Liberal Party of Canada: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{For|other liberal political parties in Canada|Liberalism in Canada#Current parties}}

~~{{Infobox_Canada_Political_Party |~~

~~party_name = Liberal Party of Canada |~~

~~party_wikicolourid = Liberal |~~

{{Infobox political party

~~status = active |~~

| name = Liberal Party of Canada

~~class = fed |~~

| logo = Liberal Party of Canada Logo 2014.svg

~~foundation = [[July 1]], [[1867]] ([[Canadian Confederation|Confederation]]) |~~

| logo_size ~~dissolution~~ = |175

| colorcode = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}

~~party_logo = [[Image:Lib-can.png|200px]] |~~

| abbreviation = LPC PLC{{efn|French abbreviation}}

~~leader = [[Stéphane Dion]]|~~

| president = Sachit Mehra

| foundation = {{nowrap|{{start date and age|1867|7|1}}}}

~~president =[[Marie Poulin]] |~~

| membership = {{increase}} 300,000<ref>{{cite web |title=Liberal Party says membership numbers have skyrocketed under Trudeau |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/liberal-party-says-membership-numbers-have-skyrocketed-under-trudeau-1.2142400?cache=yes%3Fclipid%3D104056%3FclipId%3D375756 |website=[[CTV News]] |publisher=[[The Canadian Press]] |date=10 December 2014 |access-date=1 August 2023 |archive-date=August 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801183659/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/liberal-party-says-membership-numbers-have-skyrocketed-under-trudeau-1.2142400?cache=yes%3Fclipid%3D104056%3FclipId%3D375756 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Update inline|date=August 2023}}

~~ideology = [[Liberalism in Canada|Liberalism]], [[Social Liberalism]] |~~

| membership_year = 2014

~~headquarters = [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]]|~~

| ideology =  [[Liberalism]] ([[Liberalism in Canada|Canadian]]) [[Social liberalism]]<ref name="SocialLiberalism">{{bulleted list|

~~int_alignment = [[Liberal International]]|~~

|{{cite book|author=Law Commission of Canada|title=Law and Citizenship|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EK26Gbk1wjkC&pg=PA6|year=2011|publisher=UBC Press|page=6|isbn=9780774840798|quote=The party became infused with social liberalism in the 1940s and 1950s.}}

~~colours = [[Red]]|~~

|Susan Prentice, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/3654693? "Manitoba's childcare regime: Social liberalism in flux"]. ''Canadian Journal of Sociology'' 29.2 (2004): 193-207.

~~seats_house = 102 [[Canadian House of Commons|House]], 65 [[Canadian Senate|Senate]]|~~

|Michael J. Prince, [http://cjds.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/cjds/article/view/16 "Canadian disability activism and political ideas: In and between neo-liberalism and social liberalism"]. ''Canadian Journal of Disability Studies'' 1.1 (2012): 1-34.

~~website = [http://www.Liberal.ca http://www.Liberal.ca]~~

|{{Cite journal | doi=10.1177/0032329205275193|title = Social Movements and Judicial Empowerment: Courts, Public Policy, and Lesbian and Gay Organizing in Canada| journal=Politics & Society| volume=33| issue=2| pages=327–353|year = 2005|last1 = Smith|first1 = Miriam|s2cid = 154613468}}}}</ref>

| headquarters = {{unbulleted list|[[Constitution Square (Ottawa)|Constitution Square]]|350 Albert Street|Suite 920|[[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]]|K1P 6M8}}

| international = [[Liberal International]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Liberal Party of Canada Welcomes Liberal International to 2009 Convention |url=http://www.liberal.ca/newsroom/news-release/liberal-party-of-canada-welcomes-liberal-international-to-2009-convention/ |publisher=Liberal Party of Canada |access-date=August 28, 2012 |date=March 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805144043/http://www.liberal.ca/newsroom/news-release/liberal-party-of-canada-welcomes-liberal-international-to-2009-convention/ |archive-date=August 5, 2012 }}</ref>

| website = {{Official URL}}

| founder = [[George Brown (Canadian politician)|George Brown]]

| country = Canada

| native_name = Parti libéral du Canada

| leader = [[Justin Trudeau]]

| leader1_title = House leader

| leader1_name = [[Karina Gould]]

| predecessor = {{Lang|fr|[[Parti rouge]]|italic=no}} (Canada East) [[Clear Grits]] (Canada West)

| youth_wing = [[Young Liberals of Canada]]

| position = [[Centrism|Centre]] to [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]]

| colours = {{Color box|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|border=darkgray}} Red

| seats2_title = [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|105|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|#6B6B6B}}}}

| seats1_title = [[Senate of Canada|Senate]]{{efn|All Liberal senators were expelled from the party's parliamentary caucus in 2014. Those senators, who had been appointed by Liberal prime ministers up to and including Paul Martin, sat from 2014 to 2019 as the [[Senate Liberal Caucus]], which was not affiliated to or recognized by the Liberal Party. The Senate Liberal Caucus was dissolved in 2019 and replaced by the [[Progressive Senate Group]].<ref>{{cite news |title=One-time Liberal senators rename themselves as Progressive Senate Group |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/one-time-liberal-senators-rename-themselves-as-progressive-senate-group-1.4685456 |access-date=November 25, 2020 |agency=The Canadian Press |publisher=CTV News |date=November 14, 2019 |archive-date=December 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217231626/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/one-time-liberal-senators-rename-themselves-as-progressive-senate-group-1.4685456 |url-status=live }}</ref> Senators appointed since 2015 by Justin Trudeau have affiliated with an independent parliamentary group or sat as non-affiliated members.<ref name="LibSenate">{{cite web |url = http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/justin-trudeau-kicks-senators-out-of-liberal-caucus-in-bid-to-show-hes-serious-about-cleaning-up-red-chamber |title = Justin Trudeau kicks all 32 Liberal senators out of caucus in bid for reform |work = National Post |date = January 29, 2014 |access-date = October 18, 2015 |last = Spencer |first = Christina |archive-date = October 30, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151030042724/http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/justin-trudeau-kicks-senators-out-of-liberal-caucus-in-bid-to-show-hes-serious-about-cleaning-up-red-chamber |url-status = live }}</ref>}}

| seats2 = {{Composition bar|153|338|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

}}

The '''Liberal Party of Canada''' ('''LPC'''; {{lang-fr|Parti libéral du Canada|region=CA}}, '''PLC''') is a federal [[political party in Canada]]. The party espouses the principles of [[liberalism]],<ref name="BittnerKoop2013" /><ref name="Liberal Party">McCall, Christina; Stephen Clarkson. [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/liberal-party "Liberal Party".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005085850/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/liberal-party |date=October 5, 2013 }} ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''.</ref><ref name="Dyck">{{cite book |last=Dyck |first=Rand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BUOoN8e5Ps0C |title=Canadian Politics: Concise Fifth Edition |publisher=Nelson Education |year=2012 |isbn=978-0176503437 |pages=217, 229}}</ref> and generally sits at the [[Centrism|centre]]<ref name="BittnerKoop2013">{{cite book|author1=Amanda Bittner|author2=Royce Koop|title=Parties, Elections, and the Future of Canadian Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TdFTCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA300|date=March 1, 2013|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=978-0-7748-2411-8|pages=300–|access-date=August 3, 2018|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331005406/https://books.google.com/books?id=TdFTCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA300|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Olive2015">{{cite book|author=Andrea Olive|title=The Canadian Environment in Political Context|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bvw_CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA55|year=2015|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-1-4426-0871-9|page=55}}</ref><ref name="Rayside2011">{{cite book |author = David Rayside |title = Faith, Politics, and Sexual Diversity in Canada and the United States |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=oYXU_1WwNKUC&pg=PA22 |year = 2011 |publisher = UBC Press |isbn = 978-0-7748-2011-0 |page = 22 }}</ref> to [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]]<ref name="Rayside2011"/><ref name="CollinMartin2012">{{cite book |author1 = Richard Collin |author2 = Pamela L. Martin |title = An Introduction to World Politics: Conflict and Consensus on a Small Planet |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-vSlx-_Z408C&pg=PA138 |year = 2012 |publisher = Rowman & Littlefield |isbn = 978-1-4422-1803-1 |page = 138 }}</ref> of the [[Politics of Canada|Canadian political spectrum]], with their main rival, the [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]], positioned to their [[Right-wing politics|right]] and the [[New Democratic Party]] positioned to their [[Left-wing politics|left]].<ref name="BittnerKoop2013" /><ref name="BaumerGold2015">{{cite book |author1=Donald C. Baumer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uBbvCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT152 |title=Parties, Polarization and Democracy in the United States |author2=Howard J. Gold |date=2015 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-317-25478-2 |pages=152– |access-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331010054/https://books.google.com/books?id=uBbvCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT152 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/liberal-party |title=Liberal Party |encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia |year=2015 |access-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813191213/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/liberal-party |url-status=live }}</ref> The party is described as "[[big tent]]",<ref name="CartyTent">{{cite book |author=R. Kenneth Carty |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D-c0CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA16 |title=Big Tent Politics: The Liberal Party's Long Mastery of Canada's Public Life |date=2015 |publisher=UBC Press |isbn=978-0-7748-3002-7 |pages=16–17 |access-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331005406/https://books.google.com/books?id=D-c0CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA16 |url-status=live }} [https://www.ubcpress.ca/asset/9447/1/9780774829991.pdf PDF copy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306234413/https://www.ubcpress.ca/asset/9447/1/9780774829991.pdf |date=March 6, 2021 }} at UBC Press.</ref> practising "brokerage politics",{{efn|name=politics|Brokerage politics is "a Canadian term for successful [[big tent]] parties that embody a [[Pluralism (political philosophy)|pluralistic]] catch-all approach to appeal to the median Canadian voter ... adopting centrist policies and [[electoral coalitions]] to satisfy the short-term preferences of a majority of electors who are not located on the ideological fringe."<ref name="MarlandGiasson2012">{{cite book|author1=Alex Marland|author2=Thierry Giasson|author3=Jennifer Lees-Marshment|title=Political Marketing in Canada|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GSeSaYPa2A4C&pg=PA257|year=2012|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=978-0-7748-2231-2|page=257|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331010034/https://books.google.com/books?id=GSeSaYPa2A4C&pg=PA257|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CourtneySmith2010">{{cite book|author1=John Courtney|author2=David Smith|title=The Oxford Handbook of Canadian Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5KomEXgxvMcC&pg=PA195|year=2010|publisher=OUP USA|isbn=978-0-19-533535-4|page=195|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331010040/https://books.google.com/books?id=5KomEXgxvMcC&pg=PA195|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Brooks2004">{{cite book|author=Stephen Brooks|title=Canadian Democracy: An Introduction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DeQnPIXV5CEC|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-541806-4|page=265|quote=Two historically dominant political parties have avoided ideological appeals in favour of a flexible centrist style of politics that is often labelled brokerage politics.|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331010051/https://books.google.com/books?id=DeQnPIXV5CEC|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Johnson2016c">{{cite book|author=David Johnson|title=Thinking Government: Public Administration and Politics in Canada, Fourth Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I_HzDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA13|year=2016|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-1-4426-3521-0|pages=13–23|quote=... most Canadian governments, especially at the federal level, have taken a moderate, centrist approach to decision making, seeking to balance growth, stability, and governmental efficiency and economy ... .|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331010046/https://books.google.com/books?id=I_HzDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA13|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Smith2014">{{cite book|author=Miriam Smith|title=Group Politics and Social Movements in Canada: Second Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iG4rAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA17|year=2014|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-1-4426-0695-1|page=17|quote=Canada's party system has long been described as a "brokerage system" in which the leading parties (Liberal and Conservative) follow strategies that appeal across major [[Cleavage (politics)|social cleavages]] in an effort to defuse potential tensions.|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331010047/https://books.google.com/books?id=iG4rAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA17|url-status=live}}</ref>}} attracting support from a broad spectrum of voters.<ref name="Olive2015c">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bvw_CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA55|title=The Canadian Environment in Political Context|author=Andrea Olive|date=2015|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-1-4426-0871-9|page=55}}</ref> The Liberal Party is the longest-serving and oldest active federal political party in the country, and has dominated federal [[politics of Canada]] for much of its history, holding power for almost 70 years of the 20th century.<ref name="Carlisle2005">{{cite book |author=Rodney P. Carlisle |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bpx2AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA274 |title=Encyclopedia of Politics: The Left and the Right |publisher=SAGE Publications |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-4522-6531-5 |page=274 |access-date=November 11, 2018 |archive-date=November 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110011730/https://books.google.com/books?id=Bpx2AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA274#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BaumerGold2015" /> As a result, it has sometimes been referred to as Canada's "natural governing party".<ref name="JamesKasoff2007">{{cite book |author1=Patrick James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1bs3Zktu4PkC&pg=PT70 |title=Canadian Studies in the New Millennium |author2=Mark J. Kasoff |publisher=University of Toronto Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-4426-9211-4 |page=70}}</ref><ref name="CartyTent" /><ref name="o894">{{cite book | last=Carty | first=R. Kenneth | title=The Government Party | chapter=A Century of Dominance: The Liberal Party of Canada | publisher=Oxford University Press | date=2022-03-30 | isbn=978-0-19-285848-1 | doi=10.1093/oso/9780192858481.003.0002 | pages=16–31}}</ref>

The '''Liberal Party of Canada''' ({{lang-fr|'''Parti Libéral du Canada'''}}), colloquially known as the '''Grits''' (originally "[[Clear Grits]]"), is a [[Canada|Canadian]] federal [[political party]]. The organization is located around the [[centre-left]] of the Canadian political spectrum, combining a liberal social policy with moderate economic policies.<ref>http://www.economist.com/research/backgrounders/displaybackgrounder.cfm?bg=939703</ref> The party has been frequently dubbed "Canada's natural governing party", since it has been in power most of the time since the [[Great Depression]], and starting with [[Wilfrid Laurier]] in [[Canadian federal election, 1896|1896]] every leader of the party has served as [[Prime Minister of Canada]]. The party has formed the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|Official Opposition]] in the [[Parliament of Canada]] since February 2006.

The party first came into power in 1873 under [[Alexander Mackenzie (politician)|Alexander Mackenzie]], but were voted out [[1878 Canadian federal election|five years later]] due to the economic conditions at the time. They would not come back to office until 1896; [[Wilfrid Laurier]] was [[Prime Minister of Canada|prime minister]] from that year until the party's [[1911 Canadian federal election|defeat in 1911]] and his tenure was marked by several compromises between [[English Canada|English]] and [[French Canada|French]] Canada. From the early 1920s until the mid-1950s,{{efn|Party was briefly out of power from 1930 to 1935.}} the Liberal Party under Prime Ministers [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] and [[Louis St. Laurent]] gradually built a Canadian [[welfare state]].

The Liberals' signature policies and legislative decisions include [[universal health care]], the [[Canada Pension Plan]], [[Student loans in Canada|Canada Student Loans]], the establishment of the [[Royal Canadian Navy]], [[multilateralism]], [[official bilingualism]], official [[multiculturalism]], [[gun control]], the [[patriating|patriation]] of the [[Constitution of Canada]] and the establishment of the ''[[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]'', the ''[[Clarity Act]]'', legalizing [[same-sex marriage]], [[Euthanasia in Canada|euthanasia]], and [[Cannabis Act|cannabis]], national [[Carbon price|carbon pricing]], and expanded access to [[Abortion in Canada|abortion]].<ref name="Liberal Party"/><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title = Liberal Party of Canada |url = https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/339142/Liberal-Party-of-Canada/230901/History |encyclopedia = Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date = April 19, 2013 |archive-date = December 19, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131219015812/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/339142/Liberal-Party-of-Canada/230901/History |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lévesque |first=Catherine |title=Justin Trudeau revient sur l'avortement à Montréal |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/elections-federales/201909/13/01-5241048-justin-trudeau-revient-sur-lavortement-a-montreal.php |website=La Presse |language=fr |date=September 13, 2019 |access-date=September 14, 2019 |archive-date=September 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915000600/https://www.lapresse.ca/elections-federales/201909/13/01-5241048-justin-trudeau-revient-sur-lavortement-a-montreal.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Gun Control — Our Platform|url=https://www2.liberal.ca/our-platform/gun-control/|access-date=August 3, 2020|website=2.liberal.ca|language=en-CA|archive-date=July 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722115819/https://www2.liberal.ca/our-platform/gun-control/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the dissolution of the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative Party]] on the formation of the new [[Conservative Party of Canada]], the Liberal Party is the only party remaining from Confederation, and is Canada's oldest functioning party at the federal level. The Liberal Party held power for more years of the 20th century than did any other party in any country.

