Off to Ottawa: Direction Ottawa : Federal Elections on Prince les elections federates a l'lle-du- Edward Island, 1873-1997 Prince-Edouard, 1873 a 1997 Part 2 Partie 2 By Earle Kennedy Par Earle Kennedy n 1 July, 1873, a group of dignitaries gathered on the e ler juillet 1873, un groupe de dignitaires est reuni au balcony of Province House to witness the L balcon de Province House pour prendre part a la OConsummating Proclamation of Prince Edward Island's entry proclamation de l'entree de l'fle-du-Prince-Edouard dans le into the Dominion of Canada. According to the Patriot (an Dominion du Canada. Selon le Patriot (un journal ouverte- admittedly anti-confederate newspaper) "the audience within ment anti-confederation), « la foule a portee de voix n'etait hearing consisted of three persons, and even they did not formee que de trois individus, et meme ces trois- la ne sem- appear to be very attentive. After the reading of the blaient pas tres attentifs. Apres la lecture de la proclamation, Proclamation was concluded, the gentlemen on the balcony les hommes au balcon ont acclame Tevenement, mais les gave a cheer but the three persons below [who] at that troisA personnes sur la place, qui representaient la population moment represented the people of Prince Edward Island, de rf.-P.-E., n'ont emis aucun commentaire. » responded never a word." Bien que la population de rf.-P.-E. ne deborde pas d'ent- Though they weren't very enthusiastic at the outset, the housiasme au depart, elle se rend vite compte gue le people of Prince Edward Island quickly realized that the Parlement d'Ottawa est indispensable a l'avenir de Tile. En Parliament in Ottawa was vital to their future. Accordingly, consequence, les elections a la Chambre des communes sont elections for the House of Commons were hard-fought affairs toujours aprement disputeesA et la participation electorate with Island ridings routinely reporting some of the highest dans les circonscriptions de l'fle est regulierement parmi les voter turn-outs in the country. Between 1873 and 1997 the plus elevees au pays. Entre 1873 et 1997, l'fle participe a 35 One of the Island's most respected L'un des politiciens les plus respectes politicians, Daniel J. MacDonald de Vile, Daniel J. MacDonald fut served as MP and Minister of depute federal et ministre desAnciens Vererans' Affairs in the 1970s. combattants dans les annees 1970. A Following his death in office in 1980 sa niort en 1980, date a laquelle il he was given a full state funeral. etait toujours en fonction, il eut droit a des funerailles nationales. Island has seen 35 general elections and 15 by-elections.* Seventy-three elections generales et a 15 elections different individuals have represent- partielles*. Au fil des ans, la ed the province in the House of province est representee par 73 per- Commons; 33 in the Senate. A quan- sonnes a la Chambre des com- titative examination of these repre- munes et par 33 au Senat. Une sentatives, their occupations, party etude quantitative de ces represen- affiliations and relative success at tants, de leurs occupations, de leur the polls is a fascinating glimpse into appartenance politique et de leur Island politics and politicians over succes relatif aux urnes nous offre the past century and a quarter. un coup d'oeil passionnant sur la politique de Tile et ses politiciens au cours du dernier siecle et quart. Daniel J. MacDonald General Election, 1968 Elections generales de 1968 Standings in the Resultats a la House of Commons: Chambre des communes liberal 155 liberaux 155 PC 72 PC 72 NDP 2 NPD 2 Creditiste 14 Creditistes 14 Independent 1 Independants 1 The Island saw first significant change in its electoral map Le territoire electoral de Tile subit ses plus importants since 1903. The dual-member riding of Queens County was changements depuis 1903. La circonscription duonominale divided into two, single-member ridings: Malpeque and du comte de Queens est divisee en deux circonscriptions Hillsborough. Prince County was redrawn as Egmont. Kings uninominales, soit Malpeque et Hillsborough. Le comte de County was reorganized as Cardigan. Prince est redefini et devient Egmont, et le comte de Kings For many years, Cardigan had a reputation of being a "beil- est reorganise sous le titre de Cardigan. weather" riding — a constituency whose voters were especial- Pendant de nombreuses annees, le comte de Cardigan ly canny at sending MPs to the Government side of the House avait la reputation d'etre une circonscription barometre, ou of Commons. A closer look, however, suggests this might be a Mectorat s'efforeait d'elire un depute du gouvernement en myth. Since 1896, when Kings County/Cardigan became a sin- place. Toutefois, en y regardant de plus pres, on se rend gle member constituency, its voters have returned its MP to compte