Electoral history of Arthur Meighen

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For the biography of Arthur Meighen, see Arthur Meighen.
Arthur Meighen, ninth prime minister of Canada

The article is the electoral history of Arthur Meighen, the ninth prime minister of Canada.

A Conservative, he served two short terms as prime minister. He became prime minister upon the resignation of Sir Robert Borden in 1921, and again upon the resignation of Mackenzie King in 1926. His first term was just over one year, and the second for only a few months.

He led his party in three general elections and lost all three to King. Appointed to the Senate in 1932, he attempted an electoral come-back in 1942, but was defeated in his attempt to re-enter Parliament.

Meighen stood for election to the House of Commons of Canada nine times, winning six times and losing three times. He was acclaimed once. His defeat in his constituency in the 1921 election was the first time in Canada that a sitting prime minister lost his seat. He lost his seat again in the 1926 election, becoming the only sitting Canadian prime minister to lose his seat twice (Mackenzie King lost his seat twice while prime minister in 1925 and 1945 but did not resign).

Summary[edit]

Canada had nine provinces and two territories during Meighen's time in office.

Meighen ranks seventeenth out of twenty-three prime ministers for time in office, serving two short terms. He was prime minister for one year and 172 days in 1920-1921, and then again for 88 days in 1926.[1]

Meighen was the second of four prime ministers to serve non-consecutive terms, the others being Sir John A. Macdonald, King, and Pierre Trudeau.

Meighen is the only prime minister from Manitoba.

Meighen served in several positions in the government of Sir Robert Borden from 1913 to 1920. When Borden announced his retirement, Meighen was chosen as party leader by Borden, after extensive consultations with the Conservative caucus.[2] As leader of the majority party in the Commons, Meighen automatically became prime minister, and did not call a general election immediately on taking office in 1920. When he called the general election the next year, in 1921, he was defeated by Mackenzie King and the Liberals. Meighen became Leader of the Opposition. However, since he had been defeated in his own riding of Portage la Prairie, he had to be elected in a by-election before he could re-enter Parliament. This was the first time in Canada that a sitting prime minister lost his seat.

Four years later, in the general election of October 1925, Meighen again led the Conservatives and was again defeated by Mackenzie King. However, in the spring of the next year, a procurement scandal in the federal government led to King's resignation. Because the election had been so recent and the state of the parties in the Commons was fluid, Governor-General Byng appointed Meighen to succeed King as prime minister, rather than call a general election, as King had requested. Byng's refusal to call the election on King's request triggered a constitutional crisis, the King-Byng affair. The Meighen government fell shortly afterwards his appointment on a motion of non-confidence and the Governor-General then called an election, which King won by a majority. For the second time, Meighen did not win his seat in the general election and resigned immediately as leader of the Conservatives.[2]

Meighen served in the Senate of Canada from 1932 to 1942.[3]

In 1942, Meighen attempted a political comeback and was elected leader of the Conservatives. He stood for election in a by-election, but was defeated. He resigned the leadership and retired from politics.[2]

Meighen in 1912

Meighen began his political career in the federal election of 1908. He stood for election to the House of Commons of Canada nine times (1908, 1911 1913, 1917, 1921, 1922, 1925, 1926, and 1942), primarily in the constituency of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. He was elected six times (1908, 1911, 1913, 1917, 1922 and 1925) and defeated three times (1921, 1926 and 1942).[3]

Federal general elections, 1921 to 1926[edit]

Meighen led the Conservative Party in three general elections (1921, 1925 and 1926). He lost all three to Mackenzie King although King technically lost the 1925 election.

Canadian federal election, 1921[edit]

For a more detailed table of election results, see Canadian federal election, 1921.
For information about the 14th Parliament, 1921 to 1925, see 14th Canadian Parliament.
For information about Meighen and political events during the 14th Parliament, see Arthur Meighen § Opposition.2C 1921.E2.80.931926.