The Liberal Party, led by [[Justin Trudeau]] since 2013, won a [[majority government]] in the [[2015 Canadian federal election|2015 federal election]]. In both the federal elections of [[2019 Canadian federal election|2019]] and [[2021 Canadian federal election|2021]], the party was re-elected with a minority government.

~~The party is led by [[Stéphane Dion]], who was elected to the position at the party's [[Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention, 2006|leadership convention]] on [[December 2]], [[2006]].~~

==History==

~~===Origins===~~

~~{{seealso|Rebellions of 1837}}~~

The Liberals are descended from the mid-19th century [[Reform Party (pre-confederation)|Reform]]ers who agitated for [[responsible government]] throughout [[British North America]]. These included [[George Brown (Canadian politician)|George Brown]], [[Robert Baldwin]], [[William Lyon Mackenzie]] and the [[Clear Grits]] in [[Upper Canada]], [[Joseph Howe]] in [[Nova Scotia]], and the [[Parti patriote|Patriotes]] and [[Parti rouge|Rouges]] in [[Lower Canada]] led by figures such as [[Louis-Joseph Papineau]]. The Clear Grits and ''Parti rouge'' sometimes functioned as a united bloc in the legislature of the [[Province of Canada]] beginning in [[List of elections in the Province of Canada#1854|1854]], and a united Liberal Party combining both English and French Canadian members was formed in [[List of elections in the Province of Canada#1861|1861]].

===~~Confederation~~19th century===

At the time of the confederation of the former British colonies of Canada (now [[Ontario]] and [[Quebec]]), [[New Brunswick]] and [[Nova Scotia]], the radical Liberals were marginalized by the more pragmatic [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservative]] coalition assembled under Sir [[John A. Macdonald]]. In the 30 years after [[Canadian confederation]], the Liberals were consigned to opposition, with the exception of one stint in government. [[Alexander Mackenzie]] was able to lead the party to power in 1873 after the Macdonald government lost a [[vote of no confidence]] in the House of Commons because of the [[Pacific Scandal]]. Mackenzie subsequently won the [[Canadian federal election, 1874|1874 election]], but lost the government to Macdonald in 1878. They spent the next 18 years in opposition.

===~~Laurier era~~=Origins====

~~[[Image:Laurier in 1876.jpg|right|150px|thumb|'''Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]]''']]~~

The Liberals are descended from the mid-19th century [[Reform Party (pre-Confederation)|Reformers]] who advocated for [[responsible government]] throughout [[British North America]].<ref name="hist">{{cite web|title=Liberal Party of Canada – History |url=http://www.nafla.ca/images/clientupload/Liberal%20Party%20History.pdf |publisher=Newmarket-Aurora Federal Liberal Association |access-date=April 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426000952/http://www.nafla.ca/images/clientupload/Liberal%20Party%20History.pdf |archive-date=April 26, 2012 }}</ref> These included [[George Brown (Canadian politician)|George Brown]], [[Alexander Mackenzie (politician)|Alexander Mackenzie]], [[Robert Baldwin]], [[William Lyon Mackenzie]] and the [[Clear Grits]] in [[Upper Canada]], [[Joseph Howe]] in Nova Scotia, and the [[Parti canadien|Patriotes]] and [[Parti rouge|Rouges]] in [[Lower Canada]] led by figures such as [[Louis-Joseph Papineau]]. The [[Clear Grits]] and {{Lang|fr|[[Parti rouge]]|italic=no}} sometimes functioned as a united bloc in the legislature of the [[Province of Canada]] beginning in [[List of elections in the Province of Canada#1854|1854]], but a united Liberal Party combining both English and [[French Canadian]] members was not formed until 1867.<ref name="hist"/>

In their early history, the Liberals were the party of continentalism ([[free trade]] with the United States), and opposition to [[imperialism]]. The Liberals also became identified with the aspirations of Quebecers as a result of the growing hostility of [[French-Canadians]] to the [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservatives]]. The Conservatives lost the support of Quebecers because of the role of Conservative governments in the execution of [[Louis Riel]], the suppression of the rights of [[French-Canadian]]s outside of Quebec, and their role in the [[Conscription crisis of 1917]].

====Confederation====

It was not until [[Wilfrid Laurier]] became leader that the Liberal Party emerged as a modern party. Laurier was able to capitalize on the [[Tories]]' alienation of French Canada by offering the Liberals as a credible alternative. Laurier was able to overcome the party's reputation for [[anti-clericalism]] that offended the still-powerful Quebec [[Roman Catholic Church]]. In English-speaking Canada, the Liberal Party's support for [[free trade]] made it popular among farmers, and helped cement the party's hold in the growing [[prairie]] provinces.

At the time of [[Canadian Confederation|Confederation]] of the former British colonies of Canada (now [[Ontario]] and [[Quebec]]), [[New Brunswick]], and [[Nova Scotia]], the radical Liberals were marginalized by the more pragmatic [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservative]] coalition assembled under Sir [[John A. Macdonald]]. In the 29 years after Confederation, the Liberals were consigned to opposition, with the exception of one stint in government.<ref name="hist"/> [[Alexander Mackenzie (politician)|Alexander Mackenzie]] was the ''de facto'' leader of the Official Opposition after Confederation and finally agreed to become the first official leader of the Liberal Party in 1873. He was able to lead the party to power for the first time in 1873, after the Macdonald government resigned over the [[Pacific Scandal]]. Mackenzie subsequently won the [[1874 Canadian federal election|1874 election]] and served as prime minister for an additional four years. During the five years the Liberal government brought in many reforms, including the replacement of open voting by [[secret ballot]], confining elections to one day and the creation of the [[Supreme Court of Canada]], the [[Royal Military College of Canada]], and the [[Auditor General of Canada|Office of the Auditor General]]; however, the party was only able to build a solid support base in Ontario and in [[1878 Canadian federal election|1878]] lost the government to Macdonald.<ref name="hist"/> The Liberals would spend the next 18 years in opposition.

====Wilfrid Laurier====

Laurier led the Liberals to power in the [[Canadian federal election, 1896|1896 election]] (in which he became the first Francophone Prime Minister), and oversaw a government that increased immigration in order to settle [[Western Canada]]. Laurier's government created the provinces of [[Saskatchewan]] and [[Alberta]] out of the [[North-West Territories]], and promoted the development of Canadian industry. The Liberals lost power in the [[Canadian federal election, 1911|1911 election]] due to opposition to the party's policies on [[reciprocity (Canadian politics)|reciprocity]] (or [[free trade]]), and the creation of a Canadian navy.

[[File:The Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier Photo C (HS85-10-16873) - medium crop.jpg|right|165px|thumb|Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]], Prime Minister of Canada (1896–1911)]]

In their early history, the Liberals were the party of [[continentalism]] and opposition to [[imperialism]]. The Liberals also became identified with the aspirations of Quebecers as a result of the growing hostility of French Canadians to the Conservatives. The Conservatives lost the support of French Canadians because of the role of Conservative governments in the execution of [[Louis Riel]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Duffy |first1=John |title=Fights of our Lives Elections, Leadership, and the Making of Canada |date=2002 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |isbn=9780002000895 |page=41}}</ref> and their role in the [[Conscription Crisis of 1917]], and especially their [[Manitoba Schools Question|opposition to French schools]] in provinces besides Quebec.

It was not until [[Wilfrid Laurier]] became leader that the Liberal Party emerged as a modern party. Laurier was able to capitalize on the [[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservatives]]' alienation of French Canada by offering the Liberals as a credible alternative. Laurier was able to overcome the party's reputation for [[anti-clericalism]] that offended the still-powerful [[Catholicism in Canada|Quebec Roman Catholic Church]]. In English-speaking Canada, the Liberal Party's support for [[Reciprocity (Canadian politics)|reciprocity]] made it popular among farmers, and helped cement the party's hold in the growing [[prairie provinces]].<ref name="Laurier">{{cite web |title = Sir Wilfrid Laurier Biography |url = http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/2/4/h4-3181-e.html |publisher = Library and Archives Canada |access-date = November 24, 2011 |archive-date = December 26, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111226010623/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/2/4/h4-3181-e.html |url-status = live }}</ref>

The Conscription crisis divided the party as many Liberals in English Canada supported conscription. Many of them joined Sir [[Robert Borden]]'s Conservatives to form a [[Unionist Party (Canada)|Unionist government]]. With numerous Liberal candidates running as Unionists or [[Liberal-Unionist]]s with the support of provincial Liberal parties in a number of provinces, the [[Laurier Liberals]] were reduced to a largely Quebec-based [[parliamentary rump|rump]]. The long term impact of the Conscription crisis benefited the party as the issue only added to the animosity of French-Canadians towards the Conservatives, making that party virtually unelectable in Quebec for decades.

Laurier led the Liberals to power in the [[1896 Canadian federal election|1896 election]] (in which he became the first Francophone Prime Minister) and oversaw a government that increased [[immigration]] to settle [[Western Canada]]. Laurier's government created the provinces of [[Saskatchewan]] and [[Alberta]] out of the [[North-West Territories]] and promoted the development of Canadian industry.<ref name="Laurier"/>

~~===Canadian sovereignty===~~

~~[[Image:WilliamLyonMackenzieKing.jpg|left|160px|thumb|'''[[William Lyon Mackenzie King]]''']]~~

===20th century===

Under Laurier, and his successor [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], the Liberals promoted Canadian sovereignty and greater independence from the [[British Empire]]. In [[Imperial Conferences]] held throughout the 1920s, Canadian Liberal governments often took the lead in arguing that Britain and the [[dominion]]s should have equal status, and against proposals for an ''imperial parliament'' that would have subsumed Canadian independence. After the [[King-Byng Affair]] of 1926, the Liberals argued that the [[Governor General of Canada]] should no longer be appointed on the recommendation of the British government. The decisions of the Imperial Conferences were formalized in the [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster]], which was actually passed in 1931, the year after the Liberals lost power.

====Organization====

The Liberals also promoted the idea of Canada being responsible for its own foreign and defence policy. Initially, it was Britain which determined external affairs for the dominion. In 1905, Laurier created the [[Department of External Affairs (Canada)|Department of External Affairs]], and in 1909 he advised [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey|Earl Grey]] to appoint the first [[Secretary of State for External Affairs (Canada)|Secretary of State for External Affairs]] to [[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet]]. It was also Laurier who first proposed the creation of a [[Canadian Navy]] in 1910. Mackenzie King recommended the appointment by Governor General [[Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy|Lord Byng]] of [[Vincent Massey]] as the first Canadian [[Ambassador (diplomacy)|ambassador]] to Washington in 1926, marking the Liberal government's insistence on having direct relations with the [[United States]], rather than having [[Britain]] act on Canada's behalf.

[[File:Wm Lyon Mackenzie King.jpg|left|150px|thumb|[[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], Prime Minister of Canada (1921–1926, 1926–1930, 1935–1948)]]

Until the early part of the century, the Liberal Party was a loose coalition of local, provincial, and regional bodies with a strong national party leader and caucus, but with an informal and regionalized extra-parliamentary organizational structure. There was no national membership of the party. An individual became a member by joining a provincial Liberal party. Laurier called the party's first national convention in 1893 to unite Liberal supporters behind a programme and build the campaign that successfully brought the party to power in 1896, but no efforts were made to create a formal national organization outside Parliament.

As a result of the party's defeats in the [[1911 Canadian federal election|1911]] and [[1917 Canadian federal election|1917]] federal elections, Laurier attempted to organize the party on a national level by creating three bodies: the Central Liberal Information Office, the National Liberal Advisory Committee, and the National Liberal Organization Committee. However, the advisory committee became dominated by members of Parliament and all three bodies were underfunded and competed with both local and provincial Liberal associations and the national caucus for authority. The party did organize the [[Liberal Party of Canada leadership elections|national party's second convention in 1919]] to elect [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] as Laurier's successor (Canada's first [[leadership convention]]), yet following the party's return to power in the [[1921 Canadian federal election|1921 federal election]] the nascent national party organizations were eclipsed by powerful ministers and local party organizations largely driven by [[patronage]].

~~===Liberals and the social safety net===~~

~~[[Image:PearsonPDphotoportrait.jpg|right|160px|thumb|'''[[Lester B. Pearson]]''']]~~

As a result of both the party's defeat in the [[1930 Canadian federal election|1930 federal election]] and the [[Beauharnois scandal]], which highlighted the need for distance between the Liberal Party's parliamentary wing and campaign fundraising,<ref name="encyc">[http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0000604 Beauharnois Scandal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070514003713/http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0000604 |date=May 14, 2007 }} at ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''</ref> a central coordinating organization, the National Liberal Federation, was created in 1932 with [[Vincent Massey]] as its first president. With the Liberal return to power, the national organization languished except for occasional national committee meetings, such as in 1943 when Mackenzie King called a meeting of the federation (consisting of the national caucus and up to seven voting delegates per province) to approve a new platform for the party in anticipation of the end of World War II and prepare for a post-war election.<ref>{{cite web |title = Federal Election Question May Be Settled Shortly |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G_guAAAAIBAJ&pg=5119,3289151&dq=liberal-federation+canada&hl=en |newspaper = Ottawa Citizen |date = September 20, 1943 |access-date = October 18, 2015 |archive-date = August 17, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210817003605/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G_guAAAAIBAJ&pg=5119,3289151&dq=liberal-federation+canada&hl=en |url-status = live }}</ref> No national convention was held, however, until 1948; the Liberal Party held only three national conventions prior to the 1950s – in 1893, 1919 and 1948.<ref>John W. Lederle. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/137623?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents "The Liberal Convention of 1893"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001814/http://www.jstor.org/stable/137623?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents |date=February 2, 2017 }}. ''The Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science''. Vol. 16, No. 1 (Feb. 1950), pp. 42–52.</ref> The National Liberal Federation remained largely dependent on provincial Liberal parties and was often ignored and bypassed the parliamentary party in the organization of election campaigns and the development of policy. With the defeat of the Liberals in the [[1957 Canadian federal election|1957 federal election]] and in particular [[1958 Canadian federal election|1958]], reformers argued for the strengthening of the national party organization so it would not be dependent on provincial Liberal parties and patronage. A national executive and Council of presidents, consisting of the presidents of each Liberal riding association, were developed to give the party more co-ordination and national party conventions were regularly held in biennially where previously they had been held infrequently. Over time, provincial Liberal parties in most provinces were separated from provincial wings of the federal party and in a number of cases disaffiliated. By the 1980s, the National Liberal Federation was officially known as the Liberal Party of Canada.<ref>{{cite journal |last = Koop |first = Ryan |title = The Elusive Nature of National Party Organization in Canada and Australia |url = https://sfu.academia.edu/RoyceKoop/Papers/414297/The_Elusive_Nature_of_National_Party_Organization_in_Canada_and_Australia |journal = Paper Presented at the Canadian Political Science Association Annual Conference. University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC. 4–6 June 2008 |access-date = June 17, 2012 |archive-date = July 8, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230708191422/https://sfu.academia.edu/RoyceKoop/Papers/414297/The_Elusive_Nature_of_National_Party_Organization_in_Canada_and_Australia |url-status = live }}</ref>

~~In the period just before and after the [[World War II|Second World War]], the party became a champion of 'progressive social policy'.~~

====Canadian sovereignty====

As Prime Minister for most of the time between 1921 and 1948, King introduced several measures that led to the creation of Canada's social safety net. Bowing to popular pressure, he introduced the mother's allowance, a monthly payment to all mothers with young children. He also reluctantly introduced [[old age pension]]s when [[J. S. Woodsworth]] required it in exchange for his [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] party's support of King's minority government. Later, [[Lester B. Pearson]] introduced [[universal health care]], the [[Canada Pension Plan]], Canada Student Loans, and the Canada Assistance Plan (which provided funding for provincial welfare programs).

