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1964 Saskatchewan general election

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1964 Saskatchewan general election

← 1960 April 22, 1964 (1964-04-22) 1967 →

59 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
30 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
PC
Leader Ross Thatcher Woodrow Lloyd Martin Pederson
Party Liberal Co-operative Commonwealth Progressive Conservative
Leader since September 24, 1959 November 3, 1961 October 28, 1958
Leader's seat Morse Biggar Arm River
Last election 17 37 0
Seats won 32 26 1
Seat change Increase15 Decrease11 Increase1
Popular vote 269,402 268,742 126,028
Percentage 40.40% 40.30% 18.90%
Swing Increase7.3pp Decrease0.46pp Increase4.95pp

Premier before election

Woodrow Lloyd
Co-operative Commonwealth

Premier after election

Ross Thatcher
Liberal

The 1964 Saskatchewan general election was held on April 22, 1964, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) government of Premier Woodrow Lloyd was defeated by the Liberal Party, led by Ross Thatcher. The CCF had governed Saskatchewan since the 1944 election under the leadership (until December 1961) of Tommy Douglas.

By 1964 the provincial Social Credit Party had collapsed, nominating only two candidates. In another morale hit, the federal Social Credit Party endorsed the Liberals during the election. While the CCF held on to nearly all of their vote from the previous election and only trailed the Liberals by 0.1%, most of the shift in Social Credit support went to the Liberals and proved decisive in helping to push Thatcher to a majority government.

The Progressive Conservative Party also picked up some support at the expense of Social Credit but won only one seat in the legislature, that of leader Martin Pederson.

Election campaign

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Douglas' government was the first social democratic government in North America, and had introduced the medicare system in Canada. This led to a 23-day strike by the province's physicians. Universal public health care, however, was not an issue in the campaign. In fact, following its successful introduction, the opposition Liberals were for expanding Medicare even more. The only provincial party to advocate eliminating Medicare was the small Social Credit Party.

The Social Credit party nominated only two candidates in the election, and they were hurt by statements by the federal Social Credit party leader, Robert N. Thompson, supporting the Saskatchewan Liberals. The Socreds' leader, Martin Kelln, chose not to spend much time on the campaign, in part because of the recent death of his mother.

The Progressive Conservatives returned to the Legislative Assembly for the first time since 1934. They won only one seat despite winning almost 19% of the popular vote. The Tories promised to keep Medicare in place, but opposed the Liberals' plans to expand it. They argued that the Liberals were too radical, and that the CCF government was not doing enough to develop the province's natural resources.

The Liberals were able to capitalize on the collapse of Social Credit and were more effective than the Tories in drawing the "anti-socialist" (anti-CCF) vote. Yet the campaign was not marked by any major issues.

There was, however, considerable animosity between the Liberals and the CCF. The Liberals employed what were called "Madison Avenue campaign tactics" and spent a lot of money on campaign advertising, especially television advertising. They tried to characterize the election as being a choice between socialism and private enterprise-oriented reform. The Saskatchewan Liberals ran well to the right of the federal Liberals and claimed that the CCF government was stagnating.

A warning sign came in the 1962 federal election. The federal CCF had merged with the Canadian Labour Congress to form the New Democratic Party, though the Saskatchewan branch kept the CCF name. Douglas resigned as premier and party leader to become the NDP's first leader, and was succeeded by then-Treasurer Woodrow Lloyd, a former teacher. However, the NDP was completely shut out in Saskatchewan, and Douglas lost by almost 10,000 votes in his bid for a Regina-area riding.

The CCF campaigned heavily on its 17-year record in government. Lloyd attacked the Liberal campaign, stating that they had resorted to "hucksterism, the kind of sales attempts that one usually associates with useless pills, second hand cars and body deodorants."[1]

Lloyd faced several challenges: taxes in Saskatchewan were among the highest in Canada; spending on health care, welfare and education were high; and he lacked the popular support Douglas had enjoyed. However, Saskatchewan had the second highest per capita income in Canada and the lowest unemployment rate in Canada.

