Liberal Party of Canada Parti libéral du Canada
Active Federal Party
Founded	July 1, 1867
Leader	Stéphane Dion
President	Doug Ferguson
Headquarters	81 Metcalfe St, Suite 400 Ottawa ON K1P 6M8
Political ideology	Liberalism Social liberalism
International alignment	Liberal International
Colours	Red
Website	http://www.liberal.ca

The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada), colloquially known as the Grits (originally "Clear Grits"), is one of the two major Canadian political parties, the other being the Conservative Party of Canada. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Stéphane Maurice Dion PC not change it to "Liberal"! --> MP Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Liberalism has been a strong force in Canadian politics since the late 18th Century Social liberalism, also called new liberalism (as it was originally termed high liberalism radical liberalism, modern liberalism, or Liberal International is a Political international for liberal parties. Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Clear Grits were reformers in the Province of Upper Canada, a British colony that is now the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative The organization is located in the centre of the Canadian political spectrum, combining a liberal social policy with moderate economic policies. Starting with Wilfrid Laurier in 1896 every non-interim leader of the party (excepting current leader Stéphane Dion) has served as Prime Minister of Canada. 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 Stéphane Maurice Dion PC not change it to "Liberal"! --> MP The Prime Minister of Canada ( French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus The party has formed the Official Opposition in the Parliament of Canada since February 2006. In Canada Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition ( French: L'Opposition Loyale de Sa Majesté) commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario.

After the dissolution of the Progressive Conservative Party on the formation of the new Conservative Party of Canada, the Liberal Party is the only party remaining from Confederation, and is Canada's oldest functioning party at the federal level. The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ( PC) ( Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) ( 1867 – 2003) was a Canadian The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative The Liberal Party held power for more years of the 20th century than did any other party in any developed western country.

The party is led by Stéphane Dion, who was elected to the position at the party's leadership convention on December 2, 2006. Stéphane Maurice Dion PC not change it to "Liberal"! --> MP The Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention of 2006 was prompted by Paul Martin 's announcement that he would not lead the Liberal Party of Canada into another Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

History

Origins

See also: Rebellions of 1837

The Liberals are descended from the mid-19th century Reformers who agitated for responsible government throughout British North America. The Rebellions of 1837 were a pair of Canadian armed uprisings that occurred in 1837 and 1838 in response to frustrations in political reform and ethnic conflict The Reform movement, sometimes referred to as the Reform Party, began in the 1830s as the movement in the English speaking parts of British North America Responsible government is a conception of a System of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster British North America consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary These included George Brown, Robert Baldwin, William Lyon Mackenzie and the Clear Grits in Upper Canada, Joseph Howe in Nova Scotia, and the Patriotes and Rouges in Lower Canada led by figures such as Louis-Joseph Papineau. George Brown (November 28 1818 May 10 1880 was a Scottish -born Canadian journalist politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation. Robert Baldwin (May 12 1804 – December 9 1858 was born at York (now Toronto) William Lyon Mackenzie ( March 12, 1795 &ndash August 28, 1861) was a Canadian Journalist, Politician, and Clear Grits were reformers in the Province of Upper Canada, a British colony that is now the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Province of Upper Canada (French Province du Haut-Canada) was a British colony located in what is now the southern portion of the Province of Ontario Joseph Howe, PC ( December 13, 1804 – June 1, 1873) was a Nova Scotia journalist politician and public servant Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's The Parti canadien (also Parti patriote) was a political party in what is now Quebec, that was founded by members of the liberal elite of Lower Canada The Parti rouge (alternatively known as the parti démocratique) was formed in the Province of Canada (now Quebec, Canada) around 1848 by radical The Province of Lower Canada (French Province du Bas-Canada) was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the For the 20th century Canadian parliamentarian see Louis-Joseph Papineau (Canadian parliamentarian Louis-Joseph Papineau, ( October 7, 1786 The Clear Grits and Parti rouge sometimes functioned as a united bloc in the legislature of the Province of Canada beginning in 1854, and a united Liberal Party combining both English and French Canadian members was formed in 1861. The Province of Canada or the United Province of Canada was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867 The Province of Canada was the union of Canada West (formerly Upper Canada and later Ontario) and Canada East (formerly Lower The Province of Canada was the union of Canada West (formerly Upper Canada and later Ontario) and Canada East (formerly Lower

Confederation

At the time of confederation of the former British colonies of Canada (now Ontario and Quebec), New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the radical Liberals were marginalized by the more pragmatic Conservative coalition assembled under Sir John A. Macdonald. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk New Brunswick ( French: Nouveau-Brunswick /nuvobʁɔnzwik/ is one of Canada 's three Maritime provinces and is the only constitutionally Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Sir John Alexander Macdonald GCB, KCMG, PC ( January 11, 1815 – June 6, 1891) was the first Prime Minister In the 30 years after Canadian confederation, the Liberals were consigned to opposition, with the exception of one stint in government. Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed beginning 1 July 1867 from the Alexander Mackenzie was able to lead the party to power in 1873 after the Macdonald government lost a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons because of the Pacific Scandal. Sir Alexander Mackenzie (Alasdair MacCoinnich 1764 - March 12, 1820) was a Scottish-Canadian explorer. A motion of no confidence (also vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or confidence motion) is a Parliamentary motion The Pacific Scandal involves the allegations of bribes being taken by Canada's Conservative government of Sir John A Mackenzie subsequently won the 1874 election, but lost the government to Macdonald in 1878. The Canadian federal election of 1874 was held on January 22, 1874, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 3rd Parliament They spent the next 18 years in opposition.