[[File:Louisstlaurent.jpg|left|170px|thumb|[[Louis St. Laurent]], Prime Minister of Canada (1948–1957)]]

Under Laurier, and his successor [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], the Liberals promoted Canadian sovereignty and greater independence within the [[British Commonwealth]]. In [[Imperial Conference]]s held

throughout the 1920s, Canadian Liberal governments often took the lead in arguing that the United Kingdom and the [[British Dominions|dominions]] should have equal status, and against proposals for an 'imperial parliament' that would have subsumed Canadian independence. After the [[King–Byng Affair]] of 1926, the Liberals argued that the [[Governor General of Canada]] should no longer be appointed on the recommendation of the British government. The decisions of the Imperial Conferences were formalized in the [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster]], which was actually passed in 1931, the year after the Liberals lost power.

The Liberals also promoted the idea of Canada being responsible for its own foreign and defence policy. Initially, it was Britain which determined external affairs for the dominion. In 1905, Laurier created the [[Department of External Affairs (Canada)|Department of External Affairs]], and in 1909 he advised [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey|Earl Grey]] to appoint the first [[Secretary of State for External Affairs (Canada)|Secretary of State for External Affairs]] to [[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet]]. It was also Laurier who first proposed the creation of a [[Canadian Navy]] in 1910. Mackenzie King recommended the appointment by Governor General [[Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy|Lord Byng]] of [[Vincent Massey]] as the first Canadian [[ambassador (diplomacy)|ambassador]] to Washington in 1926, marking the Liberal government's insistence on having direct relations with the United States, rather than having Britain act on Canada's behalf.

~~===Trudeau era===~~

~~[[Image:Trudeau80s.jpg|thumb|left|190px|'''[[Pierre Trudeau]]''']]~~

~~Under [[Pierre Trudeau]], this mission evolved into the goal of creating a "just society".~~

====Social safety net====

The Trudeau Liberals became the champions of [[official bilingualism]], passing the ''[[Official Languages Act of Canada|Official Languages Act]]'', which gave the French and English languages equal status in Canada. Trudeau hoped that the promotion of bilingualism would cement Quebec's place in [[Canadian confederation|confederation]], and counter growing calls for an independent Quebec. This policy aimed to transform Canada into a country where English and [[French-Canadians]] could live together in comfort, and could move to any part of the country without having to lose their language. While this has not occurred, official bilingualism has helped to halt the decline of the French language outside of Quebec, and has also ensured that all federal government services (as well as radio and television services provided by the government-owned [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]/[[Radio-Canada]]) are available in both languages throughout the country.

In the period just before and after the [[Second World War]], the party became a champion of 'progressive social policy'.<ref>{{cite book |author = David Johnson |title = Thinking Government: Public Sector Management in Canada |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=TcL80sSautgC&q=progressive+social+policy+mackenzie+king&pg=PA100 |year = 2006 |publisher = University of Toronto Press |isbn = 978-1-5511-1779-9 |pages = 99–103 |access-date = October 5, 2020 |archive-date = September 13, 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225355/https://books.google.com/books?id=TcL80sSautgC&q=progressive+social+policy+mackenzie+king&pg=PA100#v=snippet&q=progressive%20social%20policy%20mackenzie%20king&f=false |url-status = live }}</ref> As prime minister for most of the time between 1921 and 1948, King introduced several measures that led to the creation of Canada's [[social safety net]]. Bowing to popular pressure, he introduced the mother's allowance, a [[Baby bonus|monthly payment]] to all mothers with young children. He also reluctantly introduced [[old age pension]]s when [[J. S. Woodsworth]] required it in exchange for his [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] party's support of King's [[minority government]].

[[Louis St. Laurent]] succeeded King as Liberal leader and prime minister on November 15, 1948. In the [[1949 Canadian federal election|1949]] and [[1953 Canadian federal election|1953]] federal elections, St. Laurent led the Liberal Party to two large majority governments. As prime minister he oversaw the joining of [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]] in Confederation as Canada's tenth province, he established [[Equalization payments in Canada|equalization payments]] to the provinces, and continued with social reform with improvements in pensions and health insurance. In 1956, Canada played an important role in resolving the [[Suez Crisis]], and contributed to the United Nations force in the [[Korean War]]. Canada enjoyed economic prosperity during St. Laurent's premiership and wartime debts were paid off. The [[Pipeline Debate]] proved the Liberal Party's undoing. Their attempt to pass legislation to build a [[natural gas pipeline]] from [[Alberta]] to central Canada was met with fierce disagreement in the House of Commons. In 1957, [[John Diefenbaker]]'s [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservatives]] won a minority government and St. Laurent resigned as prime minister and Liberal leader.<ref>{{cite web |title = Louis St. Laurent Biography |url = http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/2/4/h4-3306-e.html |publisher = Library and Archives Canada |access-date = November 23, 2011 }}</ref>

~~[[Image:Lib70s.PNG|right|frame|Party logo in the 1970s]]~~

The Trudeau Liberals are also credited with support for official [[multiculturalism]] as a means of integrating immigrants into Canadian society without forcing them to shed their culture. As a result of this and a more sympathetic attitude by Liberals towards immigration policy, the party has built a base of support among recent immigrants and their children.

[[Lester B. Pearson]] was easily elected Liberal leader at the party's [[1958 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|1958 leadership convention]]. However, only months after becoming Liberal leader, Pearson led the party into the [[1958 Canadian federal election|1958 federal election]] that saw Diefenbaker's Progressive Conservatives win the largest majority government, by percentage of seats, in Canadian history.<ref>{{cite web |title = John Diefenbaker Biography |url = http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/2/4/h4-3331-e.html |publisher = Library and Archives Canada |access-date = November 23, 2011 |archive-date = November 7, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111107231549/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/2/4/h4-3331-e.html |url-status = live }}</ref> The Progressive Conservatives won 206 of the 265 seats in the House of Commons, while the Liberals were reduced to just 48 seats. Pearson remained Liberal leader during this time and in the [[1962 Canadian federal election|1962 election]] managed to reduce Diefenbaker to a minority government. In the [[1963 Canadian federal election|1963 election]] Pearson led the Liberal Party back to victory, forming a minority government. Pearson served as prime minister for five years, winning a second election in [[1965 Canadian federal election|1965]]. While Pearson's leadership was considered poor and the Liberal Party never held a majority of the seats in parliament during his premiership, he left office in 1968 with an impressive legacy.<ref>{{cite web |title = Lester Pearson Biography |url = http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/2/4/h4-3356-e.html |publisher = Library and Archives Canada |access-date = November 23, 2011 |archive-date = January 24, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120124114042/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/2/4/h4-3356-e.html |url-status = live }}</ref> Pearson's government introduced [[Medicare (Canada)|Medicare]], a new immigration act, the Canada Pension Plan, Canada Student Loans, the [[Canada Assistance Plan]], and adopted the [[Flag of Canada|Maple Leaf]] as Canada's national flag.<ref>{{cite book |author = Andrew Cohen |title = Extraordinary Canadians: Lester B. Pearson |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=JyBrNgMJELIC&q=for+this%2C+little+credit |year = 2008 |publisher = Penguin Canada |isbn = 978-0-1431-7269-7 }}</ref>

The most lasting effect of the Trudeau years has been the patriation of the [[Canadian constitution]] and the creation of Canada's [[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|Charter of Rights]]. Trudeau Liberals support the concept of a strong, central government, and fought [[History of the Quebec sovereignist movement|Quebec separatism]], other forms of [[Quebec nationalism]], and the granting of "[[distinct society]]" status to Quebec.

====Pierre Trudeau====

The other primary legacy of the Trudeau years has been financial. Net federal debt in fiscal 1968, just before Trudeau became Prime Minister, was about $18-billion, or 26 per cent of gross domestic product; by his final year in office, it had ballooned to $206-billion -- at 46 per cent of GDP, nearly twice as large relative to the economy.

[[File:Pierre Trudeau (1975).jpg|thumb|left|140px|[[Pierre Elliott Trudeau]], Prime Minister of Canada (1968–1979, 1980–1984)]]

Under [[Pierre Trudeau]], the mission of a progressive social policy evolved into the goal of creating a "[[just society]]".<ref>{{cite web|first1= Allison|last1= Calwell|title= Former Canadian PM dies|url= http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s193185.htm|date= September 29, 2000|publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date= November 13, 2015|archive-date= September 13, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225258/https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/worldtoday|url-status= live}}</ref> In the late 1970s, Trudeau stated that his Liberal Party adhered to the "[[Radical centrism|radical centre]]".<ref name=Graham>Graham, Ron, ed. (1998). ''The Essential Trudeau''. McClelland & Stewart, p. 71. {{ISBN|978-0-7710-8591-8}}.</ref><ref>Thompson, Wayne C. (2017). ''Canada''. Rowman & Littlefield, p. 135. {{ISBN|978-1-4758-3510-6}}.</ref>

The Liberal Party under Trudeau promoted [[Official bilingualism in Canada|official bilingualism]] and passed the ''[[Official Languages Act of Canada|Official Languages Act]]'', which gave French and English languages equal status in Canada.<ref name="hist"/> Trudeau hoped that the promotion of bilingualism would cement Quebec's place in Confederation, and counter growing calls for an independent Quebec. The party hoped the policy would transform Canada into a country where English and French Canadians could live together, and allow Canadians to move to any part of the country without having to lose their language. Although this vision has yet to fully materialize, official bilingualism has helped to halt the decline of the French language outside of Quebec, and to ensure that all federal government services (including radio and television services provided by the government-owned [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]/[[Radio-Canada]]) are available in both languages throughout the country.<ref>{{cite web|first1= Tamara|last1= Baluja|first2= James|last2= Bradshaw|title= Is bilingualism still relevant in Canada?|url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/is-bilingualism-still-relevant-in-canada/article4365620/?page=all|date= June 22, 2012|newspaper= The Globe and Mail|access-date= November 13, 2015|archive-date= September 13, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225326/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/is-bilingualism-still-relevant-in-canada/article4365620/?page=all|url-status= live}}</ref>

From fiscal 1976 to fiscal 1985: ten straight years in which the government ran not only an overall deficit, but an operating deficit. The overall deficit throughout this later phase never fell below 3 per cent of GDP; it averaged 5.6 per cent. In the final year of Liberal rule, 1984-85, total spending exceeded revenues by more than 50 per cent. The deficit that year, at $38.5-billion, was equal to nearly 9 per cent of GDP. Interest payments alone were now enough to consume nearly one-third of every revenue dollar. With interest costs compounding at a rate of 13 per cent per year, and the debt doubling every three or four years, that ratio could only grow.

The Trudeau Liberals are also credited with support for [[Multiculturalism in Canada|state multiculturalism]] as a means of integrating immigrants into Canadian society without forcing them to shed their culture,<ref>{{cite book|author1= Stephen Tierney|author2= Hugh Donald Forbes|title= Multiculturalism and the Canadian Constitution|url= http://www.ubcpress.ca/books/pdf/chapters/2007/multiculturalismandthecanadianconstitution.pdf|year= 2007|publisher= UBC Press|isbn= 978-0-7748-1445-4|pages= 27–41|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151117033156/http://www.ubcpress.ca/books/pdf/chapters/2007/multiculturalismandthecanadianconstitution.pdf|archive-date= November 17, 2015|df= mdy-all}}</ref> leading the party to build a base of support among recent immigrants and their children.<ref>Blais, André. [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=364576 "Accounting for the Electoral Success of the Liberal Party in Canada"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117052953/http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=364576 |date=November 17, 2015 }}. ''Journal of Political Science,'' Dec 2005, Vol. 38#4. pp 821–840.</ref> This marked the culmination of a decades-long shift in Liberal immigration policy, a reversal of pre-war racial attitudes that spurred discriminatory policies such as the [[Chinese Immigration Act of 1923]]<ref>{{cite web|title = Chinese Immigration Act, 1923|url = http://www.pier21.ca/research/immigration-history/chinese-immigration-act-1923|publisher = Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21|access-date = April 30, 2017|archive-date = May 2, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170502034523/http://www.pier21.ca/research/immigration-history/chinese-immigration-act-1923|url-status = live}}</ref> and the [[MS St. Louis|MS St. Louis incident]].<ref>{{cite news|author = Stephanie Levitz|title = Liberals working on apology for 1939 decision to turn away Jewish refugees|url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/liberals-working-on-apology-for-1939-decision-to-turn-away-jewish-refugees/article36410599/|newspaper = The Globe and Mail|date = September 27, 2016|access-date = September 28, 2017|archive-date = November 15, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171115172738/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/liberals-working-on-apology-for-1939-decision-to-turn-away-jewish-refugees/article36410599/|url-status = live}}</ref>[[File:Liberal Party logo 1968.svg|thumb|Trudeau-era wordmark and logo]]

~~===The post-Trudeau party in opposition===~~

~~[[Image:Lib80s.PNG|right|frame| Party logo under Turner]]~~

After Trudeau's retirement in 1984, many Liberals, such as [[Jean Chrétien]] and [[Clyde K. Wells|Clyde Wells]], continued to adhere to Trudeau's concept of federalism. Others, such as [[John Turner]], supported the failed [[Meech Lake Accord|Meech Lake]] and [[Charlottetown Accord|Charlottetown Constitutional Accord]]s, which would have recognized Quebec as a "distinct society" and would have increased the powers of the provinces to the detriment of the federal government.

The most lasting effect of the Trudeau years has been the [[patriation]] of the [[Constitution of Canada]] and the creation of the ''[[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]''.<ref>{{cite book|author1= Lois Harder|author2= Steve Patten|title= Patriation and Its Consequences: Constitution Making in Canada|url= http://www.ubcpress.ca/books/pdf/chapters/2015/PatriationAndItsConsequences.pdf|year= 2015|publisher= UBC Press|isbn= 978-0-7748-2861-1|pages= 3–23|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151117032743/http://www.ubcpress.ca/books/pdf/chapters/2015/PatriationAndItsConsequences.pdf|archive-date= November 17, 2015|df= mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first= Linda|last= McKay-Panos|title= The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: An Integral Part of our Constitution|url= http://www.lawnow.org/the-canadian-charter-of-rights-and-freedoms-an-integral-part-of-our-constitution/|newspaper= LawNow|access-date= November 12, 2015|date= January 1, 2013|archive-date= September 13, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225258/http://www.lawnow.org/the-canadian-charter-of-rights-and-freedoms-an-integral-part-of-our-constitution/|url-status= live}}</ref> Trudeau's Liberals supported the concept of a strong, central government, and fought [[History of the Quebec sovereignist movement|Quebec separatism]], other forms of [[Quebec nationalism]], and the granting of "[[distinct society]]" status to Quebec; however, such actions served as rallying cries for sovereigntists, and alienated many Francophone Quebeckers.

Under the party's new leader, Turner, the Liberals lost power in the [[Canadian federal election, 1984|1984 election]], and were reduced to only 40 seats in the [[Canadian House of Commons|House of Commons]]. The Progressive Conservatives won a majority of the seats in every province, including Quebec. The 95-seat loss was the worst defeat in the party's history, and the worst defeat at the time for a governing party at the federal level. What was more, the [[New Democratic Party]], successor to the CCF, won almost as many seats as the Liberals, and some thought that the NDP would push the Liberals to third-party status. The party began a long process of reconstruction. A small group of young Liberal MPs, known as the [[Liberal Party of Canada Rat Pack|Rat Pack]], gained fame by criticizing the Tory government of [[Brian Mulroney]] at every turn.