Meighen called the election the year after he was appointed prime minister. King won a razor-thin majority and was able to form a government with the support of members of the Progressives. Meighen and the Conservatives came in third in party standings in the Commons, after the Liberals and the Progressives. However, the Progressives declined to form the Official Opposition and Meighen became the Leader of the Opposition.

Canadian federal election, 1921 – Parties, leaders, seats won and popular vote
Party Leaders Seats won Popular vote
Liberal W. L. Mackenzie King1 118 41.2%
Progressive T. A. Crerar 58 21.1%
  Liberal-Conservative Arthur Meighen2 49 30.0%
  Labour J. S. Woodsworth 3 2.7%
  Independents – 2 3.0%
United Farmers of Alberta – 2 0.7%
  Independent Conservative – 1 0.4%
United Farmers of Ontario – 1 0.1%
  Independent Progressive – 1 0.1%
Total 235 99.3%3
Sources: History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Prime Minister after the election.
2 Prime Minister when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
3 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Canadian federal election, 1925[edit]

For a more detailed table of election results, see Canadian federal election, 1925.
For information about the 15th Parliament, 1925 to 1926, see 15th Canadian Parliament.
For iinformation about Meighen and political events during the 15th Parliament, see Arthur Meighen § Opposition.2C 1921.E2.80.931926.
For information about the constitutional crisis caused by King's resignation over a federal procurement scandal, see King-Byng Affair.

The 1925 election was called by Prime Minister King. Meighen and the Liberal-Conservatives won more seats than King and the Liberals in the election, but did not win a majority. King was able to form a minority government with the support of the Progressives and Meighen remained Leader of the Opposition. However, King resigned over a federal procurement scandal less than a year into office. The Governor-General, Lord Byng, refused King's request for a dissolution of Parliament and instead appointed Meighen as prime minister. When Meighen's government fell on a non-confidence motion shortly after being appointed, the Governor-General granted his request for a dissolution and called the 1926 general election. These events triggered a constitutional crisis, the King–Byng Affair.

Canadian federal election, 1925 – Parties, leaders, seats won and popular vote
Party Leaders Seats won Popular vote
  Liberal-Conservative Arthur Meighen1 115 46.1%
Liberal W. L. Mackenzie King2 100 39.7%
Progressive Robert Forke 22 8.5%
  Labour J. S. Woodsworth 2 1.8%
  Independents – 2 0.5%
United Farmers of Alberta – 2 0.3%
  Independent Liberal – 1 1.0%
  Independent Conservative – 1 0.5%
Total 245 98.4%3
Sources: History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election.
2 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after the election.
3 Rounding error.

Canadian federal election, 1926[edit]

For a more detailed table of election results, see Canadian federal election, 1926.
For information about the 16th Parliament, 1926 to 1930, see 16th Canadian Parliament.
For iinformation about Meighen and political events during the 16th Parliament, see Arthur Meighen § Opposition.2C 1921.E2.80.931926.
For information about the constitutional crisis which triggered this election, see King-Byng Affair.

This general election was called on the advice of Meighen, appointed prime minister by the Governor-General, Viscount Byng, after King resigned as prime minister. King's resignation triggered a constitutional crisis, the King-Byng Affair. King and the Liberals won the greatest number of seats in the election, but were short of a majority. King formed a minority government with support from some Progressives, particularly the Liberal-Progressives. Meighen failed to win his seat and resigned immediately as Leader of the Opposition.

Canadian federal election, 1926 – Parties, leaders, seats won and popular vote
Party Leaders Seats won Popular vote
Liberal W. L. Mackenzie King1 116 42.9%
  Liberal-Conservative Arthur Meighen2 91 45.4%
Progressive – 11 3.9%
United Farmers of Alberta – 11 1.9%
Liberal–Progressive Robert Forke 8 1.9%
  Labour – 4 1.7%
  Independents – 2 0.8%
  Independent Liberal – 1 0.6%
United Farmers of Ontario – 1 0.2%
Total 245 99.3%4
Sources: History of Federal Ridings since 1867

1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Prime Minister after election.
2 Prime Minister when election was called; defeated in his constituency and did not become Leader of the Opposition.
3 Less than 0.05% of the popular vote.
4 Table does not include parties which received votes but did not elect any members.