Laurier era

Sir Wilfrid Laurier

In their early history, the Liberals were the party of continentalism (free trade with the United States), and opposition to imperialism. Free trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions Imperialism has two meanings one describing an action and the other describing an attitude The Liberals also became identified with the aspirations of Quebecers as a result of the growing hostility of French-Canadians to the Conservatives. The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. The Conservatives lost the support of Quebecers because of the perceived role of Conservative governments in the execution of Louis Riel, and their role in the Conscription crisis of 1917. Louis Riel (22 October 1844 &ndash 16 November 1885 in English was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and leader of the Métis The Conscription Crisis of 1917 was a political and military crisis in Canada during World War I.

It was not until Wilfrid Laurier became leader that the Liberal Party emerged as a modern party. Laurier was able to capitalize on the Tories' apparent alienation of French Canada by offering the Liberals as a credible alternative. In the political tradition of some English-speaking countries, the term Tory has referred to a variety of political parties and Creeds since it was Laurier was able to overcome the party's reputation for anti-clericalism that offended the still-powerful Quebec Roman Catholic Church. Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes Religious (generally Catholic institutional power and influence real or alleged in all aspects of public and political In English-speaking Canada, the Liberal Party's support for free trade made it popular among farmers, and helped cement the party's hold in the growing prairie provinces. Free trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions Prairie, from the French prairie ("meadow" "grassland" "pasture" refers to an area of land of low topographic relief that historically

Laurier led the Liberals to power in the 1896 election (in which he became the first Francophone Prime Minister), and oversaw a government that increased immigration in order to settle Western Canada. 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 Western Canada, commonly referred to as the West, is a region of Canada normally including all parts of Canada west of the province Laurier's government created the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta out of the North-West Territories, and promoted the development of Canadian industry. Saskatchewan (səˈskætʃəwən) is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of 588276 Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905 The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory The Liberals lost power in the 1911 election due to opposition to the party's policies on reciprocity (or free trade), and the creation of a Canadian navy. The Canadian federal election of 1911 was held on September 21 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Canada. In 19th century Canadian politics, reciprocity was the term used to describe the concept of Free trade with the United States of America. Free trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions

The Conscription crisis divided the party as many Liberals in English Canada supported conscription. Many of them joined Sir Robert Borden's Conservatives to form a Unionist government. Not to be confused with his cousin Frederick Borden, Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence from 1896 to 1911 The Unionist Party was formed in 1917 by Members of Parliament (MPs in Canada who supported the "Union government" formed by Sir Robert Borden With numerous Liberal candidates running as Unionists or Liberal-Unionists with the support of provincial Liberal parties in a number of provinces, the Laurier Liberals were reduced to a largely Quebec-based rump. For the British party see Liberal Unionist Party Liberal-Unionists were supporters of the Liberal Party of Canada who as a result of the Conscription Prior to the 1917 federal election in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two factions the Laurier Liberals, who opposed The long term impact of the Conscription crisis benefited the party as the issue only added to the animosity of French-Canadians towards the Conservatives, making that party unpopular in Quebec for decades.

Canadian sovereignty

William Lyon Mackenzie King

Under Laurier, and his successor William Lyon Mackenzie King, the Liberals promoted Canadian sovereignty and greater independence from the British Empire. William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. In Imperial Conferences held throughout the 1920s, Canadian Liberal governments often took the lead in arguing that Britain and the dominions should have equal status, and against proposals for an imperial parliament that would have subsumed Canadian independence. Imperial Conferences ( Colonial Conferences before 1911 were gatherings of British Empire government leaders in London in 1887, 1897 A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and After the King-Byng Affair of 1926, the Liberals argued that the Governor General of Canada should no longer be appointed on the recommendation of the British government. The King-Byng Affair was a Canadian Constitutional crisis that occurred in 1926 when the Governor General of Canada, Lord Byng of Vimy, refused The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative The decisions of the Imperial Conferences were formalized in the Statute of Westminster, which was actually passed in 1931, the year after the Liberals lost power. The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (22 & 23 Geo

The Liberals also promoted the idea of Canada being responsible for its own foreign and defence policy. Initially, it was Britain which determined external affairs for the dominion. In 1905, Laurier created the Department of External Affairs, and in 1909 he advised Governor General Earl Grey to appoint the first Secretary of State for External Affairs to Cabinet. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT more commonly known as Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada is a department in the Government The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative Albert Henry George Grey 4th Earl Grey, GCMG, GCVO, PC (28 November 1851 &ndash 29 August 1917 was a British nobleman who was Governor Canada 's Secretary of State for External Affairs was from 1909 to 1993 the member of the Cabinet of Canada responsible for overseeing the federal government's The Cabinet of Canada (Cabinet du Canada plays an important role in the Government of Canada, in accordance with the Westminster System. It was also Laurier who first proposed the creation of a Canadian Navy in 1910. "MARCOM" redirects here For the historical (1936–1950 U Mackenzie King recommended the appointment by Governor General Lord Byng of Vincent Massey as the first Canadian ambassador to Washington in 1926, marking the Liberal government's insistence on having direct relations with the United States, rather than having Britain act on Canada's behalf. Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy GCB GCMG MVO ( 11 September 1862 &ndash Charles Vincent Massey PC CC CH CD FRSC ( February 20, 1887 – December 30, An ambassador is the highest ranking Diplomat who represents their country The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Liberals and the social safety net

Lester B. Pearson

In the period just before and after the Second World War, the party became a champion of 'progressive social policy'. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[1]

As Prime Minister for most of the time between 1921 and 1948, King introduced several measures that led to the creation of Canada's social safety net. Bowing to popular pressure, he introduced the mother's allowance, a monthly payment to all mothers with young children. He also reluctantly introduced old age pensions when J. S. Woodsworth required it in exchange for his Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party's support of King's minority government. A pension is a steady income given to a person upon Retirement, typically in the form of a guaranteed annuity. James Shaver Woodsworth ( July 29, 1874 &ndash March 21, 1942) was a pioneer in the Canadian social democratic movement The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF (French Fédération du commonwealth coopératif, then Parti social démocratique du Canada) was a Canadian Later, Lester B. Pearson introduced universal health care, the Canada Pension Plan, Canada Student Loans, and the Canada Assistance Plan (which provided funding for provincial welfare programs). Universal health care is health care coverage which is extended to all eligible residents of a governmental region The Canada Pension Plan ( CPP) is a contributory earnings-related Social insurance program

Trudeau era

Under Pierre Trudeau, this mission evolved into the goal of creating a "just society".

