Liberal-Conservative Party
Encyclopedia
The Liberal-Conservative Party was the formal name of the Conservative Party of Canada
until 1873, although some Conservative candidates continued to run under the label as late as the 1911 election
and others ran as simple Conservatives prior to 1873. In many of Canada's early elections, there were both "Liberal-Conservative" and "Conservative" candidates; however, these were simply different labels used by candidates of the same party, both were part of Sir John A. Macdonald
's government and official Conservative and Liberal-Conservative candidates would not, generally, run against each other. It was also not uncommon for a candidate to run on one label in one election and the other in a subsequent election.
The roots of the name are in the coalition of 1854 in which moderate Reformers and Conservatives from Canada West joined with bleus
from Canada East
under the dual prime-ministership of Sir Allan MacNab
and A.-N. Morin
. The new ministry were committed to secularize the Clergy reserve
s in Canada West and to abolish seigneurial tenure
in Canada East. Over time, the Liberal-Conservatives evolved into the Conservative party and their opponents, the Clear Grits
and the Parti rouge
evolved into the Liberal Party of Canada
. On October 12, 1916, the last Liberal-Conservative cabinet minister, Sam Hughes
, was dismissed, making the executive all officially Conservative Party members.
Prominent Liberal-Conservative Members of Parliament
and Senators
in Canadian history include:
, George Rolland, a watchmaker, sought election as a Liberal Conservative Coalition candidate in the Toronto riding of Eglinton. He placed last, winning only 252 votes, or 0.7% of the total. Both the Liberal
and Conservative parties nominated candidates in the riding, so Rolland did not have the endorsement of either party.
Source: Parliament of Canada History of the Federal Electoral Ridings since 1867
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
until 1873, although some Conservative candidates continued to run under the label as late as the 1911 election
Canadian federal election, 1911
The Canadian federal election of 1911 was held on September 21 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Canada.-Summary:...
and others ran as simple Conservatives prior to 1873. In many of Canada's early elections, there were both "Liberal-Conservative" and "Conservative" candidates; however, these were simply different labels used by candidates of the same party, both were part of Sir John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
's government and official Conservative and Liberal-Conservative candidates would not, generally, run against each other. It was also not uncommon for a candidate to run on one label in one election and the other in a subsequent election.
The roots of the name are in the coalition of 1854 in which moderate Reformers and Conservatives from Canada West joined with bleus
Parti bleu
The Parti bleu was a moderate political group in Quebec, Canada that emerged in 1854. It was based on the moderate reformist views of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, and was a rival to the radical Parti rouge....
from Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
under the dual prime-ministership of Sir Allan MacNab
Allan MacNab
Sir Allan Napier MacNab, 1st Baronet was a Canadian political leader and Premier of the Province of Canada before Canadian Confederation .-Biography:...
and A.-N. Morin
Augustin-Norbert Morin
Augustin-Norbert Morin was a lawyer, judgeBorn in Saint-Michel, Lower Canada, into a large Roman Catholic farming family, Morin was identified by the parish priest at a young age as a boy of exceptional talent and intelligence. The parish priest therefore arranged for his education at the...
. The new ministry were committed to secularize the Clergy reserve
Clergy reserve
Clergy Reserves were tracts of land in Upper Canada reserved for the support of "Protestant clergy" by the Constitutional Act of 1791 which also established Upper and Lower Canada as distinct regions each with an elected assembly. One-seventh of all Crown lands were set aside...
s in Canada West and to abolish seigneurial tenure
Seigneurial system of New France
The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...
in Canada East. Over time, the Liberal-Conservatives evolved into the Conservative party and their opponents, the Clear Grits
Clear Grits
Clear Grits were reformers in the Province of Upper Canada, a British colony that is now the Province of Ontario, Canada. Their support was concentrated among southwestern Ontario farmers, who were frustrated and disillusioned by the 1849 Reform government of Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hippolyte...
and the Parti rouge
Parti rouge
The Parti rouge was formed in the Province of Quebec, around 1848 by radical French-Canadians inspired by the ideas of Louis-Joseph Papineau, the Institut canadien de Montréal, and the reformist movement led by the Parti patriote of the 1830s.The party was a successor to the Parti patriote...
evolved into the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. On October 12, 1916, the last Liberal-Conservative cabinet minister, Sam Hughes
Sam Hughes
For other people of the same name see Sam Hughes Sir Samuel Hughes, KCB, PC was the Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence during World War I...
, was dismissed, making the executive all officially Conservative Party members.
Prominent Liberal-Conservative Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and Senators
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
in Canadian history include:
- Sir John A. MacdonaldJohn A. MacdonaldSir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
- Sir George-Étienne CartierGeorge-Étienne CartierSir George-Étienne Cartier, 1st Baronet, PC was a French-Canadian statesman and Father of Confederation.The English spelling of the name, George, instead of Georges, the usual French spelling, is explained by his having been named in honour of King George III....
- Sir Alexander Tilloch GaltAlexander Tilloch GaltSir Alexander Tilloch Galt, GCMG, PC was a politician and a father of Canadian Confederation.He was born in Chelsea, England, the son of Scottish novelist and colonizer, John Galt, and Elizabeth Tilloch Galt. He was a cousin of Sir Hugh Allan.Alexander Galt is interred in the Mount Royal Cemetery...
- John CarlingJohn CarlingSir John Carling, PC, KCMG of the Carling Brewery was a prominent politician and businessman from London, Ontario, Canada...
- Sir John Rose
- Thomas D'Arcy McGee
- Joseph HoweJoseph HoweJoseph Howe, PC was a Nova Scotian journalist, politician, and public servant. He is one of Nova Scotia's greatest and best-loved politicians...
- Sir Samuel Leonard TilleySamuel Leonard TilleySir Samuel Leonard Tilley, PC, KCMG was a Canadian politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation. Tilley was descended from United Empire Loyalists on both sides of his family...
- Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott
- John Henry PopeJohn Henry PopeJohn Henry Pope, PC was a Canadian farmer, lumberman, railway entrepreneur, and politician.Born in Eaton Township, Lower Canada , the son of John Pope and Sophia Laberee, he served with the local militia during the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837 and opposed those who supported annexation of...
- Joseph Aldéric Ouimet (Liberal-Conservative MP 1873-1896, ran as Conservative and defeated in 1908)
- Sir John Sparrow David Thompson
- Sir Samuel Hughes
- Sir Hugh John MacdonaldHugh John MacdonaldSir Hugh John Macdonald, PC was the only surviving son of the first Prime Minister of Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald, and was a politician in his own right, serving as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and a federal cabinet minister, and briefly as the eighth Premier of Manitoba.-Early...
- Archibald Woodbury McLelan (Liberal-Conservative Senator, resigned and elected to the House of Commons as a Conservative after 1881)
- Joseph Godéric Blanchet (Liberal-Conservative from 1867-1875, Conservative 1875-1878, Liberal-Conservative 1878-1883)
- John CostiganJohn CostiganJohn Costigan was a Canadian judge and politician who served in the Canadian House of Commons and in the Cabinet of several Prime Ministers of Canada....
(Liberal-Conservative 1867-1900, crossed the floor to join the Liberals in 1901)
Liberal Conservative coalition
In the 1957 electionCanadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
, George Rolland, a watchmaker, sought election as a Liberal Conservative Coalition candidate in the Toronto riding of Eglinton. He placed last, winning only 252 votes, or 0.7% of the total. Both the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and Conservative parties nominated candidates in the riding, so Rolland did not have the endorsement of either party.
Source: Parliament of Canada History of the Federal Electoral Ridings since 1867