The other primary legacy of the Trudeau years has been financial. Net federal debt in fiscal 1968, just before Trudeau became prime minister, was about $18 billion [[Canadian dollar|CAD]], or 26 percent of gross domestic product; by his final year in office, it had ballooned to over 200 billion—at 46 percent of GDP, nearly twice as large relative to the economy.<ref>{{cite web|first1= Jean|last1= Soucy|first2= Marion G.|last2= Wrobel|title= Federal Deficit: Changing Trends|url= http://publications.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/CIR/887-e.htm|publisher= Parliamentary Research Branch, Economics Division, Library of Parliament|access-date= November 12, 2015|date= April 11, 2000|archive-date= September 13, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225309/https://publications.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/CIR/887-e.htm|url-status= live}}</ref>

The [[Canadian federal election, 1988|1988 election]] was notable for Turner's strong opposition to the [[Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement]] negotiated by [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]] Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]]. Although most Canadians voted for parties opposed to [[free trade]], the Tories were returned with a [[majority government]], and implemented the deal. The Liberals recovered from their near-meltdown of 1984, however, winning 83 seats and ending much of the talk of being eclipsed by the NDP.

====John Turner====

[[File:Liberal Party of Canada logo, 1984.svg|thumb|Liberal Party logo in 1984]]

After Trudeau's retirement in 1984, many Liberals, such as [[Jean Chrétien]] and [[Clyde K. Wells|Clyde Wells]], continued to adhere to Trudeau's concept of federalism. Others, such as [[John Turner]], supported the failed [[Meech Lake Accord|Meech Lake]] and [[Charlottetown Accord|Charlottetown Constitutional Accords]], which would have recognized Quebec as a "distinct society" and would have increased the powers of the provinces to the detriment of the federal government.

Trudeau stepped down as prime minister and party leader in 1984, as the Liberals were slipping in polls. At that year's leadership convention, Turner defeated Chrétien on the second ballot to become prime minister.<ref>Terence McKenna. [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/jean-chretien-losing-the-liberal-leadership "Jean Chrétien: Losing the Liberal leadership"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119191817/http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/jean-chretien-losing-the-liberal-leadership |date=November 19, 2015 }}. CBC's ''The Journal'', February 27, 1986. Retrieved November 12, 2015.</ref> Immediately, upon taking office, Turner called a snap election, citing favourable internal polls. However, the party was hurt by [[You had an option, sir|numerous patronage appointments]], many of which Turner had made supposedly in return for Trudeau retiring early. Also, they were unpopular in their traditional stronghold of Quebec because of the constitution repatriation which excluded that province. The Liberals lost power in the [[1984 Canadian federal election|1984 election]], and were reduced to only 40 seats in the House of Commons. The Progressive Conservatives won a majority of the seats in every province, including Quebec. The 95-seat loss was the worst defeat in the party's history, and the worst defeat at the time for a governing party at the federal level. What was more, the [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]], successor to the [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]], won only ten fewer seats than the Liberals, and some thought that the NDP under [[Ed Broadbent]] would push the Liberals to third-party status.<ref>{{cite book |author = Brooke Jeffrey |title = Divided Loyalties: The Liberal Party of Canada, 1984–2008 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=8dBHhzra5mQC&q=ed+broadbent+ten+seats+liberals+1984&pg=PT20 |year = 2010 |publisher = University of Toronto Press |isbn = 978-1-4426-6019-9 |access-date = October 5, 2020 |archive-date = September 13, 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225333/https://books.google.com/books?id=8dBHhzra5mQC&q=ed+broadbent+ten+seats+liberals+1984&pg=PT20#v=snippet&q=ed%20broadbent%20ten%20seats%20liberals%201984&f=false |url-status = live }}</ref>

~~===The party under Chrétien===~~

Turner resigned in 1990 due to growing discontent within the party with his leadership, and was replaced by bitter rival [[Jean Chrétien]], who had served in every Liberal cabinet since 1965. Chrétien's Liberals campaigned in the [[Canadian federal election, 1993|1993 election]] on the promise of renegotiating the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA), and of replacing the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Just after [[drop the writ|the writ was dropped]] for the election, they issued the [[Red Book (Liberal Party of Canada)|Red Book]], a detailed statement of exactly what the Liberals would do in office if they won power. This was unprecedented for a Canadian party. Taking full advantage of the inability of Mulroney's successor, [[Kim Campbell]] to overcome a large amount of antipathy toward Mulroney, they won a strong majority government with 177 seats—the third-best performance in party history, and their best since 1949. The Progressive Conservatives were cut down to only two seats, suffering a defeat even more severe than the one they had handed the Liberals nine years earlier. The Liberals were re-elected with a considerably reduced majority in [[Canadian federal election, 1997|1997]], but nearly tied their 1993 total in [[Canadian federal election, 2000|2000]]. [[Image:Lib90s.PNG|right|frame|Party logo under Chrétien]]

For the next decade, the Liberals dominated Canadian politics in a fashion not seen since the early years of Confederation. This was because of the destruction of the "grand coalition" of [[Western Canada|Western]] socially conservative populists, [[Quebec nationalism|Quebec nationalists]], and fiscal conservatives from Ontario that had supported the Progressive Conservatives in 1984 and 1988. The PCs' Western support, for all practical purposes, transferred en masse to the Western-based [[Reform Party of Canada|Reform Party]], which replaced the PCs as the major right-wing party in Canada. However, the new party's agenda was seen as too extreme for most Canadians. It only won one seat east of Manitoba in an election (but gained another in a floor-crossing). Even when Reform restructured into the [[Canadian Alliance]], the party was virtually nonexistent east of Manitoba, winning only two seats in 2000. Reform/Alliance was the official opposition from 1997 to 2003, but was never able to overcome wide perceptions that it was merely a Western protest party. The Quebec nationalists who had once supported the Tories largely switched their support to the [[Quebec sovereigntism|sovereigntist]] [[Bloc Québécois]], while the Tories' Ontario support largely moved to the Liberals. The PCs would never be a major force in Canadian politics again; while they rebounded to 20 seats in the next election, they won only two seats west of Quebec in the next decade.

The party began a long process of reconstruction.<ref name="hist"/> A small group of young Liberal MPs, known as the [[Liberal Party of Canada Rat Pack|Rat Pack]], gained fame by criticizing the Progressive Conservative government of [[Brian Mulroney]] at every turn. Also, despite public and backroom attempts to remove Turner as leader, he managed to consolidate his leadership at the 1986 review.

Ontario and Quebec are guaranteed a majority of seats in the House of Commons under both Constitution Acts (59 percent of the seats [[as of 2006]]). As a result, it is very difficult to form even a minority government without substantial support in Ontario and/or Quebec. No party has ever formed a majority government without winning the most seats in either Ontario or Quebec. It is mathematically possible to form a minority government without a strong base in either province, but such an undertaking is politically difficult. The Liberals were the only party with a strong base in both provinces, thus making them the only party capable of forming a government.

The [[1988 Canadian federal election|1988 election]] was notable for Turner's strong opposition to the [[Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement]] negotiated by [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]] Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Although most Canadians voted for parties opposed to [[free trade]], the Tories were returned with a majority government, and implemented the deal. The Liberals recovered from their near-meltdown of 1984, however, winning 83 seats and ending much of the talk of being eclipsed by the NDP, who won 43 seats.<ref name="hist"/>

There was some disappointment as Liberals were not able to recover their traditional dominant position in Quebec, despite being led by a Quebecer from a strongly nationalist region of Quebec. The Bloc capitalized on discontent with the failure of the 1990 [[Meech Lake Accord]] and Chrétien's uncompromising stance on federalism (see below) to win the most seats in Quebec in every election from 1993 onward, even serving as the official opposition from 1993 to 1997. Chrétien's reputation in his home province never recovered after the 1990 leadership convention when rival [[Paul Martin]] forced him to declare his opposition to the [[Meech Lake Accord]]. However, the Liberals did increase their support in the next two elections due to infighting within the Bloc. In the 1997 election, although the Liberals finished with a thin majority, it was their gains in Quebec which were credited with offsetting their losses in the Maritime provinces. In particular, the 2000 election was a breakthrough for the Liberals after the PQ government's unpopular initiatives regarding consolidation of several Quebec urban areas into "megacities." Many federal Liberals also took credit for Charest's provincial election victory over the PQ in spring 2003. A series of by-elections allowed the Liberals to gain a majority of Quebec ridings for the first time since 1984.

====Jean Chrétien====

The Chrétien Liberals more than made up for their shortfall in Quebec by building a strong base in Ontario. They reaped a substantial windfall from the votes of fiscally conservative and socially liberal voters who had previously voted Tory, as well as rapid growth in the [[Greater Toronto Area]]. They were also able to take advantage of massive [[vote splitting]] between the Tories and Reform/Alliance in rural areas of the province that had traditionally formed the backbone of provincial Tory governments. Combined with their historic dominance of [[Metro Toronto]] and [[northern Ontario]], the Liberals dominated the province's federal politics even as the Tories won landslide majorities at the provincial level. In 1993, for example, the Liberals won all but one seat in Ontario, and came within 123 votes in [[Simcoe Centre]] of pulling off the first clean sweep of Canada's most populated province. They were able to retain their position as the largest party in the House by winning all but two seats in Ontario in the 1997 election. The Liberals were assured of at least a minority government once the Ontario results came in, but it was not clear until later in the night that they would retain their majority. In 2000, the Liberals won all but three seats in Ontario.

[[File:Jean Chrétien 2010.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jean Chrétien]], Prime Minister of Canada (1993–2003)]]

Turner announced that he would resign as leader of the Liberal Party on May 3, 1989. The Liberal Party set a [[1990 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|leadership convention for June 23, 1990]], in [[Calgary]]. Five candidates contested the leadership of the party, with former [[Deputy Prime Minister of Canada|Deputy Prime Minister]] [[Jean Chrétien]], who had served in every Liberal cabinet since 1965, and [[Paul Martin]], MP and former CEO of [[Canada Steamship Lines]], as the frontrunners. A key moment in that race took place at an all-candidates debate in Montreal, where the discussion quickly turned to the Meech Lake Accord. Martin, favouring Meech, attempted to force Chrétien to abandon his nuanced position on the deal and declare for or against it. When Chrétien refused to endorse the deal, young Liberal delegates crowding the hall began to chant "vendu" ("sellout" in French) and "Judas" at Chrétien. The incident damaged Chrétien's reputation in Quebec, and lead to a lasting animosity between Chrétien and Martin. Chrétien won on the first ballot.<ref name="Chrétien">{{cite web |title = Jean Chrétien Bio |url = http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/primeministers/h4-3506-e.html |publisher = Library and Archives Canada |access-date = November 9, 2011 |archive-date = October 18, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171018070844/http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/primeministers/h4-3506-e.html |url-status = dead }}</ref>

Chrétien's Liberals campaigned in the [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993 election]] on the promise of renegotiating the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA), and eliminating the [[Goods and Services Tax (Canada)|Goods and Services Tax]] (GST). Just after the [[drop the writ|writ was dropped]] for the election, they issued the [[Red Book (Liberal Party of Canada)|Red Book]], an integrated and coherent approach to economic, social, environmental and foreign policy. This was unprecedented for a Canadian party.<ref name="hist" /> Taking full advantage of the inability of Mulroney's successor, [[Kim Campbell]], to overcome a large amount of antipathy toward Mulroney, they won a strong majority government with 177 seats—the third-best performance in party history, and their best since 1949. The Progressive Conservatives were cut down to only two seats, suffering a defeat even more severe than the one they had handed the Liberals nine years earlier. The Liberals were re-elected with a considerably reduced majority in [[1997 Canadian federal election|1997]], but nearly tied their 1993 total in [[2000 Canadian federal election|2000]].

~~[[Image:Chretien crop Sept 9 2002.jpg|thumb|'''[[Jean Chrétien]]''']]~~

For the next decade, the Liberals dominated Canadian politics in a fashion not seen since the early years of Confederation. This was because of the splintering of the Progressive Conservative's electoral coalition. The PCs' Western support, for all practical purposes, transferred ''en masse'' to the Western-based [[Reform Party of Canada|Reform Party]], which replaced the PCs as the largest right-wing party in Canada; however, the party was unable to overcome perceptions of extremism and that it was merely a Western [[protest party]], and was virtually non-existent east of Manitoba. Meanwhile, the Quebec nationalists who had once supported the Tories largely switched their support to the sovereigntist [[Bloc Québécois]], while the Tories' Ontario support largely moved to the Liberals. With a divided opposition, the Liberals were able to reap large majorities—especially in Ontario, where the party won all but one seat in 1993, all but two in 1997 and all but three in 2000. However, there was some disappointment as Liberals were not able to recover their traditional dominant position in Quebec, despite being led by a Quebecer.

While the Chrétien Liberals campaigned from the left, their time in power is most marked by the cuts made to many programs in order to balance the federal budget. Chrétien had supported the Charlottetown Accord while in opposition, but in power opposed major concessions to Quebec and other provincialist factions. In contrast to their promises during the 1993 campaign, they implemented only minor changes to NAFTA, embraced the free trade concept and -- with the exception of the replacement of the GST with the [[Harmonized Sales Tax]] in some Atlantic provinces -- broke their promise to replace the [[Goods and Services Tax (Canada)|GST]].

[[File:Liberal Party of Canada L logo-Parti Liberal du Canada logo de L (1990s-2004).svg|thumb|Liberal Party logo, 1992–2004]]

After a proposal for Quebec independence was narrowly defeated in the [[1995 Quebec referendum]], the Liberals passed the "[[Clarity Act]]" [http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-31.8/text.html Clarity Act] which outlines the federal government's preconditions for negotiating provincial independence. In Chrétien's final days, he supported [[same-sex marriage in Canada]] as well as decriminalizing the possession of small quantities of marijuana. Chrétien displeased the [[United States]] government when he pledged on [[March 17]], [[2003]] that Canada would not support the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. Polling released a month later [http://www.queensu.ca/cora/polls/2003/April13-CBC-War_in_Iraq.pdf] showed the decision was largely popular, with 62% in favour of the Prime Minister's decision, and 35% opposed. Later polls would increase that margin of support. [http://www.queensu.ca/cora/polls/2003/June15-Globe-War_in_Iraq.pdf] [http://www.queensu.ca/cora/polls/2003/July18-Iraq_mistake.pdf]

While the Chrétien Liberals campaigned from the left, their time in power is most marked by the cuts made to many social programs, including health transfers, in order to balance the federal budget.<ref>{{cite news |title = Chrétien rejects health-care pleas from provinces |newspaper = Globe and Mail |date = April 2000 |url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/chretien-rejects-health-care-pleas-from-provinces/article1038283/ |access-date = October 30, 2019 |last1 = Scoffield |first1 = Heather |archive-date = August 3, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200803032602/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/chretien-rejects-health-care-pleas-from-provinces/article1038283/ |url-status = live }}</ref> Although Chrétien had supported the Charlottetown Accord while in opposition, in government he opposed major concessions to Quebec and other provincialist factions. In contrast to their promises during the 1993 campaign, they implemented only minor changes to NAFTA, embraced the free trade concept and—with the exception of the replacement of the GST with the [[Harmonized Sales Tax]] in some Atlantic provinces—broke their promise to replace the GST.