The Trudeau Liberals became the champions of official bilingualism, passing the Official Languages Act, which gave the French and English languages equal status in Canada. Official bilingualism refers to the policy adopted by some states of recognizing two languages as official and producing all official documents and handling all correspondence and official The Official languages Act is a law adopted by the Parliament of Canada in 1969 and substantially amended in 1988 Trudeau hoped that the promotion of bilingualism would cement Quebec's place in confederation, and counter growing calls for an independent Quebec. Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed beginning 1 July 1867 from the This policy aimed to transform Canada into a country where English and French-Canadians could live together in comfort, and could move to any part of the country without having to lose their language. While this has not occurred, official bilingualism has helped to halt the decline of the French language outside of Quebec, and has also ensured that all federal government services (as well as radio and television services provided by the government-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio-Canada) are available in both languages throughout the country.

The Trudeau Liberals are also credited with support for official multiculturalism as a means of integrating immigrants into Canadian society without forcing them to shed their culture. The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified As a result of this and a more sympathetic attitude by Liberals towards immigration policy, the party has built a base of support among recent immigrants and their children.

The most lasting effect of the Trudeau years has been the patriation of the Canadian constitution and the creation of Canada's Charter of Rights. The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's Constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (also known as The Charter of Rights and Freedoms or simply the Charter) is a Bill of rights entrenched in the Trudeau Liberals support the concept of a strong, central government, and fought Quebec separatism, other forms of Quebec nationalism, and the granting of "distinct society" status to Quebec. The Quebec sovereignty movement ( Mouvement souverainiste du Québec) is a political movement aimed at either attaining independent statehood ( Sovereignty) or some Quebec nationalism is a contemporary nationalist movement in Canada similar to what is found in other multi-ethnic and multi-lingual regions of the world Distinct society (in French la société distincte) is a political expression especially used during a Constitutional debate in Canada, in the second half Such actions, however, served as rallying cries for sovereigntists & alienated many francophone Quebecers

The other primary legacy of the Trudeau years has been financial. Net federal debt in fiscal 1968, just before Trudeau became Prime Minister, was about $18-billion, or 26 per cent of gross domestic product; by his final year in office, it had ballooned to $206-billion -- at 46 per cent of GDP, nearly twice as large relative to the economy.

From fiscal 1976 to fiscal 1985: ten straight years in which the government ran not only an overall deficit, but an operating deficit. The overall deficit throughout this later phase never fell below 3 per cent of GDP; it averaged 5. 6 per cent. In the final year of Liberal rule, 1984-85, total spending exceeded revenues by more than 50 per cent. The deficit that year, at $38. 5-billion, was equal to nearly 9 per cent of GDP. Interest payments alone were now enough to consume nearly one-third of every revenue dollar. With interest costs compounding at a rate of 13 per cent per year, and the debt doubling every three or four years, that ratio could only grow.

The post-Trudeau party in opposition

After Trudeau's retirement in 1984, many Liberals, such as Jean Chrétien and Clyde Wells, continued to adhere to Trudeau's concept of federalism. Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, (generally known as Jean Chrétien) (born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian politician who was the twentieth Prime Clyde Kirby Wells (born November 9, 1937) is Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal Others, such as John Turner, supported the failed Meech Lake and Charlottetown Constitutional Accords, which would have recognized Quebec as a "distinct society" and would have increased the powers of the provinces to the detriment of the federal government. John Napier Wyndham Turner PC CC QC (born June 7, 1929) is a retired Canadian Lawyer and Politician The Meech Lake Accord was a set of failed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the provincial The Charlottetown Accord was a package of constitutional amendments proposed by the Canadian federal and provincial governments in 1992.

Trudeau stepped down as Prime Minister and party leader in 1984, as the Liberals were slipping in polls. At that year's leadership convention, Turner defeated Chrétien on the second ballot to become Prime Minister. Immediately, upon taking office, Turner called a snap election, citing favourable internal polls. However, party was hurt by numerous patronage appointments, many of which Turner had made supposedly in return for Trudeau retiring early. "You had an option sir" (sometimes remembered as You had a choice sir) was a phrase used by Brian Mulroney against John Turner during the English-language Also, they were unpopular in their traditional stronghold of Quebec due to the constitution repatriation which excluded that province. The Liberals lost power in the 1984 election, and were reduced to only 40 seats in the House of Commons. The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and The Progressive Conservatives won a majority of the seats in every province, including Quebec. The 95-seat loss was the worst defeat in the party's history, and the worst defeat at the time for a governing party at the federal level. What was more, the New Democratic Party, successor to the CCF, won only ten less seats than the Liberals, and some thought that the NDP under Ed Broadbent would push the Liberals to third-party status. Principles policies and electoral achievement The NDP grew from populist, agrarian and democratic socialist roots John Edward "Ed" Broadbent PC, CC (born March 21, 1936 in Oshawa, Ontario) is a Canadian Social

The party began a long process of reconstruction. A small group of young Liberal MPs, known as the Rat Pack, gained fame by criticizing the Tory government of Brian Mulroney at every turn. The Rat Pack was the nickname given to a group of young high-profile Canadian Liberal opposition Members of Parliament during the Progressive Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ (predominantly known as Brian Mulroney) (born March 20, 1939) was the eighteenth Also, despite public and backroom attempts to remove Turner as leader, he managed to consolidate his leadership at the 1986 review.