Electoral system

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In this election, Saskatchewan used a mixture of single-member districts, electing through First past the post, and multiple-member districts, electing through Plurality block voting.

Before the next election, Saskatchewan switched to consistent single-member districts.[2]

Results

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Party Party leader # of
candidates
Seats Popular vote
1960 Dissol. Elected % Change # % % Change
Liberal Ross Thatcher 59 17 19 32 +68.4% 269,402 40.40% +7.73%
Co-operative Commonwealth Woodrow Lloyd 59 37 35 25/261 -25.7% 268,742 40.30% -0.46%
Progressive Conservative Martin Pederson 42 1 +1000% 126,028 18.90% +4.95%
Social Credit Martin Kelln 2 2,621 0.39% -11.96%
Communist 1 68 0.01% -0.05%
Total 163 54 54 591 +9.3% 666,861 100%  
Source: Elections Saskatchewan

Note: 1 One seat declared void.

Percentages

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Popular vote
Liberal
40.40%
CCF
40.30%
PC
18.90%
Others
0.40%
Seats summary
Liberal
54.24%
CCF
44.07%
PC
1.69%

Ranking

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Party Seats Second Third
Liberal 32 26 1
Co-operative Commonwealth 26 31 2
Progressive Conservative 1 2 39
  Other parties 0 0 3

Riding results

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Names in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " indicates MLAs who are not running again.

Northwestern Saskatchewan

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Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal CCF PC Other
Athabasca   Allan Ray Guy
1,076
John M. Stonehocker
684
Harry J. Houghton
909
  Allan Ray Guy
Cut Knife-Lloydminster Raymond H. Rooney
1,821
  Isidore Charles Nollet
2,927
Gordon Goodfellow
1,617
  Isidore Charles Nollet
Meadow Lake   Henry Coupland
3,149
Martin Semchuk
2,113
Frederick L. Dunbar
1,014
  Martin Semchuk
Redberry Bernard L. Korchinski
1,993
  Dick Michayluk
2,200
Walter John Dolynny
1,238
  Demitro Wasyl Michayluk
Rosthern   David Boldt
2,873
George Guenther
1,949
Isaak Elias (Social Credit) 1,239   David Boldt
Shellbrook   John Cuelenaere
2,427
John Thiessen
2,259
Norval Horner
1,701
  John Thiessen
The Battlefords Herbert O.M. Sparrow
4,242
  Eiling Kramer
4,645
  Eiling Kramer
Turtleford Frank Foley
2,123
  Bob Wooff
2,221
William Elmer Armstrong
1,502
  Franklin Edward Foley

Northeastern Saskatchewan

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Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal CCF PC Other
Cumberland Eldon McLachlan
1,630
  Bill Berezowsky
2,135
Emanuel Sonnenschein
963
  Bill Berezowsky
Humboldt   Mathieu Breker
4,226
Sylvester E. Wiegers
3,030
Frank J. Martin
1,244
  Mary Batten**
Kelsey William John McHugh
2269
  John Hewgill Brockelbank
5283
Carsten Johnson
703
  John Hewgill Brockelbank
Kelvington   Bryan Bjarnason
2,888
Neil Byers
2,398
Joseph M. Ratch
1,341
  Clifford Benjamin Peterson**
Kinistino Michael A. Hnidy
3,125
  Arthur Thibault
3,334
  Arthur Thibault
Melfort-Tisdale William Ernest Hurd
3,056
  Clarence George Willis
3,471
Kenneth Aseltine
2,094
  Clarence George Willis
Nipawin   Frank Radloff
2,652
Bob Perkins
2,440
John A. Whittome
1,942
  Robert Irvin Perkins
Prince Albert   Davey Steuart
5,024
Joseph E. Leon Lamontagne
4,946
Richard E. Spencer
3,828
  David Gordon Steuart