After a proposal for Quebec independence was narrowly defeated in the [[1995 Quebec referendum]], the Liberals passed the "[[Clarity Act]]", which outlines the federal government's preconditions for negotiating provincial independence.<ref>{{cite web |title = Clarity Act |publisher = Government of Canada Privy Council Office |url = http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/aia/index.asp?lang=eng&page=federal&doc=constitution/clarityact/ClarityAct_e.htm |access-date = November 9, 2011 |archive-date = December 7, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207062905/http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/aia/index.asp?lang=eng&page=federal&doc=constitution%2Fclarityact%2FClarityAct_e.htm |url-status = dead }}</ref> In Chrétien's final term, he supported [[same-sex marriage in Canada|same-sex marriage]],<ref>{{cite news |author = Melissa Cheung |url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/canada-will-legalize-gay-marriage/ |title = Canada Will Legalize Gay Marriage |publisher = CBS News |date = June 18, 2003 |access-date = November 9, 2011 |archive-date = October 29, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141029034027/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/canada-will-legalize-gay-marriage/ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/18/world/canadian-leaders-agree-to-propose-gay-marriage-law.html?pagewanted=1 |title = Canadian leaders agree to propose gay marriage law |work = The New York Times |date = June 18, 2003 |access-date = November 9, 2011 |first = Clifford |last = Krauss |archive-date = March 31, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190331193002/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/18/world/canadian-leaders-agree-to-propose-gay-marriage-law.html?pagewanted=1 |url-status = live }}</ref> [[Decriminalization|decriminalizing]] the possession of small quantities of marijuana,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-10-03 |title=Chrétien jokes about trying pot once it's decriminalized |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/chretien-jokes-about-trying-pot-once-its-decriminalized/article20451387/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |archive-date=June 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615205943/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/chretien-jokes-about-trying-pot-once-its-decriminalized/article20451387/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and ratified the [[Kyoto Protocol]].<ref name="CBC_2002_12">{{cite news |date=December 16, 2002 |title=Kyoto ratification 'important for future generations' |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kyoto-ratification-important-for-future-generations-1.325123 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205224931/http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2002/12/16/kyotosign021216.html |url-status=live |archive-date=December 5, 2006 |access-date=January 9, 2013}}</ref> On March 17, 2003, Chrétien announced that [[Canada and the Iraq War|Canada would not support the invasion of Iraq]],<ref>{{cite news |title = Chrétien restates opposition to Iraq war |url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/chrtien-restates-opposition-to-iraq-war-1.405182 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071030095455/http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2003/03/18/chretieniraq030318.html |url-status = live |archive-date = October 30, 2007 |access-date = November 9, 2011 |publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date = March 18, 2003 }}</ref> which caused friction with the United States.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sayle |first=Timothy A. |date=2015 |title="But he has nothing on at all!" Canada and the Iraq War, 2003 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=18–19}}</ref> However, a poll conducted by [[EKOS Research Associates|EKOS]] for the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' and ''[[La Presse (Canada)|La Presse]]'' shortly afterwards showed widespread approval of Chrétien's decision by the Canadian public: 71 percent of those questioned approved of the government's decision to not enter the United States-led invasion, with 27 percent expressing disapproval.<ref name="Harper">{{Cite news |last = Harper |first = Tim |title = Canadians back Chrétien on war, poll finds |newspaper = Toronto Star |date = March 22, 2003 |url = http://25461.vws.magma.ca/admin/articles/torstar-24-03-2003c.html |access-date = November 9, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706184537/http://25461.vws.magma.ca/admin/articles/torstar-24-03-2003c.html |archive-date = July 6, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}</ref>

~~===Recent history===~~

[[Paul Martin]], author of the 1993 Red Book, succeeded Chrétien as party leader and prime minister in 2003. Despite the [[2004 Liberal Party of Canada infighting|personal rivalry]] between the two, Martin was the architect of the Liberals' economic policies as [[Minister of Finance (Canada)|Minister of Finance]] during the 1990s. Chrétien left office with a high approval rating and Martin was expected to take the Liberals to greater heights. While his cabinet choices provoked some controversy over excluding many Chrétien supporters, it at first did little to hurt his popularity. However, the political situation changed with the revelation of the [[sponsorship scandal]], in which advertising agencies supporting the Liberal Party received grossly inflated commissions for their services.

In Chrétien's final weeks as prime minister, he introduced legislation to reduce the maximum allowable donation to a political party or candidate to $5,000. The move came as a surprise even to Liberal supporters, as Chrétien had not done anything about election financing at any other point in his ten years in office. Political observers suggested that the move allowed Chrétien to retire on a positive note while saddling Martin, his longstanding rival and successor, with the burden of having to fight an election under the strict new rules.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/realitycheck/gray/20060613.html |author=Gray, John |publisher=CBC News |title=Realists and idealists and a bag of hammers |access-date=January 1, 2016 |date=June 13, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008121550/http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/realitycheck/gray/20060613.html |archive-date=October 8, 2010 }}</ref>

Having faced a divided conservative opposition for the past three elections, Liberals were seriously challenged by competition from the newly-united [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]] led by [[Stephen Harper]]. The infighting between Martin and Chrétien's supporters also dogged the party. Nonetheless, by criticizing the Conservatives' social policies, the Liberals were able to [[strategic voting|draw progressive votes]] from the NDP which made the difference in several close races. On [[June 28]], [[2004]] [[Canadian federal election, 2004|federal election]], the Martin Liberals retained enough support to continue as the government, though they were reduced to a minority.

===21st century===

In the ensuing months, testimony from the [[Gomery Commission]] caused public opinion to turn sharply against the Liberals for the first time in over a decade. Despite the devastating revelations, only two Liberal MPs--[[David Kilgour]] (who had, ironically, [[crossing the floor|crossed the floor]] from the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|PC]] in [[1990]]) and [[Pat O'Brien (Canadian politician)|Pat O'Brien]]--left the party for reasons other than the scandal. Thanks to [[Belinda Stronach]] who crossed the floor from the Conservatives to the Liberals, Martin barely managed to hold onto power when an NDP-sponsored amendment to his budget was passed only by the Speaker's tiebreaking vote on [[May 19]], [[2005]].

====Paul Martin====

[[File:Paul martin 2004.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Paul Martin]], Prime minister of Canada (2003–2006)]]

Martin succeeded Chrétien as party leader and prime minister in 2003. Despite the personal rivalry between the two, Martin was [[Minister of Finance (Canada)|Minister of Finance]] during the 1990s and was the architect of the Liberals' economic policies. Chrétien left office with a high approval rating and Martin was expected to make inroads into Quebec and Western Canada, two regions of Canada where the Liberals had not attracted much support since the 1980s and 1990s, respectively.

The political situation changed with the revelation of the [[sponsorship scandal]], in which advertising agencies supporting the Liberal Party received grossly inflated commissions for their services. Having faced a divided conservative opposition for the past three elections, Liberals were seriously challenged by competition from the newly united [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]] led by [[Stephen Harper]]. The [[2003–2004 Liberal Party of Canada infighting|infighting between Martin and Chrétien's supporters]] also dogged the party. Nonetheless, by criticizing the Conservatives' social policies, the Liberals were able to [[strategic voting|draw progressive votes]] from the NDP, which made the difference in several close races. In the [[2004 Canadian federal election|2004 election]], the Liberals retained enough support to continue as the government, though they were reduced to a minority.

In November, the Liberals dropped in polls following the release of the first Gomery Report. Nonetheless, Martin turned down the NDP's conditions for continued support, as well as rejected an opposition proposal which would schedule a February 2006 election in return for passing several pieces of legislation. The Liberals thus lost the no-confidence vote on [[November 28]]; Martin thus became only the fifth prime minister to lose the confidence of the House, but the first to lose on a straight no-confidence motion. Due to the Christmas holiday, Martin advised Governor General [[Michaëlle Jean]] to dissolve Parliament and call an election for [[Canadian federal election, 2006|January 2006]].

In the midst of various court rulings in 2003 and 2004 that allowed for the legalization of [[Same-sex marriage|same-sex marriages]] in seven provinces and one territory, the Martin government proposed a bill to legalize [[Same-sex marriage in Canada|same-sex marriage across Canada]]. The House of Commons passed the ''[[Civil Marriage Act]]'' in late June 2005 in a late-night, last-minute vote before Parliament closed down, the [[Senate of Canada|Senate]] passed it in July 2005, and it received [[Royal Assent]] on July 20. This made Canada the fourth country in the world to allow same-sex marriages.<ref>{{cite news |author=CBC News |date=June 29, 2005 |title=The Supreme Court and same-sex marriage |publisher=CBC |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/samesexrights/ |access-date=April 26, 2014 |archive-date=April 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427000106/http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/samesexrights/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-05-29 |title=Same-sex marriage around the world |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/same-sex-marriage-around-the-world-1.799137 |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=[[CBC News]] |archive-date=November 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125125134/http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/05/26/f-same-sex-timeline.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2005, the Martin government brokered a deal between first ministers and aboriginal leaders known as the [[Kelowna Accord]], which sought to improve the education, skills training, housing and health care of aboriginal peoples by providing $5 billion in funding over five years.<ref>{{cite web |date=2007-03-04 |title=Charest calls on Harper to honour Kelowna aboriginal accord |url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=01b6e6af-f4dd-4baa-84b1-7cfc317d5699 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013094942/http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=01b6e6af-f4dd-4baa-84b1-7cfc317d5699 |archive-date=2013-10-13 |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=Canada.com}}</ref>

The Liberal campaign was dogged from start to finish by the sponsorship scandal, which was brought up by an [[RCMP]] criminal investigation into the leak of the income trust announcement. Numerous gaffes, contrasting with a smoothly run Conservative campaign, put Liberals as many as ten points behind the Conservatives in opinion polling. They managed to recover some of their momentum by election night, but not enough to retain power. They won 103 seats, a net loss of 30 from when the writs were dropped, losing a similar number of seats in Ontario and Quebec to the Tories. However, the Liberals managed to capture the most seats in Ontario for the fifth straight election (54 to the Tories' 40), holding the Conservatives to a minority government. While the Conservatives captured many of Ontario's rural ridings, the Liberals retained most of the population-rich [[Greater Toronto Area]]. Many of these ridings, particularly the [[Area code 905|905 region]], had historically been bellwethers (the Liberals were nearly shut out of this region in 1979 and 1984), but demographic changes have resulted in high Liberal returns in recent years.

Following the release of the first [[Gomery Report]], the Liberals dropped in polls. Nonetheless, Martin turned down the NDP's conditions for continued support, as well as rejecting an opposition proposal which would schedule a February 2006 election in return for passing several pieces of legislation. The Liberals thus lost a confidence vote on November 28, and Martin advised Governor General [[Michaëlle Jean]] to dissolve Parliament and call an election for [[2006 Canadian federal election|January 2006]].

Martin resigned as parliamentary leader after the election and stepped down as Liberal leader on [[March 18]], having previously promised to step down if he didn't win a plurality. Even without this promise, the only way he could have held onto power was with the support of the Bloc--a politically unrealistic possibility.

The Liberal campaign was dogged from start to finish by the sponsorship scandal, which was brought up by a [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] (RCMP) criminal investigation into the leak of the income trust announcement. Numerous gaffes, contrasting with a smoothly run Conservative campaign, put Liberals as many as ten points behind the Conservatives in opinion polling. They managed to recover some of their momentum by election night, but not enough to retain power. They won 103 seats, a net loss of 30 from when the writs were dropped, compared to 123 for the Tories. Martin resigned as Liberal leader on March 18.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-03-16 |title=Martin to officially resign as party leader |work=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/martin-to-officially-resign-as-party-leader-1.603650 |access-date=2023-06-15 |archive-date=June 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615201146/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/martin-to-officially-resign-as-party-leader-1.603650 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Bill Graham]] was appointed interim party and parliamentary leader and the process to select a new party leader began. An unusually large number of prominent members such as [[Frank McKenna]], [[Brian Tobin]],

[[Allan Rock]] and [[Belinda Stronach]] declined to run, yet at the same time many new faces stepped forward. There were eight people running for the leadership of the Liberal Party [http://www.Liberal.ca/leadership2006_candidate_e.aspx] at the time of the convention:

====Struggles in opposition====

*[[Martha Hall Findlay]]

[[File:Liberal rally Brampton 2008 election 82.jpg|thumb|[[Stéphane Dion]] makes a speech on October 10, 2008, in [[Brampton West (federal electoral district)|Brampton West]]. Former Prime Minister [[Jean Chrétien]] was among notable Liberals at this rally; this was his first time campaigning for anyone since retirement.]]

*[[Stéphane Dion]]

*[[Michael Ignatieff]]

*[[Gerard Kennedy]]

*[[Bob Rae]]

*[[Scott Brison]]

*[[Ken Dryden]]

*[[Joe Volpe]]

The [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|ensuing leadership election]] was set for December 2, 2006, in [[Montreal]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Rock says no to Liberal leadership |url=http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=c50b0f26-e061-46d1-a559-e4f63bdd7f69&k=1732 |access-date=November 12, 2011 |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |date=February 3, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214202931/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=c50b0f26-e061-46d1-a559-e4f63bdd7f69&k=1732 |archive-date=February 14, 2012 }}</ref> Eight candidates entered the contest, but only [[Michael Ignatieff]], [[Bob Rae]], [[Stéphane Dion]] and [[Gerard Kennedy]] were considered to be the capable of garnering enough support to be able to win the leadership, with Ignatieff and Rae being considered the [[front-runner]]s.<ref>{{cite news |title = Canadians Place Rae as Best Liberal Leader |url = http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/7107/canadians_place_rae_as_best_liberal_leader/ |publisher = Angus Reid |access-date = November 12, 2011 |date = October 20, 2006 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120121130424/http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/7107/canadians_place_rae_as_best_liberal_leader/ |archive-date = January 21, 2012 |df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Rae Seen as Best Future Liberal PM in Canada |url = http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/7050/rae_seen_as_best_future_liberal_pm_in_canada/ |access-date = November 12, 2011 |publisher = Angus Reid |date = October 23, 2006 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120121143357/http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/7050/rae_seen_as_best_future_liberal_pm_in_canada/ |archive-date = January 21, 2012 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> Although Ignatieff lead on the first two ballots, on the third ballot Dion picked up enough support from the eliminated Kennedy to leapfrog both Rae and Ignatieff, eliminating Rae. On the fourth and final ballot, Dion defeated Ignatieff to become leader of the Liberal Party.<ref>{{cite news |title = The Liberal Leadership Race |url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/interactives/who-librecap/ |publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date = November 12, 2011 |archive-date = January 19, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120119143626/http://www.cbc.ca/news/interactives/who-librecap/ |url-status = live }}</ref>

The Liberal Party reportedly felt they could quickly regain power resulting in calls to accelerate the leadership selection process. [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1139747045377&col=968705899037&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News]. While there were some predictions the party's National Executive would call the convention for as late as March 2007, it instead decided to announce the convention for the first weekend of December 2006.

Dion campaigned on environmental sustainability during the leadership race, which later evolved into the "Green Shift": a proposal for a national [[carbon tax]] that would be offset by reductions to income tax rates.<ref>{{cite news |title = The Green Shift |url = http://www.cbc.ca/newsatsixns/pdf/liberalgreenplan.pdf |publisher = Liberal Party of Canada |access-date = November 13, 2011 |archive-date = December 21, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111221073942/http://www.cbc.ca/newsatsixns/pdf/liberalgreenplan.pdf |url-status = live }}</ref> The plan was a key policy for the party in the [[2008 Canadian federal election|2008 federal election]], but it was not well received and was continuously attacked by both the Conservatives and NDP.<ref>{{cite news |last = Morris |first = Chris |title = Liberal Green Shift is 'green shaft,' says Harper |url = https://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/478887 |access-date = November 13, 2011 |newspaper = Toronto Star |date = August 14, 2008 |archive-date = August 18, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080818041819/http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/478887 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Harper hopes Green Shift will turn Liberal voters Tory blue |url = http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=b593fd8c-22bd-4805-97d8-a66dee44e5de |access-date = November 13, 2011 |newspaper = Canwest News Service |date = October 5, 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120214195835/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=b593fd8c-22bd-4805-97d8-a66dee44e5de |archive-date = February 14, 2012 |df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Galloway |first = Gloria |title = Layton lays into Green Shift |url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/article708340.ece |access-date = November 13, 2011 |newspaper = The Globe and Mail |date = September 11, 2008 }}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Green Shift touted as both saviour and damnation |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/green-shift-touted-as-both-saviour-and-damnation/article1061161/ |access-date=November 13, 2011 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 11, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127044738/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/green-shift-touted-as-both-saviour-and-damnation/article1061161/ |archive-date=November 27, 2015 }}</ref> On election night, the Liberal Party won 26.26 percent of the popular vote and 77 of the 308 seats in the House of Commons. At that time, their popular support was the lowest in the party's history, and weeks later Dion announced he would step down as Liberal leader once his successor was chosen.<ref>{{cite news |title = Dion resigns but will remain as leader for now |url = https://www.thestar.com/federalelection/article/520583 |access-date = November 13, 2011 |newspaper = Toronto Star |date = October 20, 2008 |first1 = Bruce |last1 = Campion-Smith |first2 = Les |last2 = Whittington |archive-date = March 13, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110313094318/http://www.thestar.com/federalelection/article/520583 |url-status = live }}</ref>

On [[December 2]] in Montreal, the Liberals voted for their new Liberal party leader. The ballots came down to Michael Ignatieff and Stéphane Dion, who surpassed Bob Rae on the third ballot. Stéphane Dion catapulted from third place in the second ballot to first place thanks in large part to an alliance with Gerard Kennedy. Dion finally won with 54.7% of the votes.