The 1988 election was notable for Turner's strong opposition to the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement negotiated by Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament The Free Trade Agreement ( FTA) was a Trade agreement signed by Canada and the United States on October 4th 1988. The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ( PC) ( Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) ( 1867 – 2003) was a Canadian Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ (predominantly known as Brian Mulroney) (born March 20, 1939) was the eighteenth Although most Canadians voted for parties opposed to free trade, the Tories were returned with a majority government, and implemented the deal. Free trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions In the Westminster System, there is a majority government when the governing party enjoys an Absolute majority of seats in the Legislature or The Liberals recovered from their near-meltdown of 1984, however, winning 83 seats and ending much of the talk of being eclipsed by the NDP.

The party under Chrétien

Turner resigned in 1990 due to growing discontent within the party with his leadership, and was replaced by bitter rival Jean Chrétien, who had served in every Liberal cabinet since 1965. Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, (generally known as Jean Chrétien) (born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian politician who was the twentieth Prime Chrétien's Liberals campaigned in the 1993 election on the promise of renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and eliminating the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The Canadian federal election of 1993 (officially the 35th general election) was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons The Canadian Goods and Services Tax ( GST) ( French:) is a multi-level Value-added tax introduced in Canada on January 1, 1991 Just after the writ was dropped for the election, they issued the Red Book, a detailed statement of exactly what the Liberals would do in office if they won power. Dropping the writ is the informal term for a procedure in some Parliamentary government systems, where the Head of government, that is the prime The Red Book, officially titled Creating Opportunity The Liberal Plan for Canada was the platform of the Liberal Party of Canada in the This was unprecedented for a Canadian party. Taking full advantage of the inability of Mulroney's successor, Kim Campbell to overcome a large amount of antipathy toward Mulroney, they won a strong majority government with 177 seats—the third-best performance in party history, and their best since 1949. Avril Phaedra Douglas "Kim" Campbell, PC, CC, QC, (born March 10, 1947) was the nineteenth Prime Minister of Canada The Progressive Conservatives were cut down to only two seats, suffering a defeat even more severe than the one they had handed the Liberals nine years earlier. The Liberals were re-elected with a considerably reduced majority in 1997, but nearly tied their 1993 total in 2000. The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of

For the next decade, the Liberals dominated Canadian politics in a fashion not seen since the early years of Confederation. This was because of the destruction of the "grand coalition" of Western socially conservative populists, Quebec nationalists, and fiscal conservatives from Ontario that had supported the Progressive Conservatives in 1984 and 1988. Western Canada, commonly referred to as the West, is a region of Canada normally including all parts of Canada west of the province Quebec nationalism is a contemporary nationalist movement in Canada similar to what is found in other multi-ethnic and multi-lingual regions of the world The PCs' Western support, for all practical purposes, transferred en masse to the Western-based Reform Party, which replaced the PCs as the major right-wing party in Canada. The Reform Party of Canada ( Parti réformiste du Canada) was a Canadian federal Political party that existed from 1987 to 2000 However, the new party's agenda was seen as too conservative for most Canadians. It only won one seat east of Manitoba in an election (but gained another in a floor-crossing). Even when Reform restructured into the Canadian Alliance, the party was virtually nonexistent east of Manitoba, winning only 66 seats in 2000. The Canadian Alliance (in French Alliance Canadienne) formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance (or in French Alliance réformiste-conservateur Reform/Alliance was the official opposition from 1997 to 2003, but was never able to overcome wide perceptions that it was merely a Western protest party. The Quebec nationalists who had once supported the Tories largely switched their support to the sovereigntist Bloc Québécois, while the Tories' Ontario support largely moved to the Liberals. The Quebec sovereignty movement ( Mouvement souverainiste du Québec) is a political movement aimed at either attaining independent statehood ( Sovereignty) or some The Bloc Québécois ( BQ) is a federal political party in Canada that defines itself as devoted to both the protection of Quebec's interests on a federal The PCs would never be a major force in Canadian politics again; while they rebounded to 20 seats in the next election, they won only two seats west of Quebec in the next decade.

Ontario and Quebec are guaranteed a majority of seats in the House of Commons under both Constitution Acts (59 percent of the seats as of 2006). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. As a result, it is very difficult to form even a minority government without substantial support in Ontario and/or Quebec. No party has ever formed a majority government without winning the most seats in either Ontario or Quebec. It is mathematically possible to form a minority government without a strong base in either province, but such an undertaking is politically difficult. The Liberals were the only party with a strong base in both provinces, thus making them the only party capable of forming a government.

There was some disappointment as Liberals were not able to recover their traditional dominant position in Quebec, despite being led by a Quebecer from a strongly nationalist region of Quebec. The Bloc capitalized on discontent with the failure of the 1990 Meech Lake Accord and Chrétien's uncompromising stance on federalism (see below) to win the most seats in Quebec in every election from 1993 onward, even serving as the official opposition from 1993 to 1997. The Meech Lake Accord was a set of failed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the provincial Chrétien's reputation in his home province never recovered after the 1990 leadership convention when rival Paul Martin forced him to declare his opposition to the Meech Lake Accord. Paul Edgar Philippe Martin. PC, MP (also known as Paul Martin Jr The Meech Lake Accord was a set of failed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the provincial However, the Liberals did increase their support in the next two elections due to infighting within the Bloc. In the 1997 election, although the Liberals finished with a thin majority, it was their gains in Quebec which were credited with offsetting their losses in the Maritime provinces. In particular, the 2000 election was a breakthrough for the Liberals after the PQ government's unpopular initiatives regarding consolidation of several Quebec urban areas into "megacities. " Many federal Liberals also took credit for Charest's provincial election victory over the PQ in spring 2003. A series of by-elections allowed the Liberals to gain a majority of Quebec ridings for the first time since 1984.

