1963 New Brunswick general election

The 1963 New Brunswick general election was held on April 22, 1963, to elect 52 members to the 45th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada.

1963 New Brunswick general election

April 22, 1963
52 seats to the 45th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly 27 seats were needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Lib PC Leader Louis Robichaud Cyril Sherwood Party Liberal Progressive Conservative Leader since 1958 1960 Leader's seat Kent Kings Last election 31 seats 21 seats Seats won 32 20 Seat change 1 1 Percentage 51.8% 48.2% Swing 1.6% 2.0%
Premier before election Louis Robichaud Liberal Premier after election Louis Robichaud Liberal

Rendition of party representation in the 45th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly decided by this election.

  Liberals (32)

  Progressive Conservatives (20)

The election was called by surprise by Liberal Premier Louis Robichaud. The Progressive Conservatives, under leader Cyril Sherwood, had accused the Liberals of corruption for allowing an Italian company, Cartiere del Timavo, to construct a paper mill in Newcastle, and grant it rights to Crown land over other companies. The Conservatives also claimed that Lieutenant-Governor Leonard O'Brien had sold land to the company. Robichaud made a quick decision to call an election amid those accusations.

Analysts had wondered why Robichaud decided to call the election only two-and-a-half years into his mandate over what they thought was a small issue. Several of his projects, such as tax reform and an overhaul of post-secondary education (which eventually led to the creation of the Université de Moncton and the University of New Brunswick at Saint John), died in the legislature. However, Robichaud later said that he held the election while his popularity was at its height, and the Conservatives were weak.

Robichaud campaigned on a platform of economic development and encouragement of outside investment in the province. Cartiere del Timavo threatened to cancel the project if the Liberals lost the election. Many voters perceived Sherwood as too timid in his attacks on the Liberals on the campaign trail, as compared to his vigorous speeches in the Legislature.

The campaign coincided with a federal election, which was held two weeks earlier. That election saw the Conservatives of John Diefenbaker defeated by the Liberals of Lester Pearson. Robichaud then used the Liberal victory nationally as leverage provincially and promised New Brunswick would receive better treatment from the federal government with the same party in power.

On election day, the Liberals were re-elected with an increased majority of one seat over the 1960 election.