Federal Minority Governments in Canada - Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper

• Seats short of a majority 2006: 30. Term of office 2 years, 207 days/937 days.
• Seats short of a majority 2008: 12. Term of office 70004000000000000004 years, 700125000000000000025 days.

Although several public opinion polls predicted that the 2006 election would result in either a strong Conservative minority or a slight majority, the Liberals enjoyed a last-minute surge but were unable to overtake the Conservatives. However, the surge did result in the smallest minority government in Canadian history, with the smallest percentage of government seats ever and the largest number of seats short of a majority. All parties held the balance of power, the Liberal party with 102 seats, the Bloc Québécois with 51 seats, and the NDP with 29 seats. André Arthur, a popular radio host from Quebec City, was the only independent elected. As Liberal Peter Milliken was reelected as Speaker, the Conservatives now effectively held a minority only 29 seats short of a majority as the Speaker traditionally votes only to break a tie and always in favour of the status quo. Thus, the Conservatives held a majority together with any one of the opposition parties, assuming no defections. This status was changed midway through the 39th parliament, when maverick MP Garth Turner was ousted from the Conservative caucus for allegedly violating "caucus confidentiality".

Stephen Harper led a minority Conservative government and was sworn in as Prime Minister on February 6. From March 18 to December 2, 2006, Bill Graham was the interim leader of the Liberal party. Paul Martin resigned as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada on March 18 in order to quell any rumours that he might run in any future election. Stéphane Dion won the leadership convention on December 2, and from then served as the leader of the opposition.

Initial results of the 2006 election indicated that the Conservatives would fall 31 seats short of a majority. However, after the election but before the new Parliament took office, Liberal David Emerson crossed the floor to join the Conservatives and Stephen Harper's cabinet amidst some controversy. This increased the size of the Conservative caucus to 125 seats, only 30 seats short of a majority.

Parliament was dissolved on September 7, 2008, ending the longest running minority government between the return of writs and dissolution. On October 14, Harper's Conservative Party was re-elected with a plurality of seats, though still 12 seats short of a majority. It is the first time since Pearson's 1965 minority that a minority government was re-elected as such.

The 40th Parliament was dissolved following the government's defeat in a motion of no confidence, however the Conservatives were reelected to a majority government on May 2, 2011. Excluding the odd case of the 14th Parliament, Harper has led the government through two longest lasting federal minority governments in Canadian history, and is also the first prime minister to win a federal election (by majority or minority) after winning two minority governments (consecutive or not).