The Chrétien Liberals more than made up for their shortfall in Quebec by building a strong base in Ontario. They reaped a substantial windfall from the votes of fiscally conservative and socially liberal voters who had previously voted Tory, as well as rapid growth in the Greater Toronto Area. The Greater Toronto Area (locally abbreviated as the GTA) is the most populous Metropolitan area in Canada. They were also able to take advantage of massive vote splitting between the Tories and Reform/Alliance in rural areas of the province that had traditionally formed the backbone of provincial Tory governments. Vote splitting is an electoral effect in which the distribution of votes among multiple similar candidates reduces the chance of winning for any of the similar candidates and Combined with their historic dominance of Metro Toronto and northern Ontario, the Liberals dominated the province's federal politics even as the Tories won landslide majorities at the provincial level. The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was the senior level of Municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada, area from 1954 to Territorial evolution Those areas which formed part of New France in the pays d'en haut, essentially the watersheds of the Ottawa River, In 1993, for example, the Liberals won all but one seat in Ontario, and came within 123 votes in Simcoe Centre of pulling off the first clean sweep of Canada's most populated province. For the current|defunct federal|provincial electoral district see Simcoe Centre (electoral district ---> Simcoe Centre was a federal They were able to retain their position as the largest party in the House by winning all but two seats in Ontario in the 1997 election. The Liberals were assured of at least a minority government once the Ontario results came in, but it was not clear until later in the night that they would retain their majority. In 2000, the Liberals won all but three seats in Ontario.

Jean Chrétien

While the Chrétien Liberals campaigned from the left, their time in power is most marked by the cuts made to many programs in order to balance the federal budget. Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, (generally known as Jean Chrétien) (born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian politician who was the twentieth Prime Chrétien had supported the Charlottetown Accord while in opposition, but in power opposed major concessions to Quebec and other provincialist factions. In contrast to their promises during the 1993 campaign, they implemented only minor changes to NAFTA, embraced the free trade concept and -- with the exception of the replacement of the GST with the Harmonized Sales Tax in some Atlantic provinces -- broke their promise to replace the GST. In Canada, the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST combines the Goods and Services Tax (GST and Provincial Sales Tax (PST into a single sales tax

After a proposal for Quebec independence was narrowly defeated in the 1995 Quebec referendum, the Liberals passed the "Clarity Act" Clarity Act which outlines the federal government's preconditions for negotiating provincial independence. The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second Referendum to ask voters in the Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should The Clarity Act (known as Bill C-20 before it became law is legislation of Canada 's federal parliament that established the conditions under which the In Chrétien's final days, he supported same-sex marriage in Canada as well as decriminalizing the possession of small quantities of marijuana. On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the approval of the Civil Marriage Act. Chrétien displeased the United States government when he pledged on March 17, 2003 that Canada would not support the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia Polling released a month later [1] showed the decision was largely popular, with 62% in favour of the Prime Minister's decision, and 35% opposed. Later polls would increase that margin of support. [2] [3]

Martin succeeds Chrétien

Paul and Sheila Martin with George and Laura Bush.

Paul Martin succeeded Chrétien as party leader and prime minister in 2003. Paul Edgar Philippe Martin. PC, MP (also known as Paul Martin Jr Despite the personal rivalry between the two, Martin was the architect of the Liberals' economic policies as Minister of Finance during the 1990s. The period between Paul Martin 's assumption of the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada on November 14, 2003, and the 2004 federal election The Minister of Finance (Ministre des Finances is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's Chrétien left office with a high approval rating and Martin was expected to take the Liberals to greater heights. While his cabinet choices provoked some controversy over excluding many Chrétien supporters, it at first did little to hurt his popularity. However, the political situation changed with the revelation of the sponsorship scandal, in which advertising agencies supporting the Liberal Party received grossly inflated commissions for their services. The sponsorship scandal, "AdScam", "Sponsorship" or Sponsorgate, is a Scandal that came as a result of a Canadian

Having faced a divided conservative opposition for the past three elections, Liberals were seriously challenged by competition from the newly-united Conservative Party led by Stephen Harper. The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC The infighting between Martin and Chrétien's supporters also dogged the party. Nonetheless, by criticizing the Conservatives' social policies, the Liberals were able to draw progressive votes from the NDP which made the difference in several close races. In Voting systems tactical voting (or strategic voting or sophisticated voting) occurs when a voter supports a candidate other than his or her On June 28, 2004 federal election, the Martin Liberals retained enough support to continue as the government, though they were reduced to a minority. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Canadian federal election 2004 (more formally the 38th General Election) was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of

In the ensuing months, testimony from the Gomery Commission caused public opinion to turn sharply against the Liberals for the first time in over a decade. The Gomery Commission, formally the Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities, was a federal Canadian Royal Commission Despite the devastating revelations, only two Liberal MPs--David Kilgour (who had, ironically, crossed the floor from the PC Party in 1990) and Pat O'Brien--left the party for reasons other than the scandal. The Honourable David Kilgour, PC, BA, JD, DD (born February 18, 1941 in Winnipeg Manitoba) is a former In Politics, crossing the floor is to vote against party lines especially where this is considered unusual or controversial The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ( PC) ( Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) ( 1867 – 2003) was a Canadian Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Patrick Wayne "Pat" O'Brien MEd, BA (born January 13, 1948) is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons. Belinda Stronach, who crossed the floor from the Conservatives to the Liberals, gave Martin the number of votes needed, although barely, to hold onto power when an NDP-sponsored amendment to his budget was passed only by the Speaker's tiebreaking vote on May 19, 2005. Belinda Caroline Stronach, DO NOT CHANGE PC TO LIBERAL - READ THIS FOR AN EXPLANATION Please note the PC after her name does NOT refer Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

