1956 Quebec general election

The 1956 Quebec general election was held on June 20, 1956, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Georges-Émile Lapalme.[1]

1956 Quebec general election

June 20, 1956

93 seats in the 24th Legislative Assembly of Quebec
47 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Maurice Duplessis Georges-Émile Lapalme
Party Union Nationale Liberal
Leader since June 20, 1936 May 20, 1950
Leader's seat Trois-Rivières Montréal-Outremont
Last election 68 seats, 50.5% 23 seats, 45.77%
Seats won 72 20
Seat change Increase4 Decrease3
Percentage 51.8% 44.87%
Swing Increase1.3pp Decrease0.9pp

Premier before election

Maurice Duplessis
Union Nationale

Premier after election

Maurice Duplessis
Union Nationale

This was the fifth and final time (and the fourth in a row) that Duplessis led his party to a general election victory. No party has since been able to win more than three elections in a row. Duplessis died in office in 1959.

It was Lapalme's second (and final) loss in a row as Liberal leader. The Liberals did not manage to improve on their performance in the previous 1952 election.

Expansion of the Legislative Assembly

An Act passed in 1954 provided for the creation of the new electoral district of Jonquière-Kénogami for the next election, which was carved out from Chicoutimi and Lac-Saint-Jean.[2]

Campaign

The Liberals and the Union des électeurs pooled their resources to conduct a joint campaign against the UN in at least 50 ridings.[3][4] They collaborated to such a degree that in February 1956 the Liberal MPP René Hamel had proposed a motion espousing social credit theory in the Assembly, and a joint rally was held in May 1956 in Shawinigan to mark that event.[5] While the strategy was viewed within the parties as a means to maximize their strength in opposing the UN, the electorate tended to view it as being confusing,[3] while the Montreal Gazette called it "an irresponsible alliance".[6] There were also Liberals in the old guard that wanted the UN to win.[7]

The Liberals supported four UdE and two Nationalist candidates,[8] respectively running as Liberals and Independents, of which none won:[9]

One observer noted, "The Union Nationale’s strongly entrenched position could not be seriously challenged unless a united front was formed of all opposing groups."[12] The UN chose to campaign on Quebec's right to fiscal autonomy, the party's accomplishments and the future of Ungava,[3] while the Liberals' chances were restrained by their alliance with the UdE (while shutting out the Parti social démocratique), the choice of Chaloult and Laporte not to identify themselves as Liberal candidates, and the party's tendency to side with Ottawa's centralizing policies.[12] The UN correctly assumed that Quebec voters, when given a choice, would prefer a nationalist policy over a social one.[12]

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1956)[13]
Candidates UN Lib PSD Lab-Pr Ind I-Lib I-UN Lab UN-Lab CF Total
2 50491100
3 202071011160
4 13121012121152
5 5545113125
6 222212112
7 111137
8 2222223116
Total 939126327810311272

Results

[13]

Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (1956)
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1952 1956 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Union Nationale Maurice Duplessis 9368724Increase956,082108,099Increase51.80%1.30Increase
Liberal Georges-Émile Lapalme 9223203Decrease828,26459,725Increase44.87%0.90Decrease
Social Democratic Thérèse Casgrain 2611,2324,807Decrease0.61%0.35Decrease
Labor–Progressive Gui Caron 326,5172,585Increase0.35%0.12Increase
  Other candidates
 Independent   711Steady33,20519,359Increase1.80%0.98Increase
 Independent-Liberal 74,438528Decrease0.24%0.06Decrease
 Independent-Unionist 104,1089,089Decrease0.22%0.57Decrease
 Labour 31,274247Increase0.07%0.01Increase
 Union Nationale-Labour 1516New0.03%New
 Capital familial 193New0.01%New
Total 27292 93 1,845,729 100%
Rejected ballots 28,781 3,133Increase
Voter turnout 1,874,510 169,599Increase 78.32 2.44Increase
Registered electors 2,393,360 146,362Increase
Popular vote
UN
51.80%
PLQ
44.87%
Others
3.33%
Seats summary
UN
77.42%
PLQ
21.51%
Others
1.08%