Federal constituency elections, 1908 to 1942[edit]

Meighen stood for election to the House of Commons nine times, in two different provinces (Manitoba and Ontario), in three different ridings. He was elected six times and defeated three times.

1908 Federal election: Portage La Prairie[edit]

Federal election, 1908: Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Party Candidate Popular vote %
  Conservative Yes Arthur Meighen 3,144 52.1%
Liberal X John Crawford 2,894 47.9%
Total 6,038 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Portage La Prairie

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1911 Federal election: Portage La Prairie[edit]

Federal election, 1911: Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Party Candidate Popular vote %
  Conservative Yes X Arthur Meighen 3,267 55.8%
Liberal Robert Paterson 2,592 44.2%
Total 5,859 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Portage La Prairie

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1913 Federal ministerial by-election: Portage La Prairie[edit]

Federal By-election, July 19, 1913: Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
On Mr. Meighen being appointed Solicitor General, June 26, 1913
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
  Conservative Yes X Arthur Meighen Acclaimed –
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Waterloo North

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

At this time, Members of Parliament who took a position with the Government had to stand for re-election, but it was customary for the other political party not to oppose the election.

1917 Federal election: Portage La Prairie[edit]

Federal election, 1917: Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Party Candidate Popular vote %
  Government (Unionist) Yes X Arthur Meighen 4,611 82.5%
  Opposition (Laurier Liberals) Frederick Shirtliff 976 17.5%
Total 5,587 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Portage La Prairie

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1921 Federal election: Portage La Prairie[edit]

Federal election, 1921: Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Party Candidate Popular vote %
Progressive Yes Harry Leader 4,314 50.2%
  Liberal-Conservative X Arthur Meighen 4,137 48.2%
  Independent Alexander Melville Bannerman 139 1.6%
Total 8,590 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Portage La Prairie

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1922 Federal by-election: Grenville[edit]

On the acceptance of an office of emolument under the Crown by the incumbent, Mr. Casselman, December 27, 1921.

Federal By-Election, January 26, 1922: Grenville, Ontario
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
  Liberal-Conservative Yes Arthur Meighen 4,482 50.5%
Progressive Arthur Kidd Patterson 2,820 49.5%
Total 1,761 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Grenville

Yes Elected.

1925 Federal election: Portage La Prairie[edit]

Federal election, 1925: Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Party Candidate Popular vote %
  Conservative Yes Arthur Meighen 5,817 53.9%
Progressive X Harry Leader 4,966 46.1%
Total 10,783 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Portage La Prairie

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1926 Federal election: Portage La Prairie[edit]

Federal election, 1926: Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Party Candidate Popular vote %
Liberal Yes Ewen Alexander McPherson 6,394 51.7%
  Conservative X Arthur Meighen 5,966 48.3%
Total 12,360 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Portage La Prairie

Yes Elected.
X Incumbent.

1942 Federal by-election: York South[edit]

On Mr. Cockeram's resignation, November 27, 1941, to allow Mr. Arthur Meighen to contest the seat.

Federal By-Election, February 9, 1942: York South, Ontario
Party Candidate Popular Vote %
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Yes Joseph W. Noseworthy 16,408 57.9%
  Conservative Arthur Meighen 11,952 42.1%
Total 28,360 100.0%
Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Grenville

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ PARLINFO: Prime Ministers of Canada.
  2. ^ a b c Dictionary of Canadian Biography, "Meighen, Arthur".
  3. ^ a b PARLINFO: The Right Hon. Arthur Meighen, P.C., Q.C.

External links[edit]

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