On October 10, 2007, Ontario voters returned Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario Liberal Party to government. McGuinty and the Liberals won a strong majority government, taking 71 of the 107 seats in the provincial legislature, as well as 42 percent of the popular vote. This article provides an overview of the 2007 general election, including a summary of the previous election, by-elections, and public opinion polls; background information on the three major political parties; and results of the election.
[Read more…] about 2007 Ontario General ElectionMinority Governments in Canada
Minority governments, although relatively rare in Canadian parliamentary history, have played important roles in Canadian politics. This article introduces minority governments, providing information on how governments are formed in Canada, differences between minority, majority and coalition governments, how minority governments govern, as well as some benefits and drawbacks of minority governments.
[Read more…] about Minority Governments in Canada2007 Manitoba General Election
On May 22, 2007, Manitobans re-elected the New Democratic Party and Premier Gary Doer to a majority government. The election held historical significance, as it was the first time the New Democrats had won three consecutive majorities, and only the second time in Manitoba history that such a feat had been accomplished. This article provides an overview of the 2007 Manitoba General Election, including information on the electoral process, recent provincial election history, policies and leaders of the majority political parties, and the results of the vote.
[Read more…] about 2007 Manitoba General ElectionVoter Turnout in Canada
Since the 1980s, voter turnout in federal elections has fallen sharply. In the 1988 general election, 75 percent of eligible voters participated. In the 2006 general election, only 64.7 percent voted. This article discusses the issue of decreasing voter turnout; in particular, it examines historical trends in the level of voter participation, potential reasons for dropping voter rates, as well as possible initiatives to increase citizen participation.
[Read more…] about Voter Turnout in Canada2007 Quebec General Election
On March 26, 2007, Quebec voters returned Jean Charest and the Quebec Liberal Party to power, albeit as a minority government (the first in Quebec in almost 130 years). Moreover, the election was a huge success for the upstart Action démocratique du Québec, under Mario Dumont, who won 41 seats and attained the status of Official Opposition (prior to the election, the Party only had four seats). The fall to third party status for the Parti Québécois, led by André Boisclair, creates a question mark for the longterm future of the Party and its goal of Quebec sovereignty. This article provides an overview of the 2007 general election, with discussions of voter regulations, Quebec electoral history, key political parties, and election issues and results.
[Read more…] about 2007 Quebec General Election2006 Alberta Progressive Conservative Leadership Race
On December 2, 2006, Alberta Progressive Conservative Party members selected Ed Stelmach as their new party leader and as the new Premier of Alberta. Stelmach replaced the retiring Ralph Klein, who held those roles for 13 years. Premier Stelmach won the leadership after two rounds of voting, defeating frontrunners Jim Dinning and Ted Morton. This article provides an overview of the leadership selection process, events, and results.
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