-0-8020-3219-5.
Gwyn, Richard J. (2007). John A.: The Man who made us: the life and times of John A. Macdonald. Toronto: Random House Canada. ISBN978-0-679-31475-2.
LeDuc, Lawrence; Pammett, Jon H.; McKenzie, Judith L.; Turcotte, André (2010). Dynasties and Interludes: Past and Present in Canadian Electoral Politics. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN978-1-55488-886-3.
External links
Map of electoral districts coloured for each party
Ridings and candidates
January 18, 2023
1867, canadian, federal, election, held, from, august, september, 1867, first, election, country, canada, held, elect, members, representing, electoral, districts, provinces, nova, scotia, brunswick, ontario, quebec, house, commons, canadian, parliament, provi. The 1867 Canadian federal election was held from August 7 to September 20 1867 and was the first election for the new country of Canada It was held to elect members representing electoral districts in the provinces of Nova Scotia New Brunswick Ontario and Quebec to the House of Commons of the 1st Canadian Parliament The provinces of Manitoba 1870 and British Columbia 1871 were created during the term of the 1st Parliament of Canada and were not part of this election 1867 Canadian federal electionAugust 7 September 20 1867 1867 08 07 1867 09 20 1872 elected members 181 seats in the House of Commons91 seats needed for a majorityRegistered361 028 1 Turnout74 3 a First party Second party Third party Leader John A Macdonald George Brown unofficial Joseph HoweParty Conservative Liberal Anti ConfederationSeats won 100 b 62 18Popular vote 93 412 60 818 21 239Percentage 34 8 22 7 7 9 Popular vote by electoral riding Because seats are awarded by the popular vote in each riding the provincial popular vote does not necessarily translate to more seats Prime Minister before electionJohn A MacdonaldConservative Prime Minister after election John A MacdonaldConservativeSir John A Macdonald had been sworn in as prime minister by the Governor General Lord Monck when the new Canadian nation was founded on 1 July 1867 As leader of the Conservative Party of Canada known as the Liberal Conservative Party until 1873 he led his party in this election and continued as Prime Minister of Canada when the Conservatives won a majority of the seats in the election including majorities of the seats and votes in the new provinces of Ontario and Quebec The Liberal Party of Canada won the second most seats overall including a majority of the seats and votes in the province of New Brunswick The Liberals did not have a party leader in the election George Brown who was the leader of the Liberal Party of Ontario was considered the elder statesman of the national party Brown ran concurrently for seats in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and the House of Commons of Canada and might well have been Prime Minister in the unlikely event that the Liberals prevailed over the Conservatives in the national election Brown failed to win a seat in either body and the national Liberals remained officially leaderless until 1873 The Anti Confederation Party led by Joseph Howe won the third most seats overall based solely on a majority of seats and votes in the province of Nova Scotia Their main desire was the reversal of the decision to join Confederation which had become highly unpopular in that province The goals of the Anti Confederation Members of Parliament MPs were openly supported by five of the Liberal MPs of New Brunswick The Anti Confederation MPs sat with the Liberal caucus When the government in Britain refused to allow Nova Scotia to secede a majority of the Anti Confederation MPs 11 of 18 moved to the Conservatives Halifax was a two member riding at the time of the election while the City of Saint John was represented by its own district and the County of Saint John The election in Kamouraska Quebec was delayed due to rioting Contents 1 Election 1 1 Franchise 1 2 Electoral districts 2 Results 2 1 Results by province 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Citations 5 Further reading 6 External linksElection EditThe first Canadian election took place without a uniform set of election laws to govern the selection of members to the House of Commons 2 an interim measure until Parliament could pass its own election laws which did not come until 1885 3 Instead the election was contested under the rules set by each individual province prior to confederation and future elections would be contested under provincial rules until a time when federal parliament set their own rules Because of this voting rights were inconsistent as was the method of casting a ballot 2 The election took place over a six week period from August 7 to September 20 with electoral district polls closing at different dates throughout the period 4 Under the system each electoral district was required to be polled in one day but the day did not have to be the same across all electoral districts The exception to the extended polling period often called polling circuits being Nova Scotia which abolished the practice of polling different districts on different days after excessive violence was reported in the 1843 election 5 Franchise Edit The basic general requirement to vote across provinces was the requirement to be a male British subject 21 years of age or older Voting was conducted in Ontario Quebec and Nova Scotia through oral vote which required an eligible elector to declare their choice 4 New Brunswick had adopted a form of secret ballot in 1855 4 where electors write the name of a candidate on a piece of paper and deposit the vote in a ballot box 2 In all provinces women and