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The 1957 Canadian election was held June 10, 1957. This election brought to an end twenty-two years of Liberal rule in a surprise victory by the Progressive Conservatives under John Diefenbaker.
The Liberals had won election after election on programs of successful fiscal management and moderate and conciliatory policies. By the 1950s, many believed that the party was arrogant and too close to business. Controversial debates, such as that over the Trans-Canada Pipeline , had hurt the government. Western Canadians also felt alienated from the government which they believed was dominated by Ontario and Quebec interests. Louis St. Laurent, nicknamed 'Uncle Louis', was still popular, but many felt he had lost touch with ordinary Canadians.
The Tory party in 1956 had elected the fiery and charismatic Diefenbaker as their leader. Many people disliked him, and felt he had too little experience to be a strong challenger to the Liberals. Because they believed that there was little hope of defeating the Liberals in the next election, many Tories supported Diefenbaker as a caretaker leader.
The Tory campaign was based on Canadian nationalism and the need for a change. The Tories also embraced their Red Tory side, pledging to out-spend the Liberals on social program s. The Liberals were attacked as free marketers who would leave the Canadian population without an adequate safety net. One of the most ambitious elements of the Tory program was the New Frontier Policy of infrastructure development that would lead ot the populating of the north.
The Liberal campaign was far less ambitious, supporting a stay-the-course message, with moderate reforms and a continuation of competent administration. The economy was booming and the Liberals felt this was enough to see them re-elected. The Liberals also had ammunition to use against Diefenbaker: he was a member of the Orange Lodge, and had a history of making anti- Catholic statements
The Tories' greatest asset soon turned out to be Diefenbaker, however. His ethnic background attracted a new group of supporters to the traditionally Anglo-Anglican Tory party. He was also able to use his charisma to great success. This was the first Canadian election to be televisedSee TV (disambiguation) for other uses and Television (band) for the rock band Television is a telecommunication system for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound over a distance. The term has come to refer to all the aspects of television p, and while only a minority of Canadians owned a television, most got some opportunity to see the candidates they were voting for. Diefenbaker was viewed as honest and dedicated, while the 75 year old St. Laurent was felt to be distant and humourless.
The campaign was also the first in Canada to use modern political advertising techniques. Strategists like Dalton CampDalton K. Camp ( September 11, 1920 March 18, 2002) was a Canadian politician, political commentator and supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Despite having never been elected to a seat in the House of Commons, he is generally regard and Allister Grosart ran a more tightly-planned campaign than any in Canadian history. An important strategy was almost completely ignoring the province of Quebec -- the strategists felt they had little chance there. They also believed they could win without the province.
In an era before widespread polling, the results of the election came as a surprise to most Canadians, including most politicians. The Liberals won the popular vote, but lost the election as they piled up massive majorities in Quebec. In the West, Ontario, and the MaritimesThe Maritimes or Maritime provinces are a region of Canada on the Atlantic coast, consisting of the three provinces New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The Maritimes are located northeast of New England, southeast of Quebec's Gaspe penins, the Tories gained enough seats to form a minority governmentFor minority regime see Apartheid. A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system which does not represent a majority in the parliament or in bicameral parliaments, in that chamber whose confidence is considered most cr. Noted Liberal ministers like C.D. HoweThe Right Honourable Clarence Decatur Howe ( January 15, 1886 December 31, 1960) was a leading Canadian politician. In the 1940s and 1950s he was known as the "Minister of Everything". Howe was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States and attended Ma, the "Minister of Everything", lost their seats.
Many Canadians were overjoyed to see change, and spontaneous celebrations occurred in many parts of the country. The CBCCBC redirects here, as this is the most common use of the abbreviation. For other uses, see CBC (disambiguation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation commonly known by the abbreviation CBC is Canada's government-owned television network and radio network. anchor covering the election famously lit a cigarThis page is about the tobacco product, for the horse Cigar see Cigar (horse). A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of tobacco leaves that have already been dried and fermented, which is lit for the purpose of inhaling (or merely drawing into the mouth rath in satisfaction with the result.