In November, the Liberals dropped in polls following the release of the first Gomery Report. Nonetheless, Martin turned down the NDP's conditions for continued support, as well as rejected an opposition proposal which would schedule a February 2006 election in return for passing several pieces of legislation. The Liberals thus lost the no-confidence vote on November 28; Martin thus became only the fifth prime minister to lose the confidence of the House, but the first to lose on a straight no-confidence motion. For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Due to the Christmas holiday, Martin advised Governor General Michaëlle Jean to dissolve Parliament and call an election for January 2006. Michaëlle Jean, CC CMM COM CD ʒɑ̃ (born September 6, 1957, in Port-au-Prince, The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the

The Liberal campaign was dogged from start to finish by the sponsorship scandal, which was brought up by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) criminal investigation into the leak of the income trust announcement. Numerous gaffes, contrasting with a smoothly run Conservative campaign, put Liberals as many as ten points behind the Conservatives in opinion polling. They managed to recover some of their momentum by election night, but not enough to retain power. They won 103 seats, a net loss of 30 from when the writs were dropped, losing a similar number of seats in Ontario and Quebec to the Tories. However, the Liberals managed to capture the most seats in Ontario for the fifth straight election (54 to the Tories' 40), holding the Conservatives to a minority government. While the Conservatives captured many of Ontario's rural ridings, the Liberals retained most of the population-rich Greater Toronto Area. The Greater Toronto Area (locally abbreviated as the GTA) is the most populous Metropolitan area in Canada. Many of these ridings, particularly the 905 region, had historically been bellwethers (the Liberals were nearly shut out of this region in 1979 and 1984), but demographic changes have resulted in high Liberal returns in recent years. Area code 905 (with overlay Area code 289) is a telephone dialing area for south central Ontario.

Martin resigned as parliamentary leader after the election and stepped down as Liberal leader on March 18, having previously promised to step down if he didn't win a plurality. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor

In Opposition and 2006 Convention

Bill Graham was appointed interim party and parliamentary leader and the process to select a new party leader began. William Carvel "Bill" Graham PC QC (born March 17, 1939, in Montreal Quebec) is a former Canadian politician An unusually large number of prominent members such as Frank McKenna, Brian Tobin, Allan Rock and Belinda Stronach declined to run, yet at the same time many new faces stepped forward. Francis Joseph "Frank" McKenna PC OC QC ONB (born January 19, 1948, in Apohaqui, Brian Vincent Tobin, PC (born October 21, 1954) is a Canadian politician This article is about the Canadian statesman For the similarly-named places in Massachusetts, see Allen Rock. Belinda Caroline Stronach, DO NOT CHANGE PC TO LIBERAL - READ THIS FOR AN EXPLANATION Please note the PC after her name does NOT refer There were eight people running for the leadership of the Liberal Party [4] at the time of the convention:

• Martha Hall Findlay
• Stéphane Dion
• Michael Ignatieff
• Gerard Kennedy
• Bob Rae
• Scott Brison
• Ken Dryden
• Joe Volpe

The Liberal Party reportedly felt they could quickly regain power, so they accelerated the leadership selection process. Martha Hall Findlay (born August 17, 1959) is a Canadian Lawyer, businesswoman and politician Stéphane Maurice Dion PC not change it to "Liberal"! --> MP Michael Grant Ignatieff, MP (/ɪgˈnatʃəf/ (born May 12, 1947 in Toronto) is a Public intellectual, Historian, This article is about the politician For the actor see Gerard Kennedy (actor. Robert Keith "Bob" Rae PC OC QC OOnt MP (born August 2, 1948) is a Canadian Scott A Brison, PC, MP (born 10 May 1967, Windsor Nova Scotia) is a Canadian Politician. Kenneth Wayne "Ken" Dryden, PC, MP (born August 8, 1947 is a Canadian politician lawyer businessman author and former NHL This article is about the Canadian politician For information about the opera manager see Joseph Volpe (opera manager. [5]. While there were some predictions the party's National Executive would call the convention for as late as March 2007, it instead decided to announce the convention for the first weekend of December 2006.

On December 2 in Montreal, the Liberals voted for their new party leader. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire The ballots came down to Michael Ignatieff and Stéphane Dion, who surpassed Bob Rae on the third ballot. On the second ballot, Dion catapulted from third place to first place thanks in large part to an alliance with Gerard Kennedy. Rae, who was eliminated, released his delegates, most of whom supported Dion over Ignatieff. Dion finally won with 54. 7% of the votes.

On May 11, 2006, Montreal's La Presse reported that the Government of Canada will file a lawsuit against the Liberal Party to recover all the money missing in the sponsorship program. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec La Presse, founded in 1884 is a large-circulation French-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. Scott Brison told reporters that same day that the Liberals has already paid back the $1. 14 million into the public purse, however the Conservatives believe that there is as much as $40 million unaccounted for in the sponsorship program. [6]

On September 28, 2007, party national director Jamie Carroll, was criticized for comments he allegedly made in response to a suggestion that the Liberals should hire more francophone Quebecers to appeal to francophone voters. Jamie Carroll is a professional Ice hockey player who plays right wing. According to some persons present at a private meeting, Carroll said "Do we also have to hire people from the Chinese community to represent the Chinese community?". He later indicated that a statement he made was taken out of context. Several Quebec MPs and the president of the party's Quebec wing said that Carroll was quoted correctly, with Pablo Rodriguez and Liza Frulla demanding that he be fired. Pablo Rodriguez (born June 21, 1967) is a Canadian politician Liza Frulla, PC (born March 30, 1949) also formerly known as Liza Frulla-Hébert, is a former Quebec Politician. Dion affirmed Carroll's version of events, and rejected calls for his dismissal. [7] [8] [9] [10] Carroll initially threatened to sue for defamation and demand 12 to 18 months of severance, though Dion later had him quietly reassigned to another position. [11]