government employees including civil servants judges police and prosecutors were not permitted to vote 2 Indigenous individuals who met property criteria were excluded from voting eligibility in most provinces if they received a benefit paid by the government 2 The Ontario elections laws were updated in 1866 with electors required to meet a property qualification of being an owner or tenant with a property value listed on the assessment roll of 600 in a city 400 in a town 300 in an incorporated village and 100 in a township or police village 6 7 2 c Furthermore urban residents must prove an annual income of at least 250 8 An estimated 16 5 per cent of the population of Ontario was enfranchised for the 1867 election 2 In Quebec the property qualification for being an owner was 300 in urban areas and 200 in rural areas and a tenant required a rent of 30 in an urban area or 20 in a rural area 8 9 Nova Scotia s election laws were passed in 1863 and had a property qualification for owners or tenants of 150 and enfranchised persons with 300 of personal property 10 8 11 while New Brunswick had a property qualification for owners of 100 and an annual income of 400 8 12 Electoral districts Edit Electoral districts were set by the Constitution Act 1867 on the principal of representation by population 13 The Act provided Quebec a minimum of 65 seats and seat allotment for the remainder of the country was based by dividing the average population of Quebec s 65 electoral districts to determine the number of seats for other provinces 14 The Act also specified that distribution and boundary reviews should occur after each 10 year census 14 Most of the ridings in the four provinces that participated in this election elected just one member but one riding Halifax elected two members with each voter casting up to two votes Plurality block voting 15 Results Edit Party Party leader ofcandidates Elected Popular vote Conservative Sir John A Macdonald 82 71 63 682 23 73 Liberal Conservative b 32 29 29 730 11 08 Liberal none unofficially George Brown 66 62 60 818 22 67 Anti Confederation d Joseph Howe 20 18 21 239 7 92 Independents 1 1 756 0 65 Independent Liberal 1 1 048 0 39 Unknown 141 90 044 33 56 Vacant 1 0 Total 343 180 268 317 100 Source 16 AcclamationsThe following MPs were acclaimed Ontario 3 Conservative 3 Liberal Conservatives 9 Liberals Quebec 14 Conservatives 5 Liberal Conservatives 4 Liberals New Brunswick 1 Conservative 3 Liberals Nova Scotia 4 Anti ConfederatesVacancyThe election in Kamouraska Quebec was cancelled due to rioting at the polling places No member was elected for the riding until a by election in 1869 17 Results by province Edit Party name Ontario Quebec NB NS Total Conservative Seats 33 36 1 1 71 Vote 26 2 28 5 13 8 23 2 Liberal Conservative Seats 16 11 2 29 Vote 12 5 12 3 11 1 3 5 11 1 Liberal Seats 33 17 12 62 Vote 23 7 25 2 49 5 22 7 Anti Confederation Seats 18 18 Vote 58 2 7 9 Unknown Seats Vote 35 6 34 1 39 3 24 4 34 0 Independent Seats Vote 1 3 0 7 Independent Liberal Seats Vote 0 7 0 4 Total seats 82 64 15 19 180See also Edit Canada portal Politics portalFor a list of the MPs elected in the 1867 election and in by elections prior to 1872 see 1st Canadian Parliament List of elections in the Province of Canada 1st Canadian ParliamentReferences EditNotes Edit Elections Canada reported a 73 1 voter turnout 1 a b Though Liberal Conservatives were identifying themselves as such these MPs 29 MPs and those identifying as Conservatives 71 MPs were both led by Sir John A Macdonald himself a Liberal Conservative and sat together in the House of Commons forming a 100 MPs majority The value of property required to be eligible to vote for a member of parliament is listed as 200 in an urban area and 100 in a rural area by Elections Canada A History of the Vote in Canada however that number provided in the publication is a general amount for the period from 1867 1885 before federal law was passed governing franchise 8 Anti Confederates sat with the Liberal Party in the House of Commons Citations Edit a b Voter Turnout at Federal Elections and Referendums Elections Canada Archived from the original on 2019 10 23 Retrieved 2019 11 10 a b c d e f g LeDuc et al 2010 p 63 Elections Canada 2021 p 58 a b c Elections Canada 2021 p 61 Garner 1969 p 28 Garner 1969 p 116 An Act Respecting Municipal Institutions of Upper Canada 1866 c LI s 81 a b c d e Elections Canada 2021 p 67 Garner 1969 p 114 Garner 1969 p 35 An Act to Regulate the Election of Members to Serve in the General Assembly 1863 c 28 Garner 1969 p 71 Elections Canada 2021 p 78 a b Elections Canada 2021 p 79 Parliamentary Guide 1969 p 333 334 Profile 1867 08 07 Parlinfo Archived from the original on 2019 11 10 Retrieved 2019 11 10 Library of Parliament History of Federal Ridings since 1867 Kamouraska Further reading EditElections Canada 2021 A History of the Vote in Canada PDF Third ed Gatineau Quebec Elections Canada ISBN 978 0 660 37056 9 Garner John 1969 The Franchise and Politics in British North America 1755 1867 Ottawa University of Toronto Press ISBN 978 0 8020 3219 5 Gwyn Richard J 2007 John A The Man who made us the life and times of John A Macdonald Toronto Random House Canada ISBN 978 0 679 31475 2 LeDuc Lawrence Pammett Jon H McKenzie Judith L Turcotte Andre 2010 Dynasties and Interludes Past and Present in Canadian Electoral Politics Toronto Dundurn Press ISBN 978 1 55488 886 3 External links EditMap of electoral districts coloured for each party Ridings and candidates Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1867 Canadian federal election amp oldid 1121642460, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