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1956 Quebec general election[13][14]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1]
Votes
Name 1952 Party Votes Share Margin
#
Margin
%
UN Lib PSD Lab-Pr Ind I-Lib I-UN Lab Other Total
 
Abitibi-Est UN UN 13,96753.94%2,2008.50%81.31%13,96711,76716025,894
Abitibi-Ouest UN Lib 6,20750.66%1611.31%89.27%6,0466,20712,253
Argenteuil UN UN 7,15355.54%1,42711.08%86.07%7,1535,72612,879
Arthabaska UN UN 10,18954.74%1,7659.48%92.72%10,1898,42418,613
Bagot UN UN 5,69661.46%2,12422.92%90.76%5,6963,5729,268
Beauce UN UN 13,43256.66%3,15813.32%88.52%13,43210,27423,706
Beauharnois UN UN 11,92858.31%3,45016.87%87.96%11,9288,4785020,456
Bellechasse UN UN 6,24357.89%1,70215.78%82.86%6,2434,54110,784
Berthier UN UN 7,12356.17%1,56512.34%90.30%7,1235,55812,681
Bonaventure UN Lib 8,55152.68%8695.35%84.06%7,6828,55116,233
Brome UN Lib 3,27451.66%2453.87%83.36%3,0293,2746,338
Chambly UN Lib 20,03149.43%7671.89%76.45%19,26420,03187715020540,527
Champlain UN UN 12,57958.93%3,81417.87%90.32%12,5798,76521,344
Charlevoix UN UN 7,72960.37%2,65520.74%87.17%7,7295,07412,803
Châteauguay UN UN 5,93657.10%1,47714.21%85.59%5,9364,45910,395
Chicoutimi UN UN 19,10367.22%9,78834.44%87.25%19,1039,31528,418
Compton UN Lib 5,54251.41%4013.72%85.72%5,1415,5429810,781
Deux-Montagnes UN UN 8,13372.31%5,16245.90%83.43%8,1332,97114311,247
Dorchester UN UN 9,56960.74%3,38521.49%85.40%9,5696,18415,753
Drummond Lib UN 13,21153.83%1,9287.86%91.52%13,21111,2834724,541
Frontenac Lib UN 6,45152.12%5244.23%89.65%6,4515,92712,378
Gaspé-Nord UN UN 4,57450.40%1351.49%84.26%4,5744,439629,075
Gaspé-Sud UN UN 8,01656.03%1,72612.06%85.67%8,0166,29014,306
Gatineau UN UN 8,20655.96%1,74811.92%76.32%8,2066,45814,664
Hull UN Lib 10,56445.70%1430.62%83.05%10,42110,564157791,89523,116
Huntingdon UN UN 3,27352.33%2914.65%84.69%3,2732,9826,255
Iberville UN UN 3,90357.22%98514.44%88.13%3,9032,9186,821
Îles-de-la-Madeleine UN UN 2,59156.72%61413.44%89.09%2,5911,9774,568
Jacques-Cartier Lib Lib 31,38555.39%9,09416.05%70.68%22,29131,3852,32266856,666
Joliette UN UN 11,50064.88%5,27529.76%86.06%11,5006,22517,725
Jonquière-Kénogami New UN 11,94650.68%3201.36%88.00%11,94611,62623,572
Kamouraska UN UN 6,48958.30%1,84716.59%81.48%6,4894,64211,131
L'Assomption UN UN 7,26055.53%1,44511.05%87.97%7,2605,81513,075
L'Islet UN UN 5,32253.25%6496.49%86.54%5,3224,6739,995
Labelle UN UN 6,71762.07%2,65824.56%87.41%6,7174,0594610,822
Lac-Saint-Jean UN UN 8,54454.49%1,4088.98%92.66%8,5447,13615,680
Laval UN UN 50,41753.91%9,2039.84%70.51%50,41741,2141,12976393,523
Laviolette UN UN 11,84859.46%3,76918.91%82.94%11,8488,07919,927
Lévis Lib UN 12,22054.30%2,1149.39%90.04%12,22010,1061816122,505
Lotbinière UN UN 7,05257.23%1,78114.45%89.41%7,0525,27112,323
Maisonneuve Lib UN 20,66850.93%2,4696.08%68.96%20,66818,19922717624911994140,579
Maskinongé UN UN 5,58857.26%1,41714.52%93.04%5,5884,1719,759
Matane UN UN 10,10957.93%2,76915.87%84.28%10,1097,34017,449
Matapédia UN UN 7,20554.66%1,2299.32%86.00%7,2055,97613,181
Mégantic UN UN 12,12352.50%1,1555.00%92.22%12,12310,96823,091
Missisquoi UN UN 7,00156.72%1,65813.43%86.03%7,0015,34312,344
Montcalm UN UN 4,58556.67%1,07913.34%89.26%4,5853,5068,091
Montmagny UN UN 6,40355.92%1,35511.83%87.37%6,4035,04811,451
Montmorency UN UN 6,62859.53%2,16519.44%90.72%6,6284,4634311,134