West Central Saskatchewan

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Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal CCF PC Other
Arm River Gustaf Herman Danielson
2,020
Emanuel Lang
1,550
  Martin Pederson
2,326
  Gustaf Herman Danielson
Biggar Benson McLeod Blacklock
1,992
  Woodrow S. Lloyd
2,875
George Loucks
1,120
  Woodrow Lloyd
Hanley Herbert C. "Charlie" Pinder
3,938
Robert Alexander Walker
3,940
Hans Taal
2,602
  Robert Alexander Walker
Kerrobert-Kindersley   William S. Howes
3,799
Eldon Johnson
2,937
  Eldon Arthur Johnson
Rosetown   George Loken
2,573
Allan Stevens
2,367
Les P. Hickson
1,396
  Allan Leonard Frederick Stevens
Watrous Neil McArthur
2,602
  Hans Broten
2,725
  Hans Broten
Wilkie   Joseph "Cliff" McIsaac
3,593
W. Ray Grant
2,162
Donald Wallace
1,649
  John Whitmore Horsman**

Re-run of voided election

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December 16, 1964, by-election: Hanley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  CCF Robert Walker 4,608 45.14% +7.55
  Liberal Herb Pinder 3,864 37.86% +0.28
  Prog. Conservative W. Hugh Arscott 1,735 17.00% -7.83
Total 10,207 100.00%

East Central Saskatchewan

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Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal CCF PC Other
Canora   Ken Romuld
3,391
Alex Kuziak
3,348
  Alex Gordon Kuziak
Last Mountain   Donald MacLennan
2,857
Russell Brown
2,799
Martin Kelln (Social Credit) 1,382   Russell Brown
Melville   James W. Gardiner
3,485
William Wiwchar
3,229
Douglas A. Ellis
1,627
  James Wilfrid Gardiner
Pelly Jim Barrie
2,669
  Leo Larson
2,705
Bohdan E. Lozinsky
1,212
  Jim Barrie
Saltcoats   James Snedker
3,260
Baldur M. Olson
2,275
David Arthur Keyes
1,537
  James Snedker
Touchwood   George Trapp
2,692
Frank Meakes
2,566
Alice M.L. Turner
1,320
  Frank Meakes
Wadena Elizabeth Mary Paulson
2,580
  Fred Dewhurst
3,295
H.D. McPhail
1,405
  Frederick Arthur Dewhurst
Yorkton   Barry Gallagher
4,337
Karl Rokeby Bartelt
3,494
Lawrence L. Ball
1,841
  Bernard David Gallagher

Southwest Saskatchewan

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Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal CCF PC Other
Elrose   George Leith
3,317
Alex Turnbull
3,263
  Olaf Alexander Turnbull
Gravelbourg   Leo Coderre
2,999
Roland Leblanc
2,448
  Lionel Philas Coderre
Maple Creek   Alexander Cameron
2,977
William Percy Rolick
2,424
Marlyn K. Clary
1,389
  Alexander C. Cameron
Morse   Ross Thatcher
3,188
Paul W. Beach
2,952
  Ross Thatcher
Notukeu-Willow Bunch   Jim Hooker
2,660
Hasket Merle Sproule
2,193
Boyd M. Anderson
946
  Karl Frank Klein**
Shaunavon   Fernand Larochelle
2,955
Art Kluzak
2,545
Clifford Boyd Clark
1,225
  Arthur Kluzak
Swift Current T. Lawrence Salloum
4,647
  Everett Irvine Wood
5,238
  Everett Irvine Wood

