The British Columbia general election of 1996 was the thirty sixth provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor The election was called on April 30, 1996, and held on May 28, 1996. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar)
New Democratic Party leader and provincial premier Mike Harcourt had resigned as the result of a fundraising scandal involving one of the members of his caucus. The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (NDP is a Political party in British Columbia, Canada that has Democratic socialist roots Michael Franklin Harcourt (born Edmonton, January 6, 1943) served as the 30th Premier of the province of British Columbia in Glen Clark was chosen by the party to replace Harcourt. For the lacrosse coach & former player see Glenn Clark Glen David Clark (born November 22, 1957 in Nanaimo Clark led the party to a second majority government, defeating the Liberal Party of Gordon Campbell. In the Westminster System, there is a majority government when the governing party enjoys an Absolute majority of seats in the Legislature or The British Columbia Liberal Party (also referred to as the BC Liberals) is the governing Political party in British Columbia, Canada. Gordon Muir Campbell MLA (born January 12, 1948) is the 34th Premier of British Columbia. Campbell had become leader of the Liberal Party after Gordon Wilson had been forced out of the position because of his relationship with another Liberal member of the legislature, Judi Tyabji. Gordon Wilson (born 1949) is a former British Columbia provincial and municipal politician having served as leader of the Liberal Party of BC, leader and founder Judeline Tyabji (aka Judi Tyabji Wilson) (born circa 1965 is a former political figure in British Columbia Canada Campbell is believed to have lost the election because of a promise to privatize BC Rail.
After Wilson was defeated by Campbell in the convention to chose a new leader, he and Tyabji left the Liberal Party to establish the Progressive Democratic Alliance. The Progressive Democratic Alliance was a centrist political party in British Columbia, Canada founded by Gordon Wilson, Member of the Legislative Assembly Wilson was able to win re-election, but Tyabji was not, going down to defeat with all of the other candidates fielded by the new party.
Reform BC, a splinter group from the once-dominant Social Credit Party, won two seats. The Reform Party of British Columbia ( Reform BC) is a populist Right wing Political party in British Columbia, Canada The British Columbia Social Credit Party, whose members are known as Socreds, was the governing Political party of British Columbia, Canada
Although the Liberal Party won a larger share of the popular vote, the NDP won a majority of the seats in the Legislature. In the Westminster System, there is a majority government when the governing party enjoys an Absolute majority of seats in the Legislature or The result of this election helped convince the Liberal Party to become a major advocate for electoral reform.
Results
| Party | Party leader | # of candidates |
Seats | Popular vote | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Elected | % Change | # | % | % Change | ||||
| New Democrats | Glen Clark | 75 | 51 | 39 | -23. The British Columbia general election of 1991 was the 35th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (NDP is a Political party in British Columbia, Canada that has Democratic socialist roots For the lacrosse coach & former player see Glenn Clark Glen David Clark (born November 22, 1957 in Nanaimo 53% | 624,395 | 39. 45% | -1. 26% | |
| Liberal | Gordon Campbell | 75 | 17 | 33 | +94. The British Columbia Liberal Party (also referred to as the BC Liberals) is the governing Political party in British Columbia, Canada. Gordon Muir Campbell MLA (born January 12, 1948) is the 34th Premier of British Columbia. 12% | 661,929 | 41. 82% | +8. 58% | |
| Reform | Jack Weisgerber | 75 | - | 2 | 146,734 | 9. The Reform Party of British Columbia ( Reform BC) is a populist Right wing Political party in British Columbia, Canada Jack Weisgerber is a Canadian Politician and Businessman. He is a former member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia. 27% | +9. 09% | ||
| Progressive Democratic | Gordon Wilson | 66 | * | 1 | * | 90,797 | 5. The Progressive Democratic Alliance was a centrist political party in British Columbia, Canada founded by Gordon Wilson, Member of the Legislative Assembly Gordon Wilson (born 1949) is a former British Columbia provincial and municipal politician having served as leader of the Liberal Party of BC, leader and founder 74% | * | |
| Green | Stuart Parker | 71 | - | - | - | 31,511 | 1. The Green Party of British Columbia is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. Stuart Parker (born 1972 was leader of the Green Party in British Columbia, Canada, from 1993 to 2000. 99% | +1. 13% | |
| Independent/No affiliation | 23 | - | - | - | 10,067 | 0. 64% | -0. 07% | ||
| Social Credit | Larry Gillanders | 38 | 7 | - | -100% | 6,276 | 0. The British Columbia Social Credit Party, whose members are known as Socreds, was the governing Political party of British Columbia, Canada 40% | -23. 65% | |
| Family Coalition | 14 | - | - | - | 4,150 | 0. The Family Coalition Party of British Columbia was a conservative Pro Life political party in British Columbia, Canada. 26% | +0. 17% | ||
| Natural Law | 38 | * | - | * | 2,919 | 0. The Natural Law Party of Canada was the Canadian branch of the international Natural Law Party founded in 1992 by a group of educators business leaders and 18% | * | ||
| Libertarian | 17 | - | - | - | 2,041 | 0. The British Columbia Libertarian Party is a Libertarian political party in British Columbia, Canada. 13% | +0. 07% | ||
| Conservative | Peter B. The British Columbia Conservative Party is a conservative Political party in British Columbia, Canada. Macdonald | 8 | - | - | - | 1,002 | 0. 06% | +0. 03% | |
| Western Canada Concept | Doug Christie | 5 | - | - | - | 374 | 0. The Western Canada Concept Party of BC is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. Douglas Hewson Christie Jr, known as Doug Christie, (b April 1946 is a Canadian lawyer and far-right political activist based in Victoria, 02% | -0. 02% | |
| Common Sense, Community, Family | 5 | * | - | * | 291 | 0. 02% | * | ||
| Communist | 3 | - | - | - | 218 | 0. The Communist Party of British Columbia is the British Columbia branch of the Communist Party of Canada. 01% | +0. 01% | ||
| Total | 513 | 75 | 75 | - | 1,582,704 | 100% | |||
| Source: Elections BC | |||||||||
Notes:
* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.