Canadian federal election, 1896

Canadian federal election, 1896

1891 ← June 23, 1896 → 1900

outgoing members ←

213 seats in the 8th Canadian Parliament 107 seats needed for a majority   First party Second party   Leader Wilfrid Laurier Charles Tupper Party Liberal Conservative Leader since 1887 1896 Leader's seat Quebec East Cape Breton Last election 90 seats, 45.2% 117 seats, 48.6% Seats won 117 86 Seat change 27 31 Popular vote 401,425 467,415 Percentage 41.4% 48.2% Swing 3.8% 0.4%

Prime Minister before election Charles Tupper Conservative Prime Minister-designate Wilfrid Laurier Liberal

Charles Tupper
Conservative

Wilfrid Laurier
Liberal

The Canadian federal election of 1896 was held on June 23, 1896, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Canada. Though the Conservative Party won a plurality of the popular vote, the Liberal Party, led by Wilfrid Laurier, won the majority of seats to form the next government.

The governing Conservative Party, since the death of John A. Macdonald in 1891, was disorganized, going through four leaders in five years. The party was also viewed as corrupt and wasteful of public funds. Issues like the Manitoba Schools Question had cost the party support in both French and English Canada.

Entering the election, the Tories were led by Sir Charles Tupper, a Father of Confederation and former Premier of Nova Scotia. Earlier, in February 1896, Tupper introduced remedial legislation to settle the Manitoba dispute, but it was filibustered by an alliance of extreme Protestants led by Dalton McCarthy and the Liberals. This filibuster resulted in Tupper abandoning the bill and asking for a dissolution. Parliament was dissolved on April 24, 1896, and, following the agreement that Tupper would become Prime Minister following the election call, he became prime minister on May 1, 1896, thus forming the 7th Canadian Ministry.

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