que tout cela n'est peut-etre qu'un mythe. Depuis the Government side of the House 23 times; to the Opposition 1896, 1'annee pendant laquelle le comte de Kings/Cardigan side, 9 times. Between 1896 and 1926, it actually returned devient une circonscription uninominale, Felectorat du Opposition MPs twice as often! Between 1930 and 1963 comte a elu 23 deputes du gouvernement et 9 de Topposi- Cardigan voters "guessed right" 10 consecutive times, but in tion. Entre 1896 et 1926, deux fois plus de deputes de Foppo- the 10 elections between 1965 and 1997, their MPs have been sition y ont ete elusl Entre 1930 et 1963, l'electorat de in Opposition three times. Cardigan a vise juste dix fois de suite, mais a elu trois * Ces chiffres n'incluent pas les elections partielles declenchees a la suite *This number does not include by-elections that were held following d'une nomination au Cabinet Jusqu'au milieu des annees 1930, les person- appointments to Cabinet. Until the mid 1930s, Cabinet appointees had to nes nominees au Cabinet devaient demissionner et se porter candidat a resign their seats and run for election again. These by-elections were formal- nouveau. Ces elections partielles n'etaient qu'une formalite que le candidat ities which the incumbent usually won by acclamation. remportait habituellement par acclamation. After gaining leadership of the Liberal Apres avoir accede au post de chef Party in 1919, William Lyon du parti liberal en 1919, William Mackenzie King chose to run in the Lyon MacKenzie King a choisi de se Prince County seat vacated by the presenter pour le siege du comte de death of Joseph Read. Prince laisse vacant par Joseph Read a sa mort. In comparison, since 1904, when deputes de l'opposition entre 1965 Prince County/Egmont became a sin- et 1997. gle member riding, its MPs have sat D'un autre cote, depuis 1904, with the Government 20 times, and in alors que le comte de Prince/ Opposition nine times. Between 1921 Egmont devenait une circonscription and 1963, their MP was on the uninominale, les elus de ce comte Government side of the House in 13 ont fait partie du gouvernement 20 consecutive Parliaments. fois sur 29. Entre 1921 et 1963, le Nationally, Prime Minister Lester depute de ce comte a siege du cote Pearson resigned as Liberal leader du gouvernement, soit dans 13 and was replaced by the charismatic 1 Legislatures de suite. Pierre Elliot Trudeau. In the ensuing | Au plan national, Lester Pearson general election, "Trudeaumania" J demissionne en tant que chef du swept the Liberals to their first major- I Parti liberal et est remplace par le ity government since 1953. Prince | charismatique Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Edward Island seemed strangely | Lors des elections generales qui resistant to the phenomenon, and the 1 suivent, la Trudeaumanie permet Conservatives swept all four seats for | aux liberaux d'obtenir un gouverne- the fifth time in six elections. William Lyon MacKenzie King ment majoritaire pour la premiere fois depuis 1953. Etrangement, l'lle- Island Ridings: du-Prince-Edouard semble resister au phenomene Trudeau et MP Occupation Party les conservateurs sont elus en bloc; c'est la cinquieme fois en Egmont David MacDonald Minister PC six elections. Malpeque J. Angus MacLean Farmer PC Hillsboro Heath MacQuarrie Educator PC Circonscriptions de Pile Cardigan Melvin J. McQuaid Lawyer PC Depute Occupation Parti Egmont David MacDonald Ministre du culte PC Malpeque J. Angus MacLean Fermier PC General Election, 1972 Hillsboro Heath MacQuarrie Enseignant PC Cardigan Melvin J. McQuaid Avocat PC Standings in the House of Commons: Elections generales de 1972 Liberal 109 PC 107 Resultats a la NDP 31 Chambre des communes Social Credit 15 Liberaux 109 Independent 2 PC 107 NPD 31 The Liberals under Prime Minister Trudeau returned to Credit social 15 power, but were able to form only a minority government. Independants 2 Prince Edward Island returned to the Cabinet table when Daniel J. MacDonald was named Minister of Veterans' Les liberaux de M. Trudeau sont reelus, mais ne forment Affairs. Between 1965 and 1980, MacDonald was the Island's qu'un gouvernement minoritaire. L'f.-P.-E. fait a nouveau par- only Liberal MP. tie du Cabinet avec la nomination de Daniel J. MacDonald a la tete des Affaires des anciens combattants. De 1965 a 1980, Island Ridings: MacDonald est le seul depute liberal de Tile. MP Occupation Party Egmont David MacDonald Minister PC Malpeque J. Angus MacLean Farmer PC Circonscriptions de Tile Hillsboro Heath MacQuarrie Educator PC Depute Occupation Parti Cardigan Daniel J. MacDonald Farmer Lib Egmont David MacDonald Ministre du culte PC Malpeque J. Angus MacLean Fermier PC Hillsboro Heath MacQuarrie Enseignant PC Cardigan Daniel J. 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