British Columbia MP Blair Wilson was resigned from caucus and the shadow cabinet, after the Vancouver Province charged that he was involved in unlawful off-the-books cash spending, and that his private businesses had numerous discrepancies and unpaid debts. Blair Wilson (born May 18, 1963 in North Vancouver, British Columbia) is the Canadian Member of Parliament (MP in The Province is a daily Newspaper published in British Columbia by the Pacific Newspaper Group Inc, a CanWest Global Communications Wilson, who is being investigated, has denied the allegations. ^[2]

Principles and policies

In the present times, the Liberal party has favoured a variety of policies from both right and left of the political spectrum. In Politics, right-wing, the political right, and the Right are positions that uphold traditional values and/or authorities Since the 1990s it has been a strong champion of balanced budgets, and it eliminated the deficit completely from the federal budget in 1995 by reducing spending on social programs or downloading them to provinces. From a Keynesian point of view a balanced Budget in the Public sector is achieved when the government has enough fiscal discipline to be able to equate A budget deficit occurs when an Entity (often a Government) spends more Money than it takes in Social programs in Canada include all government programs designed to give assistance to citizens outside of what the market provides It had legalized same-sex marriage and use of cannabis for medical purposes, and has been proposing complete decriminalization of possession of small amounts of it. Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same Cannabis ( Cán-na-bis) is a Genus of Flowering plants that includes three putative species Cannabis sativa subsp Decriminalization is the reduction or abolition of criminal penalties in relation to certain acts but regulated permits or fines might still apply (for contrast The party also holds progressive views on various other social issues like abortion. An In spite of this, a socially conservative wing does exists within the party. For example, when the Civil Marriage Act was passed in 2004 (which legalized same-sex marriage), over a quarter of the Liberal caucus voted against the act. The Civil Marriage Act (full title " An Act respecting certain aspects of legal capacity for marriage for civil purposes " was Legislation legalizing

During the 2006 election the Liberal party's platform included an

• Introduction of a national childcare program
• Immediately cut tax for low income earners by 1 point from 16% to 15%
• Tougher firearm laws, including a ban on handguns and semi-automatic rifles
• Reducing wait times for medical treatments
• Increased support and opportunities for seniors, immigrants and the aboriginal populations
• Increased spending on military
• Additional investment in research and higher education. The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the Childcare (also written child care and babycare is the act of caring for and supervising minor Children (In Australia Daycare is referred A firearm is a Tool that projects either single or multiple Projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term Aboriginal people in Canada, also known as Canadian aboriginal citizens, are people who belong to recognized indigenous groups in the Canadian Constitution Act A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking Research is defined as Human activity based on Intellectual application in the investigation of Matter. Higher education is Education that is provided by universities, vocational universities, Community colleges Liberal arts colleges

Leaders of the Liberal Party since 1867

NOTES:

¹ Brown was regarded by most Liberal candidates as their leader in the 1867 election but did not officially hold the title. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting George Brown (November 28 1818 May 10 1880 was a Scottish -born Canadian journalist politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation. Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe Year 1818 ( MDCCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Dominick Edward Blake, PC, QC ( October 13 1833 – March 1 1912) (known as Edward Blake) was Premier Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1833 ( MDCCCXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1873 ( MDCCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Sir Alexander Mackenzie (Alasdair MacCoinnich 1764 - March 12, 1820) was a Scottish-Canadian explorer. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1822 (MDCCCXXII was a Common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Sunday of the Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Year 1892 ( MDCCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1833 ( MDCCCXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 284 - Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor. 762 - Bögü Khan of the Uyghurs, For the game see 1841 (board game. Year 1841 ( MDCCCXLI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Daniel Duncan McKenzie PC ( January 8, 1859 &ndash June 8, 1927) was a Canadian lawyer judge and Politician Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An interim leader, in Canadian politics is a party leader appointed by the party's legislative caucus or the party's executive to temporarily act as leader to fill a gap between Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1099 - First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Louis Stephen St-Laurent PC CC QC ( Saint-Laurent or St-Laurent in French, baptized Louis-Étienne Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1882 ( MDCCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) John Napier Wyndham Turner PC CC QC (born June 7, 1929) is a retired Canadian Lawyer and Politician Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Herbert Eser Gray, PC, CC, QC (born May 25 1931 is a retired Canadian politician Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A parliamentary leader is chosen in Canadian politics to lead their caucus in a legislative body whether it be the House of Commons or a provincial legislature Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, (generally known as Jean Chrétien) (born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian politician who was the twentieth Prime Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Paul Edgar Philippe Martin. PC, MP (also known as Paul Martin Jr Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. William Carvel "Bill" Graham PC QC (born March 17, 1939, in Montreal Quebec) is a former Canadian politician Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An interim leader, in Canadian politics is a party leader appointed by the party's legislative caucus or the party's executive to temporarily act as leader to fill a gap between Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Stéphane Maurice Dion PC not change it to "Liberal"! --> MP Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) The Canadian federal election of 1867, held from August 7 to September 20, was the first election for the new nation of Canada. Had he won a seat he would have almost certainly become Leader of the Opposition and had the Liberals won enough seats to form a government Brown would almost certainly have become Prime Minister. However, he failed in his bid for a seat in the House of Commons and the Liberals had no official leader until 1873.

² Herb Gray served as Leader of the Opposition from February 6 until Chrétien was re-elected to Parliament, and took his seat on December 21, 1990. Herbert Eser Gray, PC, CC, QC (born May 25 1931 is a retired Canadian politician Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) He led the Liberal Party in parliament though he was never the leader or interim leader, of the Liberal Party as a whole.

³ After the defeat of the Liberals by the Conservatives of Stephen Harper in the 2006 Canadian federal election, held on January 26, Paul Martin announced in the early hours of January 24, 2006 his intention to resign the leadership of the Liberal Party. Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Bill Graham was later selected as parliamentary leader by caucus, while Martin indicated he would remain nominal party leader. On March 18, 2006, Graham was appointed interim leader after Martin officially stepped down from the post. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

The Liberal Party held its first leadership convention in 1919, electing William Lyon Mackenzie King as leader. The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a Leadership convention. William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian Prior to that party leaders were chosen by caucus.