[[File:41stElectionPollingResults.png|thumb|Graph of opinion polls conducted between the 2008 and 2011 elections]]

However, the [[2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute]] made Dion's continued leadership untenable: an agreement to form a [[coalition government]] between the with NDP faced public opposition if it meant Dion was to be become prime minister, even if only until the leadership election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Results of CBC News Survey |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/pdf/1069-cbc-results-dec4-final.pdf |publisher=EKOS Research |access-date=November 14, 2011 |date=December 4, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209235541/http://www.cbc.ca/news/pdf/1069-cbc-results-dec4-final.pdf |archive-date=December 9, 2008 }}</ref> Dion thus resigned as leader on December 8, with caucus selecting Ignatieff as interim leader.<ref name="interim2">{{cite news |date=December 10, 2008 |title=Ignatieff named interim Liberal leader |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newly-named-liberal-leader-ignatieff-ready-to-form-coalition-1.698452 |access-date=10 December 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216061905/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/10/ignatieff-caucus.html |archive-date=2008-12-16}}</ref> However, Harper [[Prorogation in Canada|prorogued]] Parliament before a [[Motion of no confidence|confidence vote]] could be scheduled. When parliament resumed on January 28, 2009, the Ignatieff Liberals agreed to support the budget as long as it included regular accountability reports, which the Conservatives accepted. This ended the possibility of the coalition government with the New Democrats.<ref>{{cite news |title = Ignatieff okays budget, with conditions |url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/article968692.ece |access-date = November 14, 2011 |newspaper = The Globe and Mail |date = January 28, 2009 |first1 = Campbell |last1 = Clark |first2 = Jane |last2 = Taber |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110126185559/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/article968692.ece |archive-date = January 26, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> Ignatieff was [[2009 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|formally named leader on May 2, 2009]].<ref>{{cite news |date=May 2, 2009 |title=Ignatieff slams Harper for 'failure to unite Canada' |publisher=CBC News |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ignatieff-slams-harper-for-failure-to-unite-canada-1.775666 |access-date=16 May 2018 |archive-date=June 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616082756/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ignatieff-slams-harper-for-failure-to-unite-canada-1.775666 |url-status=live }}</ref>[[File:Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff speaks during a news conference in Toronto.jpg|thumb|left|[[Michael Ignatieff]] speaks during a news conference in Toronto on March 28, 2011]]

By the time Ignatieff was confirmed as party leader, the Liberal Party had a comfortable lead over the governing Conservatives.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ignatieff-slams-harper-for-failure-to-unite-canada-1.775666 |title = Ignatieff slams Harper for 'failure to unite Canada' |date = May 2, 2009 |publisher = CBC News |access-date = November 9, 2011 |archive-date = January 7, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140107204643/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ignatieff-slams-harper-for-failure-to-unite-canada-1.775666 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Close Federal Race Continues – Tories Down in Quebec Up in Ontario |url = http://www.nanosresearch.com/library/polls/POLNAT-S09-T369E.pdf |access-date = November 14, 2011 |newspaper = Nanos Research |date = May 2, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111016121527/http://www.nanosresearch.com/library/polls/POLNAT-S09-T369E.pdf |archive-date = October 16, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = Close federal race continues |url = http://www.nanosresearch.com/library/polls/POLNAT-S09-T380E.pdf |publisher = Nanos Research |access-date = November 14, 2011 |date = June 27, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111016113948/http://www.nanosresearch.com/library/polls/POLNAT-S09-T380E.pdf |archive-date = October 16, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> Support fell over the summer as Ignatieff was characterized of "missing in action", and Ignatieff announced on August 31, 2009, that the Liberals would not support the minority Conservative government when Parliament resumed.<ref>{{cite news |last = Siddiqui |first = Haroon |title = If Harper is Bush, then Ignatieff is John Kerry |url = https://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/690191 |access-date = November 14, 2011 |newspaper = Toronto Star |date = September 3, 2009 |archive-date = September 13, 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225305/https://www.thestar.com/ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Hebert |first = Chantal |title = Absent opposition gives the PM a holiday |url = https://www.thestar.com/canada/columnist/article/686513 |access-date = November 14, 2011 |newspaper = Toronto Star |date = August 26, 2009 |archive-date = September 13, 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225305/https://www.thestar.com/ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Liberals won't raise taxes: Ignatieff |url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/liberals-won-t-raise-taxes-ignatieff-1.815328 |access-date = November 9, 2011 |publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date = September 2, 2009 |archive-date = October 16, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151016201454/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/liberals-won-t-raise-taxes-ignatieff-1.815328 |url-status = live }}</ref> A month later, on October 1, the Liberals put forth a non-confidence motion; however, the NDP abstained from voting and the Conservative government survived.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://ca.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idCATRE58T4BE20091001 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110715175324/http://ca.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idCATRE58T4BE20091001 |url-status = dead |archive-date = July 15, 2011 |title = Canada's government survives non-confidence motion |work = Reuters |date = October 1, 2009 |access-date = April 28, 2010 }}</ref> The attempt to force an election, just a year after the previous one, was viewed as a miscalculation, as polls showed that most Canadians did not want another election.<ref>{{cite web |title = Parties Virtually Tied as Election Nears in Canada |url = http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/37078/parties_virtually_tied_as_election_nears_in_canada/ |publisher = Angus Reid |access-date = November 14, 2011 |date = September 4, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120121181708/http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/37078/parties_virtually_tied_as_election_nears_in_canada/ |archive-date = January 21, 2012 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> Afterwards, popularity for Ignatieff and his party continued to fall.<ref>{{cite news |last = MacDonald |first = Ian |title = Harper tickles while Ignatieff burns |url = http://www2.canada.com/montrealgazette/features/viewpoints/story.html?id=0e1cf966-d164-43b2-873a-76b828a82999 |access-date = November 9, 2011 |newspaper = Montreal Gazette |date = October 9, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130314151902/http://www2.canada.com/montrealgazette/features/viewpoints/story.html?id=0e1cf966-d164-43b2-873a-76b828a82999 |archive-date = March 14, 2013 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> Over the next year and a half, with the exception of a brief period in early 2010, support for the Liberals remained below 30 percent, and behind the Conservatives.<ref>{{cite web |title = Conservatives retain 7-point lead as parties enter election campaign |url = http://www.ekospolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/full_report_march_25_2011.pdf |publisher = EKOS Politics |access-date = November 15, 2011 |date = March 25, 2011 |archive-date = May 16, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110516035013/http://www.ekospolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/full_report_march_25_2011.pdf |url-status = live }}</ref>[[File:Liberale Partei Kanadas Logo.svg|thumb|The Liberal Party logo used from 2010 to 2014. In this and the subsequent logo, the stem of the maple leaf forms an [[acute accent]], used in the word ''Libéral'' in French|left]]

Shortly after the Harper government was found to be in [[Contempt of Parliament]] over the [[Canadian Afghan detainee issue]], Ignatieff successfully introduced a motion of no confidence against the government, beginning the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 election]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/world/americas/26canada.html |title = Canadian Government, Beset by Scandal, Collapses |date = March 25, 2011 |access-date = October 18, 2015 |work = The New York Times |first = Ian |last = Austen |archive-date = September 24, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180924215516/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/world/americas/26canada.html |url-status = live }}</ref> The Liberals had considerable momentum when the writ was dropped, and Ignatieff successfully squeezed NDP leader [[Jack Layton]] out of media attention by issuing challenges to Harper for one-on-one debates.<ref>{{cite news |title = Chance of Harper vs. Ignatieff debate fades |url = https://www.ctvnews.ca/chance-of-harper-vs-ignatieff-debate-fades-1.626022 |access-date = November 14, 2011 |publisher = CTV News |date = March 31, 2011 |archive-date = June 22, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150622093939/http://www.ctvnews.ca/chance-of-harper-vs-ignatieff-debate-fades-1.626022 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Whittington |first = Les |title = Ignatieff's appeal improving but Harper still leads, poll says |url = https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/970557--ignatieff-s-appeal-improving-but-harper-still-leads-poll-says |access-date = November 14, 2011 |newspaper = Toronto Star |date = April 7, 2011 |archive-date = April 10, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110410204307/http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/970557--ignatieff-s-appeal-improving-but-harper-still-leads-poll-says |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Galloway |first = Gloria |title = Layton remains game despite polls showing he's the odd man out |url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/layton-shows-strain-as-polls-suggest-hes-the-odd-man-out/article1978060/ |access-date = November 14, 2011 |newspaper = The Globe and Mail |date = April 8, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110412213210/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/layton-shows-strain-as-polls-suggest-hes-the-odd-man-out/article1978060/ |archive-date = April 12, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> However, opponents frequently criticized Ignatieff's perceived political opportunism, particularly during the [[Leaders' debate]]s when Layton criticized Ignatieff for having a poor attendance record for Commons votes: "You know, most Canadians, if they don't show up for work, they don't get a promotion." Ignatieff failed to defend himself against these charges, and the debates were said to be a turning point in the campaign.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ignatieff-s-liberals-lose-official-opposition-status-1.1055540 |publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |title = Ignatieff's Liberals lose Official Opposition status |date = May 3, 2011 |access-date = September 3, 2024 |archive-date = June 4, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230604143311/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ignatieff-s-liberals-lose-official-opposition-status-1.1055540 |url-status = live }}</ref>

On election day, the Liberals took the biggest loss in their history. The result was a third-place finish, with only 19 percent of the vote and returning 34 seats in the House of Commons. Notably, their support in Toronto and Montreal, their power bases for the last two decades, all but vanished. The Conservatives won 40 percent of the vote and formed a majority government, while the NDP won 31 percent of the vote and formed the Official Opposition.<ref>{{cite web |title = Official Voting Results – Forty-First General Election 2011 |url = http://elections.ca/scripts/ovr2011/default.html |publisher = Elections Canada |access-date = May 21, 2012 |archive-date = May 21, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120521211804/http://www.elections.ca/scripts/ovr2011/default.html |url-status = live }}</ref> It marked the first time the Liberals were unable to form either government or the official opposition. Ignatieff was defeated in his own riding, and announced his resignation as Liberal leader shortly after. Bob Rae was chosen as the [[Interim leader (Canada)|interim leader]] on May 25, 2011.<ref name="twoyears">{{cite news |title = Federal Liberals won't pick new leader for full two years |url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/federal-liberals-wont-pick-new-leader-for-full-two-years/article2066673/ |access-date = June 19, 2011 |newspaper = The Globe and Mail |date = June 19, 2011|first = Joan |last = Bryden }}</ref>

On [[May 11]], [[2006]], [[Montreal]]'s [[La Presse (Canada)|La Presse]] reported that the [[Government of Canada]] will file a lawsuit against the Liberal Party to recover all the money missing in the sponsorship program. Scott Brison told reporters that same day that the Liberals has already paid back the $1.14 million into the public purse, however the Conservatives believe that there is as much as $40 million unaccounted for in the sponsorship program. [http://www.politicswatch.com/adscam-may11-2006.htm]

Pundits widely viewed the 2011 election as a [[political realignment]] and questioned the Liberal Party's viability.''[[The Economist]]'' said, "the election represents the biggest realignment of Canadian politics since 1993";<ref>''Economist'' May 3, 2011</ref> ''[[Maclean's]]'' writer [[Andrew Coyne]] wrote that "the Conservatives are now in a position to replace the Liberals as the [[natural governing party]] in Canada."<ref>Andrew Coyne, "The West is in and Ontario has joined it: How the election led to an unprecedented realignment of Canadian politics", [http://www.macleans.ca/2011/05/06/a-new-power-couple/ ''Maclean's'' May 6, 2011] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601091534/http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/05/06/a-new-power-couple/ |date=June 1, 2013 }}</ref> Books such as ''The Big Shift'' by [[John Ibbitson]] and [[Darrell Bricker]], and [[Peter C. Newman]]'s ''When the Gods Changed: The Death of Liberal Canada'', asserted that the Liberals had become an "endangered species".<ref>{{cite news |last=McLeod |first=Paul |date=October 22, 2015 |title=Book Review: The Big Shift Explains Why Stephen Harper Will Keep Winning |publisher=Buzzfeed |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/paulmcleod/book-review-the-big-shift-why-stephen-harper-will-keep-winni#.kk8WgyWkW |access-date=October 22, 2015 |archive-date=October 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023222156/http://www.buzzfeed.com/paulmcleod/book-review-the-big-shift-why-stephen-harper-will-keep-winni#.kk8WgyWkW |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Valpy |first=Michael |date=November 25, 2011 |title=Is a Liberal comeback mission impossible? |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/is-a-liberal-comeback-mission-impossible/article4246976/ |access-date=October 22, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304223625/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/is-a-liberal-comeback-mission-impossible/article4246976/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Justin Trudeau====

[[File:Justin Trudeau (2023).jpg|thumb|[[Justin Trudeau]], Prime Minister of Canada (2015–present)]]

On April 14, 2013, [[Justin Trudeau]], son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, was [[2013 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|elected leader]] of the Liberal Party on the first ballot, winning 80% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |title = Justin Trudeau sweeps Liberal leadership with 80% support |url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-to-face-off-against-harper-in-question-period-today-1.1317124 |access-date = April 15, 2013 |publisher = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date = April 14, 2013 |archive-date = September 29, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130929153612/http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-to-face-off-against-harper-in-question-period-today-1.1317124 |url-status = live }}</ref> Following his win, support for the Liberal Party increased considerably, and the party moved into first place in public opinion polls.<ref>{{cite news |last = Berthiaume |first = Lee |title = Tory attack ads may be backfiring in favour of Trudeau's Liberals as support rises, new poll shows |url = http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/07/tory-attack-ads-may-be-backfiring-in-favour-of-trudeaus-liberals-as-support-rises-new-poll-shows/ |access-date = June 7, 2013 |newspaper = National Post |date = May 7, 2013 |archive-date = September 13, 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225306/https://nationalpost.com/category/news/ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Visser |first = Josh |title = Trudeau's Liberals hit historic highs as senate scandal has 'drastic effect' on Tories: poll |url = http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/23/trudeaus-liberals-hit-historic-highs-as-senate-scandal-has-drastic-effect-on-tories-poll/ |access-date = June 7, 2013 |newspaper = National Post |date = May 23, 2013 |archive-date = June 7, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130607130721/http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/23/trudeaus-liberals-hit-historic-highs-as-senate-scandal-has-drastic-effect-on-tories-poll/ |url-status = live }}</ref> In response, the Conservatives ran a series of ads attempting to "[paint] him as a silly dilettante unfit for public office" and the surge levelled off in the following year.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Warnica |first1=Richard |date=October 23, 2015 |title=The Liberal Resurrection: How a Liberal 'lightweight' faced with the longest election campaign in history beat down a Tory majority |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/features/the-liberal-resurrection |access-date=October 25, 2015 |work=National Post |archive-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130131312/https://nationalpost.com/category/news/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2014, Trudeau removed all Liberal senators from the Liberal Party caucus. In announcing this, Trudeau said the purpose of the unelected upper chamber is to act as a check on the power of the prime minister, but the party structure interferes with that purpose.<ref name="LibSenate" /> Following this move, Liberal senators chose to keep the designation "Liberal" and sit together as a caucus, albeit not one supported by the Liberal Party of Canada. This independent group continued to refer to itself in publications as the [[Senate Liberal Caucus]] until 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Crawford|first1=Allison|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senate-liberals-caucus-speaker-1.3347265|title=Senate Liberals unsure how to work with Trudeau government|access-date=January 1, 2016|publisher=CBC News|date=December 3, 2015|archive-date=September 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225350/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senate-liberals-caucus-speaker-1.3347265|url-status=live}}</ref>