Montréal–Jeanne-Mance Lib UN 29,07649.76%3,4395.88%66.38%29,07625,6373342392381,798911,02558,438
Montréal-Laurier UN UN 17,15460.26%7,49126.31%70.86%17,1549,6631,65228,469
Montréal-Mercier UN UN 18,16560.03%6,70522.16%65.79%18,16511,4601623838930,259
Montréal–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Lib Lib 28,17577.44%21,10658.01%55.29%7,06928,17562951036,383
Montréal-Outremont Lib Lib 24,34867.83%14,33139.93%55.80%10,01724,34872680235,893
Montréal–Saint-Henri Lib Lib 17,34451.30%1,9605.80%70.57%15,38417,34423415617251633,806
Montréal–Saint-Jacques UN UN 11,20662.36%4,92227.39%63.90%11,2066,28427920017,969
Montréal–Saint-Louis Lib Lib 12,27649.47%2,4619.92%52.88%9,81512,2764256491,65024,815
Montréal–Sainte-Anne Ind Ind 10,52066.01%6,43240.36%60.75%5874,08814516710,52042915,936
Montréal–Sainte-Marie Lib UN 15,05154.80%3,85314.03%67.93%15,05111,19819517284727,463
Montréal-Verdun Lib Lib 20,17570.12%13,36146.43%64.50%6,81420,1751,78528,774
Napierville-Laprairie UN UN 7,86153.81%1,1667.98%89.28%7,8616,6955214,608
Nicolet UN UN 8,49859.33%2,67318.66%86.53%8,4985,82514,323
Papineau UN UN 11,16456.21%2,46712.42%87.78%11,1648,69719,861
Pontiac UN UN 6,20171.83%3,76943.66%79.30%6,2012,4328,633
Portneuf UN UN 12,81060.72%4,52321.44%87.52%12,8108,28721,097
Québec-Centre UN UN 10,98360.18%3,71520.36%81.48%10,9837,26818,251
Québec-Comté Lib UN 21,27256.22%5,04713.34%85.59%21,27216,2256328037,840
Québec-Est Lib UN 20,17355.47%4,09011.25%85.85%20,17316,08311236,368
Québec-Ouest Lib Lib 10,07350.40%1580.79%82.76%9,91510,07319,988
Richelieu Lib UN 9,55254.28%1,5909.03%89.78%9,5527,962661917,599
Richmond Lib Lib 9,47051.49%7424.03%90.47%8,7289,47019418,392
Rimouski UN Lib 9,91151.05%4082.10%85.03%9,5039,91119,414
Rivière-du-Loup UN Lib 8,62351.24%5563.30%87.88%8,0678,62313916,829
Roberval UN UN 10,90352.50%1,0385.00%88.94%10,9039,86520,768
Rouville UN UN 5,27752.84%5675.68%87.54%5,2774,7109,987
Rouyn-Noranda UN Lib 7,56151.16%1,0076.81%84.35%6,5547,56166514,780
Saguenay UN UN 10,89958.60%3,19817.19%75.91%10,8997,70118,600
Saint-Hyacinthe UN Lib 9,96551.67%6693.47%83.85%9,2969,9652419,285
Saint-Jean UN UN 8,27956.17%1,90112.90%85.62%8,2796,378552714,739
Saint-Maurice Lib Lib 13,85151.37%7412.75%90.44%13,11013,85126,961
Saint-Sauveur UN UN 16,11768.77%8,86237.81%87.43%16,1177,2556423,436
Shefford Lib UN 11,53453.59%1,6277.56%85.31%11,5349,9078221,523
Sherbrooke UN UN 16,58855.30%3,43811.46%78.62%16,58813,1507318529,996
Stanstead UN UN 7,81550.26%810.52%82.63%7,8157,73415,549
Témiscamingue Lib UN 4,07850.83%1331.66%86.26%4,0783,9458,023
Témiscouata UN UN 6,29959.35%1,98518.70%85.36%6,2994,31410,613
Terrebonne UN UN 20,98457.57%5,70415.65%85.34%20,98415,2801077736,448
Trois-Rivières UN UN 16,26361.73%6,32724.02%88.23%16,2639,936529326,344
Vaudreuil-Soulanges UN UN 7,68151.00%3702.46%85.94%7,6817,3117015,062
Verchères Lib UN 5,10453.06%6276.52%89.67%5,1044,477399,620
Westmount–Saint-Georges Lib Lib 13,80880.05%10,87063.02%51.26%2,93813,80825524817,249
Wolfe Lib UN 4,05850.31%500.62%93.33%4,0584,0088,066
Yamaska UN UN 4,73666.22%2,32032.44%85.90%4,7362,4167,152
  1. including spoilt ballots
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = other incumbents renominated
  = UdE candidates under the Liberal banner
  = Nationalist candidates supported by the Liberals
  = multiple candidates