Southeast Saskatchewan

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Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal CCF PC Other
Bengough   Sam Asbell
2,613
Hjalmar Dahlman
2,311
Roy Bailey
1,192
  Hjalmar Reinhold Dahlman
Cannington   Tom Weatherald
3,852
Henry George Doty
2,489
Glenn Brimner
1,917
  Rosscoe Arnold McCarthy**
Lumsden   Darrel Heald
2,469
Cliff Thurston
2,068
William Clyde Tufts
1,614
  Clifford Honey Thurston
Milestone   Cyril MacDonald
2,568
James M. Hubbs
1,972
Leonard Frederick Westrum
1,023
  Jacob Walter Erb**
Moosomin   Alexander Hamilton McDonald
4,523
William Francis Goodwin
3,102
  Alex "Hammy" McDonald
Qu'Appelle-Wolseley   Doug McFarlane
3,525
John Stephen Leier
2,188
Victor Edward Horsman
2,164
  Douglas Thomas McFarlane
Souris-Estevan   Ian MacDougall
6,220
Ivar Johann Kristianson
4,040
  Ian Hugh MacDougall
Weyburn Junior Staveley
4,347
  Jim Pepper
4,453
Jean Benson
1,234
  Junior Herbert Staveley
June 30, 1965, by-election: Moosomin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Frank Gardner 3,033 36.72% -22.60
  CCF William Francis Goodwin 2,821 34.14% -6.54
  Prog. Conservative Andrew Emerson Bruce 2,407 29.14% -
Total 8,261 100.00%
February 16, 1966, by-election: Bengough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Liberal Alex Mitchell 2,423 42.74% +0.02
  CCF Hjalmar Dahlman 2,285 40.31% +2.52
  Prog. Conservative George W. Spicer 961 16.95% -2.54
Total 5,669 100.00%

Moose Jaw and Saskatoon

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Saskatchewan general election, 1964: Moose Jaw City (2 members elected)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  CCF William Davies (incumbent) 7,749 24.55% -
  CCF Gordon Snyder (incumbent) 7,550 23.92% -
  Prog. Conservative Daniel J. Patterson 7,115 22.54% -
  Liberal E. A. Astell 5,455 17.28% -
  Prog. Conservative Gordon A. Hume 3,697 11.71% -
Total 31,566 100.00%
Saskatchewan general election, 1964: Saskatoon City (5 members elected)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  CCF Alex M. Nicholson (incumbent) 16,701 7.83% -
  CCF Edward Brockelbank (elected) 16,559 7.76% -
  CCF Wes Robbins (elected) 16,126 7.56% -
  Liberal Sally Merchant (elected) 16,068 7.53% -
  CCF Harry D. Link (elected) 16,041 7.52% -
  Liberal Clarence Estey 15,761 7.39% -
  CCF Gladys Strum (incumbent) 15,741 7.38% -
  Liberal Keith McLean Crocker 15,661 7.34% -
  Liberal Joseph J. Charlebois 15,542 7.28% -
  Liberal Victor C. Hession 14,770 6.92% -
  Prog. Conservative Lewis Brand 11,401 5.34% -
  Prog. Conservative W. Hugh Arscott 11,344 5.32% -
  Prog. Conservative Ray Hnatyshyn 10,874 5.09% -
  Prog. Conservative Henry Clay Rees 10,543 4.94% -
  Prog. Conservative Irving Goldenberg 10,240 4.80% -
Total 213,372 100.00%

Regina

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Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal CCF PC Other
Regina East Paul Dojack
8,208

Jacob W. Erb
8,060

  Henry Baker
8,953

Walt Smishek
8,395

Dick Shelton
2,356

George J. Tkach
2,343

New District
Regina North Ron Atchison
3,867
  Ed Whelan
4,722
Norman Brudy (Communist) 68 New District
Regina South   Gordon Grant
7,788
George R. Bothwell
3,440
New District
Regina West Alex Cochrane
7,770

Betty Sear
6,981

  Allan Blakeney
9,076

Marjorie Cooper
8,413

Donald K. MacPherson
4,495
New District

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "CBC Archives".
  2. ^ Parliamentary Guide

Further reading

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