By the time the [[2015 Canadian federal election|2015 federal election]] was called, the Liberals had fallen back to third place. Trudeau and his advisors mounted a campaign based on economic stimulus in the hopes of regaining the mantle of being the party that best represented change from the New Democrats.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Raj|first1=Althia|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/10/25/justin-trudeau_n_8382304.html|title=Justin Trudeau's Liberals: 'We Had A Plan And We Stuck To It.' And They Won|access-date = October 31, 2015 |work = Huffington Post|date = October 25, 2015}}</ref> The campaign was successful, and the Liberals won the election in a dramatic fashion: with 39.5 percent of the popular vote and 184 seats, it was the first time a party had won a parliamentary majority after placing third in a previous general election.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34578213|title = Canada election: Liberals sweep to power|access-date = October 20, 2015|work = BBC News|date = October 20, 2015|archive-date = October 20, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151020035211/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34578213|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/11941852/Canada-election-Liberals-poised-to-win-sweeping-victory-over-Conservatives.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/11941852/Canada-election-Liberals-poised-to-win-sweeping-victory-over-Conservatives.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title = Canada election: Liberals win sweeping victory over Conservatives|access-date = October 20, 2015 |newspaper = The Daily Telegraph|date = October 20, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=CBC News|date=October 19, 2015|access-date=October 20, 2015|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-results-federal-election-2015-1.3278830|title=Stunning Liberal gains in Quebec as Trudeau wins majority government|archive-date=October 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020024320/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-results-federal-election-2015-1.3278830|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Chantal Hébert]] deemed the result "a Liberal comeback that is headed straight for the history books",<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.thestar.com/news/federal-election/2015/10/20/liberal-comeback-headed-for-history-books-hbert.html|title = Liberal comeback headed for history books|access-date = October 25, 2015|work = Toronto Star|date = October 20, 2015|archive-date = October 24, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151024000551/http://www.thestar.com/news/federal-election/2015/10/20/liberal-comeback-headed-for-history-books-hbert.html|url-status = live}}</ref> while [[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]'s Josh Wingrove and Theophilos Argitis similarly described it as "capping the biggest political comeback in the country’s history."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Argitis |first1=Theophilos |last2=Wingrove |first2=Josh |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=October 19, 2015 |access-date=October 27, 2015 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-20/trudeau-s-liberals-projected-to-win-canada-vote-networks-say |title=Trudeau's Liberals Oust Harper With Surprise Canada Majority |archive-date=October 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027135308/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-20/trudeau-s-liberals-projected-to-win-canada-vote-networks-say |url-status=live }}</ref> Spencer McKay, writing for the ''[[National Post]]'', suggested that "maybe we've witnessed a revival of Canada's 'natural governing party'".<ref>Spencer McKay, "The Great Liberal Comeback" [http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/spencer-mckay-the-great-liberal-comeback ''National Post'' Oct 29 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20151119074616/http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/spencer-mckay-the-great-liberal-comeback|date=2015-11-19}}</ref>

At the [[2019 Canadian federal election|2019 federal election]], Trudeau's Liberal Party lost 20 seats in the House of Commons (lowering its total from 177 to 157) from the time of dissolution, they still won the most seats of any party—enough seats to allow Trudeau to form a minority government.<ref>{{cite web |last=Da Silva |first=Chantal |author-link=Chantal Da Silva |date=October 22, 2019 |title=Justin Trudeau wins minority government—what does this mean for America? |url=https://www.newsweek.com/justin-trudeau-canadian-election-minority-government-donald-trump-1466845 |website=Newsweek |access-date=March 23, 2022 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406174906/https://www.newsweek.com/justin-trudeau-canadian-election-minority-government-donald-trump-1466845 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Trudeau says no plans to form a coalition, will push ahead on Trans Mountain|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6071193/justin-trudeau-minority-government-plan/|website=Global News|access-date=March 23, 2022|archive-date=April 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406173403/https://globalnews.ca/news/6071193/justin-trudeau-minority-government-plan/|url-status=live}}</ref> For the first time since 1979, the party that garnered the largest share of the national popular vote did not win the most seats; the Liberals under Trudeau had 33.1 per cent of the popular vote, while the Conservatives under [[Andrew Scheer]] had 34.4 per cent.<ref name="toronto">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-election-results-1.5330105|title=Ontario and Quebec keep Liberals in power and Conservatives out|publisher=cbc.ca|date=October 22, 2019|access-date=March 23, 2022|archive-date=April 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406194923/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-election-results-1.5330105|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://election.ctvnews.ca/historic-opportunity-opposition-leaders-take-stock-after-liberal-minority-win-1.4649796|title='Historic opportunity': Opposition leaders take stock after Liberal minority win|first=Rachel|last=Aiello|date=October 22, 2019|website=Federal Election 2019|access-date=March 23, 2022|archive-date=July 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731183032/https://election.ctvnews.ca/historic-opportunity-opposition-leaders-take-stock-after-liberal-minority-win-1.4649796|url-status=live}}</ref> It was also the first time a government took power with less than 35 per cent of the national popular vote since the Conservatives of [[John A. Macdonald]], in 1867, who had 34.8 per cent of the votes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/election-2019/canadian-federal-election-2019-liberals-justin-trudeau-win|title=All-time low share of popular vote is enough for Liberals to win power | National Post|newspaper=National Post|date=October 22, 2019|last1=Brean|first1=Joseph|access-date=March 23, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706201852/https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/election-2019/canadian-federal-election-2019-liberals-justin-trudeau-win|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[2021 Canadian federal election|2021 federal election]], Trudeau and the Liberals secured a third mandate and his second minority government after winning 160 seats. However, the Liberals again came in second in the national popular vote, behind the Conservatives.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-votes-2021-election-night-highlights-1.6177106 |title=Federal election latest updates", CBC, September 20, 2021. |access-date=March 23, 2022 |archive-date=March 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303012643/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-votes-2021-election-night-highlights-1.6177106 |url-status=live }}</ref> They received 32.6 percent of the popular vote, the lowest percentage of the national popular vote for a governing party in Canadian history.<ref name="Hopper2">{{cite news|last=Hopper|first=Tristan|date=September 22, 2021|title=First Reading: The Least Popular Canadian Government Ever Elected|work=National Post|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/election-2021/first-reading-the-least-popular-canadian-government-ever-elected}}</ref>

In March 2022, Trudeau's Liberal Party agreed to a [[confidence and supply]] deal with the [[New Democratic Party]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liberals, NDP agree to confidence deal seeing Trudeau government maintain power until 2025 |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/liberals-ndp-agree-to-confidence-deal-seeing-trudeau-government-maintain-power-until-2025-1.5829116 |website=[[CTV News]] |date=March 22, 2022 |access-date=March 23, 2022 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322132559/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/liberals-ndp-agree-to-confidence-deal-seeing-trudeau-government-maintain-power-until-2025-1.5829116 |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2024, [[Jagmeet Singh]] announced that he was ending the confidence-and-supply agreement, with NDP sources saying they had "achieved all they could from the agreement."<ref>{{cite web |last1=McKenna |first1=Kate |last2=Zimonjic |first2=Peter |title=How the NDP's deal with the Liberals died |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-liberal-confidence-and-supply-parliament-1.7316227 |publisher=CBC News |access-date=12 September 2024 |date=4 September 2024 |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912064558/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-liberal-confidence-and-supply-parliament-1.7316227 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Yousif |first1=Nadine |date=September 5, 2024 |title=Why Canadian politics just got more unpredictable |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3vpp1z91o |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905235537/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3vpp1z91o |archive-date=September 5, 2024 |access-date=September 6, 2024 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Later in the month the Liberals faced a competitive [[List of federal by-elections in Canada|by-election]] in [[2024 LaSalle—Émard—Verdun federal by-election|LaSalle—Émard—Verdun]] in [[Montreal]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Major |first=Darren |date=September 10, 2024 |title=Upcoming federal byelections will put Singh and the NDP brand to the test - NDP looking to both hold a Winnipeg seat and pull another away from the Liberals in Montreal |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-byelections-test-singh-leadership-1.7317935 |website=CBC News |access-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911151244/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-byelections-test-singh-leadership-1.7317935 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Systems and realignment model===

Scholars and political experts have recently used a [[political realignment]] model to explain what was considered a collapse of a dominant party, and put its condition in long-term perspective. According to recent scholarship, there have been four [[party systems]] in Canada at the federal level since Confederation, each with its own distinctive pattern of social support, patronage relationships, leadership styles, and electoral strategies. Steve Patten identifies four party systems in Canada's political history:<ref>Steve Patten, [https://books.google.com/books?id=CxQpqRY5WcEC&q=steve+patten "The Evolution of the Canadian Party System"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708191424/https://books.google.com/books?id=CxQpqRY5WcEC&q=steve+patten |date=July 8, 2023 }}. in Gagnon, and Tanguay, eds. ''Canadian Parties in Transition'' pp. 57–58</ref>

* The first party system emerged from pre-Confederation colonial politics, had its "heyday" from 1896 to 1911 and lasted until the [[Conscription Crisis of 1917]], and was characterized by local patronage administered by the two largest parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives.

* The second system emerged following the First World War, and had its heyday from 1935 and 1957, was characterized by [[Regionalism (politics)|regionalism]] and saw the emergence of several protest parties, such as the [[Progressives (Canada)|Progressives]], the [[Social Credit Party (Canada)|Social Credit Party]], and the [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]].

* The third system emerged in 1963 and had its heyday from 1968 to 1983 and began to unravel thereafter. The two largest parties were challenged by a strong third party, the [[New Democratic Party]] (successor to the CCF). Campaigns during this era became more national in scope because of [[electronic media]], and involved a greater focus on leadership. The dominant policy of the era was [[Keynesian]] economics.

* The fourth party system has involved the rise of the [[Reform Party of Canada|Reform Party]], the [[Bloc Québécois]], and the merger of the [[Canadian Alliance]] with the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservatives]]. Most parties moved to [[One member, one vote|one-member-one-vote]] leadership contests, and [[Federal political financing in Canada|campaign finance laws]] were reformed in 2004. The fourth party system has been characterized by market-oriented policies that generally abandoned Keynesian policies, but maintained the [[welfare state]].

Stephen Clarkson (2005) shows how the Liberal Party has dominated all the party systems, using different approaches. It began with a "clientelistic approach" under [[Sir Wilfrid Laurier|Laurier]], which evolved into a "brokerage" system of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s under [[William Lyon Mackenzie King|Mackenzie King]]. The 1950s saw the emergence of a "pan-Canadian system", which lasted until the 1990s. The 1993 election – categorized by Clarkson as an electoral "earthquake" which "fragmented" the party system, saw the emergence of regional politics within a four party-system, whereby various groups championed regional issues and concerns. Clarkson concludes that the inherent bias built into the first-past-the-post system, has chiefly benefited the Liberals.<ref>Stephen Clarkson, [http://www.ubcpress.ca/search/title_book.asp?BookID=4502 ''The Big Red Machine: How the Liberal Party Dominates Canadian Politics''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103144519/http://www.ubcpress.ca/search/title_book.asp?BookID=4502 |date=January 3, 2016 }} (2005).</ref>

==Principles and policies==

The principles of the party are based on [[liberalism]] as defined by various [[List of liberal theorists|liberal theorists]] and include individual freedom for present and future generations, responsibility, human dignity, a just society, political freedom, religious freedom, national unity, equality of opportunity, cultural diversity, bilingualism, and multilateralism.<ref>{{cite web |last = Apps |first = Alfred |title = Building a Modern Liberal Party |url = http://www.liberal.ca/files/2011/11/BuildingaModernLiberalParty.pdf |publisher = Liberal Party of Canada |access-date = November 24, 2011 |pages = 5–9 |archive-date = July 17, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160717212353/http://www.liberal.ca/files/2011/11/BuildingaModernLiberalParty.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = 2009 Constitution |url = http://www.liberal.ca/files/2010/05/lpc-2009-constitution-en.pdf |publisher = Liberal Party of Canada |access-date = November 24, 2011 |archive-date = November 5, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151105071119/http://www.liberal.ca/files/2010/05/lpc-2009-constitution-en.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref> From the early twentieth century, the Liberal party has favoured a variety of "[[big tent]]" policies from both [[Right-wing politics|right]] and [[Left-wing politics|left]] of the [[political spectrum]].<ref name="CartyTent"/> When it formed the government from 1993 to 2006, it championed [[balanced budget]]s, and eliminated the budget deficit completely from the federal budget in 1995 by reducing spending on [[Social programs in Canada|social programs]] or delegating them to the provinces, and promised to replace the [[Goods and Services Tax (Canada)|Goods and Services Tax]] in the party's famous [[Red Book (Liberal Party of Canada)|Red Book]].<ref>{{cite news |title = The lesson from Canada on cutting deficits |url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/the-lesson-from-canada-on-cutting-deficits/article2243702/singlepage/#articlecontent |access-date = November 24, 2011 |newspaper = The Globe and Mail |date = November 21, 2011 |first1 = Louise |last1 = Egan |first2 = Randall |last2 = Palmer |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111126082138/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/the-lesson-from-canada-on-cutting-deficits/article2243702/singlepage/#articlecontent |archive-date = November 26, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> It also legalized same-sex marriage.

In the present times, as a [[Centrism|centrist]] party, the Liberal party has favoured a variety of policies from both [[Right-wing politics|right]] and [[Left-wing politics|left]] of the political spectrum. Thus, it has been a strong champion of [[balanced budget]]s, and has removed the [[deficit]] completely from the federal budget a few years after coming to power in 1993 and turned it into a $13 billion surplus, reducing spending on some [[social programs]] and gradually introducing tax cuts. It has legalized [[same-sex marriage]] and use of [[cannabis]] for medical purposes, and has been proposing complete [[decriminalization]] of possession of small amounts of it. The party also holds progressive views on various other social issues like [[abortion]].

===2021 party platform===

~~During the [[Canadian federal election, 2006|2006 election]] the Liberal party's platform included an~~

During the [[2021 Canadian federal election|2021 federal election]], the Liberal Party of Canada introduced their platform, which included a "Gender and Diversity Impact Summary" for each chapter,<ref name="Forward. For Everyone">{{cite web |title=Forward. For Everyone |url=https://liberal.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/292/2021/09/Platform-Forward-For-Everyone.pdf |publisher=Liberal Party of Canada |access-date=12 May 2022 |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605150609/https://liberal.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/292/2021/09/Platform-Forward-For-Everyone.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as six key categories. These included: the pandemic, housing, health care, the economy, climate change, and reconciliation.<ref name="CTV News 2021 Liberal">{{cite news |last1=Aiello |first1=Rachel |title=Liberals unveil 2021 election platform, promising total of $78 billion for post-pandemic rebuild |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/federal-election-2021/liberals-unveil-2021-election-platform-promising-total-of-78-billion-for-post-pandemic-rebuild-1.5569268?cache=%3FclipId%3D89950 |access-date=12 May 2022 |agency=CTV News |date=1 September 2021 |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422015537/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/federal-election-2021/liberals-unveil-2021-election-platform-promising-total-of-78-billion-for-post-pandemic-rebuild-1.5569268?cache=%3FclipId%3D89950 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Liberals unveil 2021 election platform |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/1/canadas-liberals-unveil-massive-investment-plan-ahead-of-vote |agency=Al Jazeera |date=1 September 2021 |access-date=May 12, 2022 |archive-date=May 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526003746/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/1/canadas-liberals-unveil-massive-investment-plan-ahead-of-vote |url-status=live }}</ref>

* Introduction of a national [[childcare]] program

* Immediately cut tax for low income earners by 1 point from 16% to 15%

* Cut corporate tax by two points from 21% to 19% by year 2010

* Tougher [[firearm]] laws, including a ban on [[handguns]]

* Reducing wait times for medical treatments

* Increased support and opportunities for seniors, [[immigrants]] and the [[Aboriginal peoples in Canada|aboriginal]] populations

* Increased spending on [[military]]

* Additional investment in [[research]] and [[higher education]].