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place[13]
Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
UNLibInd
Union Nationale 70272
Liberal 2020
Independent 11
Total 2071293
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[13]
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5thTotal
 Union Nationale 7220193
 Liberal 207192
 Independent 12216
 Social Democratic 166224
 Labor–Progressive 1311529
 Independent UN 5319
 Independent Liberal 325
 Labour 1113
 UN-Labour 11
 Capital familial 11
Resulting composition of the 23rd Quebec Legislative Assembly[14]
SourceParty
UN Lib Ind Total
Seats retainedIncumbents returned 559165
Open seats held 314
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated 9615
Incumbents defeated - previous incumbents returned 33
Open seats gained 145
New ridingsNew MPP elected 11
Total 7220193

See also

Further reading

  • Lemieux, Vincent, ed. (1969). Quatre élections provinciales au Québec [Four provincial elections in Quebec] (in French). Montreal: Les presses de l'Université Laval.

References

  1. Leslie Roberts (1963). The Chief: A Political Biography of Maurice Duplessis. Clarke, Irwin.
  2. An Act to constitute the electoral district of Jonquière-Kénogami, S.Q. 1953-54, c. 42
  3. Lemieux 1969, p. 9.
  4. "Relations entre Libéraux et Créditistes" [Liberal-Créditiste Relations]. Vers Demain (in French). Montreal. June 15, 1956. p. 2.
  5. "La manifestation du 6 mai à Shawinigan" [The May 6 rally in Shawinigan]. Vers Demain (in French). Montreal. June 1, 1956. pp. 6–7.
  6. "An irresponsible alliance". Montreal Gazette. June 18, 1956. p. 8.
  7. Lemieux 1969, pp. 8–9.
  8. Arkison, Wilbur (June 21, 1956). "Liberals Gain 9 Seats - But Lose 13". Montreal Gazette. p. 1.
  9. "The extremists were repudiated". Montreal Gazette. June 21, 1956. p. 8.
  10. "Les candidats créditistes tous défaits" [The Créditiste candidates are all defeated]. La Presse (in French). Montreal. June 21, 1956. p. 24. See p. 25 for candidate listings.
  11. "La campagne électorale aux Îles-de-la-Madeleine" [The electoral campaign in the Magdalen Islands]. Vers Demain (in French). Montreal. July 15, 1956. p. 6.
  12. Lemieux 1969, p. 10.
  13. Drouilly, Pierre (December 4, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1956". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
  14. "Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription" [National Assembly members by riding] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
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