See also: Liberal leadership conventions

Election results 1867-2006

• 1953-1968 includes one Liberal-Labour Member of Parliament.

* In 1917, some Liberals ran under the Unionist banner, figures only count those who ran as "Laurier Liberals"

Regional Liberal parties

Each province and one territory in Canada has its own Liberal Party. Prior to the 1917 federal election in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two factions the Laurier Liberals, who opposed

Current governments and premiers:

• British Columbia Liberal Party, Gordon Campbell, MLA (has no official connection to the federal party)
• Ontario Liberal Party, Dalton McGuinty, MPP
• Parti Libéral du Québec, Jean Charest, MNA (has no connection to the federal party)
• New Brunswick Liberal Association, Shawn Graham, MLA
• Prince Edward Island Liberal Party, Robert Ghiz, MLA

Current official oppositions and leaders:

• Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, Yvonne Jones, MHA
• Yukon Liberal Party, Arthur Mitchell, MLA
• Alberta Liberal Party, Kevin Taft, MLA (has no official connection to the federal party)

Third party status and leaders:

• Nova Scotia Liberal Party, Stephen McNeil, MLA
• Manitoba Liberal Party, Jon Gerrard, MLA

Not represented provincially and leader:

• Saskatchewan Liberal Party, David Karwacki

The relationship between the federal and provincial Liberal parties in Canada varies across Canada. 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. Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a Legislature, or to one of its chambers. The Ontario Liberal Party is a Centrist provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. Dalton James Patrick McGuinty Jr MPP (born July 19, 1955, in Ottawa Ontario) is a Canadian lawyer and politician A Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP is an elected member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, (or PLQ) is a liberal Political party in the Canadian province of Quebec. John James Charest PC MNA (known as Jean Charest) ʒɑ̃ ʃɑʀe (born June 24, 1958) is a Canadian The National Assembly of Quebec (Assemblée nationale du Québec is the name for the legislative body of the province of Quebec, Canada. The New Brunswick Liberal Association, more popularly known as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or Liberal Party of New Brunswick, is one of the two major political Shawn Graham MLA (born February 22, 1968 in Kent County, New Brunswick, Canada) is a New Brunswick Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a Legislature, or to one of its chambers. The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party is a left of center political party in the province of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Robert WJ Ghiz MLA (born January 21, 1974, in Charlottetown Prince Edward Island) is the Premier of Prince Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a Legislature, or to one of its chambers. For pre-1949 Liberal parties see Liberal parties in Newfoundland (pre-Confederation The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the Yvonne Jones is a Canadian politician and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor The Yukon Liberal Party is a political party in the Yukon Territory in Canada. Arthur Mitchell is the leader of the Yukon Liberal Party. He is a former real estate agent and an assistant to John Ostashek, the Yukon Party government Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a Legislature, or to one of its chambers. The Alberta Liberal Party is a political party in Alberta, Canada. Kevin Taft (born September 9, 1955 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is a liberal politician in Alberta, Canada. Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a Legislature, or to one of its chambers. The Liberal Party of Nova Scotia is a political party in Nova Scotia, Canada. Stephen McNeil is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the riding of Annapolis in Nova Scotia and is the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of the Lieutenant Governor (sometimes referred to as the Governor) and the House of Assembly, is the The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Jon Gerrard PC, MLA, BA, PhD, MD (born October 13, 1947) is a politician and medical doctor in Manitoba Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a Legislature, or to one of its chambers. The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a Political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. David Karwacki (born May 30 1965, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) Canadian Politician, was elected Leader of In the four largest provinces (BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec) the parties are informally linked to varying degrees. In the case of BC and Quebec, the provincial party tends to maintain neutrality in federal politics. In the 6 other provinces and one territory, the provincial parties are direct organizational affiliates with their federal counterpart.

The Quebec Liberal Party was long affiliated with the federal Liberals since Confederation. In the 1940s, the party's fortunes were aided and hindered by close association with the federal Grits over the issue of conscription, winning the 1939 election but losing in 1944. The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis following the introduction of forced military service in Canada during World War II The provincial party, serving a long spell in opposition, partially due to the conscription fallout, formally severed ties in 1955. Since then, relations have been tense between the federal and provincial parties, as examplified by Pierre Trudeau and Robert Bourassa's bickering over nationalism. Robert Bourassa GOQ ( July 14, 1933 &ndash October 2, 1996) was a politician in Quebec, Canada

Some in the Alberta Liberal Party feel it has suffered as a result of federal Liberal policies unpopular in Western Canada, such as the National Energy Program and official bilingualism. The National Energy Program ( NEP) was an energy policy of the Government of Canada. The British Columbia Liberal Party Liberal Party ended its own ties with the federal party in 1987.

The Northwest Territories and Nunavut have non-partisan legislatures. The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory Nunavut (ˈnuːnəvʊt ( Inuktitut syllabics: ᓄᓇᕗᑦ is the largest and newest territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Historically the Northwest Territories had political parties between 1898 and 1905. The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory In 1905 the bulk of the populated parts were formed into the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. the Northwest Territories Liberal Party formed the opposition for two elections before 1905. The Northwest Territories Liberal Party was a short-lived branch of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Northwest Territories.

See also

• Liberalism
• Liberalism worldwide
• Liberal democracy
• Liberalism in Canada
• List of political parties in Canada
• Official Opposition (Canada)
• Liberal leadership conventions
  • Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention, 1968
  • Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention, 2003
  • Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention, 2006
• Liberal Party candidates, 2006 Canadian federal election
• Liberal Party candidates, 2004 Canadian federal election
• Liberal Party candidates, 2000 Canadian federal election
• Liberal Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election
• Liberal Party candidates, 1993 Canadian federal election

References

External links

• Liberal Party of Canada (official website)
• Liberal Party of Canada YouTube channel