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2011 Canadian federal election

The 2011 Canadian federal election was held on May 2, 2011, to elect members to the House of Commons of Canada of the 41st Canadian Parliament.

308 seats in the House of Commons
155 seats needed for a majority

61.1% (Increase2.3pp)

The writs of election for the 2011 election were issued by Governor General David Johnston on March 26. Prime Minister Stephen Harper advised the Governor General to dissolve parliament after the House of Commons passed a motion of non-confidence against the government, finding it to be in contempt of Parliament. A few days before, the three opposition parties had rejected the minority government's proposed budget.[1]


The Conservative Party remained in power, increasing its seat count from a minority to a majority government, marking the first time since 1988 that a right-of-centre party formed a majority government. The Liberal Party, sometimes dubbed the "natural governing party", was reduced to third party status for the first time as they won the fewest seats in its history, and party leader Michael Ignatieff was defeated in his riding. The Bloc Québécois lost official party status for the first time since contesting general elections in 1993. Party leader Gilles Duceppe was defeated in his riding and subsequently resigned as leader. The New Democratic Party led by Jack Layton won the largest number of seats in its history, enabling it to form the Official Opposition for the first time in the party's history, as they made a major breakthrough in Quebec. The Green Party elected its first member to the House of Commons with its leader, Elizabeth May, becoming MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands.

Bloc Québécois: "Parlons Québec" (Let's talk about Quebec)

Conservative Party: "Here For Canada / Ici pour le Canada". In francophone Quebec, Harper ran under the slogan "Notre région au pouvoir" (Our Region in Power).

[18]

Green Party: "It's Time" & "Canada needs Elizabeth May but only you can elect her"

Liberal Party: "Rise Up Canada" & "Change we need, from a proven team." The first one refers to Harper's contempt charge. The second one was used after the NDP's surge in the opinion polls, making reference to the fact that it has never formed a federal government.

New Democratic Party: "Working For Families / Travaillons ensemble", "You have a choice", and "That's Canadian Leadership"

The parties' campaign slogans for the 2011 election:

As initially validated by election officials, candidate Ted Opitz defeated Liberal incumbent Borys Wrzesnewskyj in Etobicoke Centre by 25 votes,[122] a margin increased by one in the recount.[123] Citing potential voter registration irregularities, however, Wrzesnewskyj has sought to have the result overturned by the courts, filing a formal motion with the Ontario Superior Court in spring 2012.[124] On October 25, 2012, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld Opitz's narrow victory.[125]

Conservative Party

Initially, Conservative defeated incumbent Anthony Rota of the Liberal Party by 15 votes in Nipissing—Timiskaming; the recount added three votes to the margin of victory.[126]

Jay Aspin

In Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, incumbent Conservative MP was initially declared re-elected, but due to a counting error on election night, the seat was later determined to have been won by the NDP candidate François Lapointe by a margin of five votes.[120] The recount confirmed Lapointe as the winner by nine votes.[127]

Bernard Généreux

In Winnipeg North, a recount was requested by an elector; the difference between Liberal , the victor, and New Democrat Rebecca Blaikie was just 45 votes,[128] reduced by one vote in the recount.[126]

Kevin Lamoureux

2011 Bloc Québécois leadership election

Controversies in the Canadian federal election, 2011

2013 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election

List of Canadian federal general elections

List of political parties in Canada

Newspaper endorsements in the Canadian federal election, 2011

Results of the 2011 Canadian federal election

Pammett, Jon H.; Dornan, Christopher, eds. (2011). The Canadian Federal Election of 2011. Toronto: Dundurn Press.  978-1-4597-0182-3.

ISBN

Argyle, Ray (2011). Turning Points: The Campaigns That Changed Canada – 2011 and Before. Waterside Books.

Newman, Peter C. (2011). When the Gods Changed: The Death of Liberal Canada. Toronto: Random House Canada.  978-0-307-35828-8.

ISBN

Elections Canada

CBC News – Canada Votes 2011

. The Globe and Mail. Canada. April 3, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2011.

"Compare the party platforms"