Key Liberal policies of the 2021 platform included:

~~==Leaders of the Liberal Party since 1867==~~

~~{| class="wikitable"~~

*Requiring travellers on interprovincial trains, commercial flights, cruise ships, and other federally regulated vessels be vaccinated against COVID-19.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

~~! Beginning of Leadership~~

*Making an investment of $6 billion—on top of $4 billion already committed—to support the elimination of health system waitlists.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

~~! Name~~

*Providing various investments in order to build, preserve, or revitalize 1.4 million new homes by 2025–26.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

~~! Date of Birth~~

*Allocating funds to spend $2 billion over the next five years on measures to address the legacy of residential schools with "truth, justice, and healing" initiatives.<ref name="CTV News 2021 Liberal" />

~~! Date of Death~~

*Re-introducing legislation within the first 100 days in office to eliminate the practice of gay conversion therapy for everyone.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

~~! Length of Leadership~~

*Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

*Presenting a National Action Plan on Combating Hate by 2022 as part of a renewed Anti-Racism Strategy, including the Black Canadians Justice Strategy.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

*Updating the committed number to receive 40,000 Afghan refugees.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

*Creating a minimum tax rule so that everyone who earns enough to qualify for the top bracket pays at least 15% each year (the tax rate paid by people earning less than $49,000), removing their ability to artificially pay no tax through excessive use of deductions and credits.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

*Establishing a permanent Council of Economic Advisors to provide independent advice to government on long-term growth. The council will be gender- balanced and reflect Canada's diversity.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

*Reform economic immigration programs to expand pathways to permanent residence for temporary foreign workers and former international students through the Express Entry points system.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

*Setting aside a minimum of $1 billion to support provinces or territories who implement a ban on handguns across their jurisdiction.<ref name="Forward. For Everyone" />

==Provincial parties==

Eight provinces and one territory in Canada have a Liberal Party in their legislatures. Neither [[Nunavut]] nor the [[Northwest Territories]] have party-based electoral and governing systems (both operate with [[consensus democracy]]). British Columbia had a Liberal Party whose name and ideology have shifted, [[BC United]]; Saskatchewan also had a Liberal Party whose name has changed, [[Saskatchewan Progress Party]]. [[Yukon Liberal Party|Yukon]], [[Alberta Liberal Party|Alberta]], [[Manitoba Liberal Party|Manitoba]], [[Ontario Liberal Party|Ontario]] and [[Quebec Liberal Party|Quebec]] each have a Liberal Party that may align ideologically with the federal party but operates as a completely separate entity (though at one time were affiliated): Those provincial parties have separate policies, finances, memberships, constituency associations, executives, conventions and offices. The [[New Brunswick Liberal Association|New Brunswick]], [[Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland and Labrador]], [[Nova Scotia Liberal Party|Nova Scotia]], and [[Prince Edward Island Liberal Party|Prince Edward Island]] provincial Liberals are each politically and organizationally affiliated with the federal Liberal Party.

==Electoral performance==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"

! Election

~~|[[1 July]] [[1867]]~~

! Leader

~~|[[George Brown (Canadian politician)|George Brown]]~~

! Votes

~~|[[29 November]] [[1818]]~~

! %

~~|[[10 May]] [[1880]]~~

! Seats

~~|2 months, 19 days (interim)1~~

! +/–

! Position

! Government

|! [[201867 ~~September]]~~Canadian [[federal election|1867]]

| align="left" | [[George Brown (Canadian politician)|George Brown]]

~~|Vacant~~

| 60,818

~~|n/a~~

| 22.70

~~|n/a~~

| {{Composition bar|62|180|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|2 years (approx)~~

| {{increase}} 62

| {{increase}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1872 Canadian federal election|1872]]

~~|[[1869]]~~

| align="left" | [[Edward Blake]]

| 110,556

~~|[[13 October]] [[1833]]~~

| 34.70

~~|[[1 March]] [[1912]]~~

| {{Composition bar|95|200|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|2 years (approx) (interim)~~

| {{increase}} 33

| {{steady}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1874 Canadian federal election|1874]]

~~|[[1871]]~~

| align="left" rowspan=2| [[Alexander Mackenzie (politician)|Alexander Mackenzie]]

~~|Vacant~~

| 128,455

~~|n/a~~

| 39.50

~~|n/a~~

| {{Composition bar|129|206|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|2 years (approx)~~

| {{increase}} 34

| {{increase}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1878 Canadian federal election|1878]]

~~|[[6 March]] [[1873]]~~

| 180,074

~~|[[Alexander Mackenzie]]~~

| 33.10

~~|[[28 January]] [[1822]]~~

| {{Composition bar|63|206|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|[[17 April]] [[1892]]~~

| {{decrease}} 66

~~|7 years, 1 month~~

| {{decrease}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1882 Canadian federal election|1882]]

~~|[[27 April]] [[1880]]~~

| align="left" rowspan=2| [[Edward Blake]]

| 160,547

~~|[[13 October]] [[1833]]~~

| 31.10

~~|[[1 March]] [[1912]]~~

| {{Composition bar|73|211|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|7 years, 1 month~~

| {{increase}} 10

| {{steady}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

|! [[231887 ~~June]]~~Canadian [[federal election|1887]]

| 312,736

~~|Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]]~~

| 43.10

~~|[[20 November]] [[1841]]~~

| {{Composition bar|80|215|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|[[17 February]] [[1919]]~~

| {{increase}} 7

~~|31 years, 8 months~~

| {{steady}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1891 Canadian federal election|1891]]

~~|[[17 February]] [[1919]]~~

| align="left" rowspan=7| [[Wilfrid Laurier]]

~~|[[Daniel Duncan McKenzie]]~~

| 350,512

~~|[[8 January]] [[1859]]~~

| 45.20

~~|[[8 June]] [[1927]]~~

| {{Composition bar|90|215|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|5 months, 3 weeks ([[interim leader|interim]])~~

| {{increase}} 10

| {{steady}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1896 Canadian federal election|1896]]

~~|[[7 August]] [[1919]]~~

| 401,425

~~|[[William Lyon Mackenzie King]]~~

| 41.40

~~|[[17 December]] [[1874]]~~

| {{Composition bar|117|213|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|[[22 July]] [[1950]]~~

| {{increase}} 27

~~|29 years~~

| {{increase}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1900 Canadian federal election|1900]]

~~|[[7 August]] [[1948]]~~

| 477,758

~~|[[Louis St. Laurent]]~~

| 50.30

~~|[[1 February]] [[1882]]~~

| {{Composition bar|128|213|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| [[25 July]] [[1973]]~~

| {{increase}} 11

~~|9 years, 5 months~~

| {{steady}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1904 Canadian federal election|1904]]

~~|[[16 January]] [[1958]]~~

| 521,041

~~|[[Lester B. Pearson]]~~

| 50.90

~~|[[23 April]] [[1897]]~~

| {{Composition bar|137|214|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|[[28 December]] [[1972]]~~

| {{increase}} 9

~~|10 years, 3 months~~

| {{steady}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1908 Canadian federal election|1908]]

~~|[[6 April]] [[1968]]~~

| 570,311

~~|[[Pierre Elliott Trudeau]]~~

| 48.90

~~|[[18 October]] [[1919]]~~

| {{Composition bar|133|221|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|[[28 September]] [[2000]]~~

| {{decrease}} 4

~~|16 years, 2 months~~

| {{steady}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1911 Canadian federal election|1911]]

~~|[[16 June]] [[1984]]~~

| 596,871

~~|[[John Turner]]~~

| 45.82

~~|[[7 June]] [[1929]]~~

| {{Composition bar|85|221|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|Living~~

| {{decrease}} 48

~~|6 years~~

| {{decrease}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1917 Canadian federal election|1917]]

~~|[[6 February]] [[1990]]~~

| 729,756

~~|[[Herb Gray]]~~

| 38.80

~~|[[25 May]] [[1931]]~~

| {{Composition bar|82|235|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|Living~~

| {{decrease}} 3

~~|4 months, 17 days2 (interim [[Parliamentary leader]])~~

| {{decrease}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1921 Canadian federal election|1921]]

~~|[[23 June]] [[1990]]~~

| align="left" rowspan=8| [[William Lyon Mackenzie King|Mackenzie King]]

~~|[[Jean Chrétien]]~~

| 1,285,998

~~|[[11 January]] [[1934]]~~

| 41.15

~~|Living~~

| {{Composition bar|118|235|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|13 years, 5 months~~

| {{increase}} 36

| {{increase}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! rowspan=2| [[1925 Canadian federal election|1925]]

~~|[[14 November]] [[2003]]~~

| rowspan=2| 1,252,684

~~|[[Paul Martin]]~~

| rowspan=2| 39.74

~~|[[28 August]] [[1938]]~~

| rowspan=2| {{Composition bar|100|245|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|Living~~

| rowspan=2| {{decrease}} 18

~~|2 years, 3 months~~

| rowspan=2| {{decrease}} 2nd

| {{yes2|Minority}}

| {{no2|Opposition}}

~~|[[18 March]] [[2006]]~~

~~|[[Bill Graham]]~~

~~|[[17 March]] [[1939]]~~

~~|Living~~

~~|8 months, 2 weeks3 ([[interim leader|interim]])~~

! [[1926 Canadian federal election|1926]]

~~|[[2 December]] [[2006]]~~

| 1,397,031

~~|[[Stéphane Dion]]~~

| 42.90

~~|[[28 September]] [[1955]]~~

| {{Composition bar|116|245|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~|Living~~

| {{increase}} 16

~~|Current leader~~

| {{increase}} 1st

| {{yes2|Minority}}

~~NOTES:~~

''1 Brown was regarded by most Liberal candidates as their leader in the [[Canadian federal election, 1867|1867 election]] but did not officially hold the title. Had he won a seat he would have almost certainly become Leader of the Opposition and had the Liberals won enough seats to form a government Brown would almost certainly have become Prime Minister. However, he failed in his bid for a seat in the House of Commons and the Liberals had no official leader until 1873.''

''2 [[Herb Gray]] served as Leader of the Opposition from [[February 6]] until Chrétien was re-elected to Parliament, and took his seat on [[December 21]], [[1990]]. He led the Liberal Party in parliament though he was never the leader or interim leader, of the Liberal Party as a whole.''

''3 After the defeat of the Liberals by the Conservatives of Stephen Harper in the 2006 Canadian federal election, Paul Martin announced in the early hours of [[January 24]], [[2006]] his intention to resign the leadership of the Liberal Party. Bill Graham was later selected as parliamentary leader by caucus, while Martin indicated he would remain nominal party leader. On [[March 18]], [[2006]], Graham was appointed interim leader after Martin officially stepped down from the post.''

The Liberal Party held its first [[Liberal leadership conventions|leadership convention]] in 1919, electing [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] as leader. Prior to that party leaders were chosen by [[caucus]].

~~{{seealso|Liberal leadership conventions}}~~

~~== Election results 1867-2006==~~

~~{| class=wikitable~~

~~! Election~~

~~! # of candidates nominated~~

~~! # of seats won~~

~~! # of total votes~~

~~! % of popular vote~~

~~! result~~

! [[1930 Canadian federal election~~, 1867~~|~~1867~~1930]]

| 1,716,798

~~| <center> 65~~

| 45.50

~~| <center> 62~~

| {{Composition bar|89|245|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 60,818~~

| {{decrease}} 27

~~| <center> 22.67%~~

| {{decrease}} 2nd

~~| Cons. majority~~

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1935 Canadian federal election~~, 1872~~|~~1872~~1935]]

| 1,967,839

~~| <center> 111~~

| 44.68

~~| <center> 95~~

| {{Composition bar|173|245|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 110,556~~

| {{increase}} 84

~~| <center> 34.72%~~

| {{increase}} 1st

~~| Cons. majority~~

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1940 Canadian federal election~~, 1874~~|~~1874~~1940]]

| 2,365,979

~~! <center> 140~~

| 51.32

~~! <center> 129~~

| {{Composition bar|179|245|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 128,059~~

| {{increase}} 6

~~! <center> 39.49%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~! majority government~~

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1945 Canadian federal election~~, 1878~~|~~1878~~1945]]

| 2,086,545

~~| <center> 121~~

| 39.78

~~| <center> 57~~

| {{Composition bar|118|245|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 180,074~~

| {{decrease}} 61

~~| <center> 33.05%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~| Cons. majority~~

| {{yes2|Minority}}

! [[1949 Canadian federal election~~, 1882~~|~~1882~~1949]]

| align="left" rowspan=3| [[Louis St. Laurent]]

~~| <center> 112~~

| 2,874,813

~~| <center> 72~~

| 49.15

~~| <center> 160,547~~

| {{Composition bar|191|262|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 31.10%~~

| {{increase}} 73

~~| Cons. majority~~

| {{steady}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1953 Canadian federal election~~, 1887~~|~~1887~~1953]]

| 2,731,633

~~| <center> 184~~

| 48.43

~~| <center> 79~~

| {{Composition bar|169|265|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 312,736~~

| {{decrease}} 22

~~| <center> 43.13%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~| Cons. majority~~

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1957 Canadian federal election~~, 1891~~|~~1891~~1957]]

| 2,702,573

~~| <center> 194~~

| 40.50

~~| <center> 90~~

| {{Composition bar|105|265|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 350,512~~

| {{decrease}} 64

~~| <center> 45.22%~~

| {{decrease}} 2nd

~~| Cons. majority~~

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1958 Canadian federal election~~, 1896~~|~~1896~~1958]]

| align="left" rowspan=4| [[Lester B. Pearson|Lester Pearson]]

~~! <center> 190~~

| 2,432,953

~~! <center> 117~~

| 33.40

~~! <center> 401,425~~

| {{Composition bar|48|265|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 41.37%~~

| {{decrease}} 67

~~! majority government~~

| {{steady}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1962 Canadian federal election~~, 1900~~|~~1900~~1962]]

| 2,846,589

~~! <center> 209~~

| 36.97

~~! <center> 128~~

| {{Composition bar|99|265|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 477,758~~

| {{increase}} 51

~~! <center> 50.25%~~

| {{steady}} 2nd

~~! majority government~~

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1963 Canadian federal election~~, 1904~~|~~1904~~1963]]

| 3,276,996

~~! <center> 208~~

| 41.48

~~! <center> 137~~

| {{Composition bar|128|265|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 521,041~~

| {{increase}} 29

~~! <center> 50.88%~~

| {{increase}} 1st

~~! majority government~~

| {{yes2|Minority}}

! [[1965 Canadian federal election~~, 1908~~|~~1908~~1965]]

| 3,099,521

~~! <center> 213~~

| 40.18

~~! <center> 133~~

| {{Composition bar|131|265|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 570,311~~

| {{increase}} 3

~~! <center> 48.87%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~! majority government~~

| {{yes2|Minority}}

! [[1968 Canadian federal election~~, 1911~~|~~1911~~1968]]

| align="left" rowspan=5| [[Pierre Trudeau]]

~~| <center> 214~~

| 3,686,801

~~| <center> 85~~

| 45.37

~~| <center> 596,871~~

| {{Composition bar|154|264|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 45.82%~~

| {{increase}} 23

~~| Cons. majority~~

| {{steady}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1972 Canadian federal election~~, 1917~~|~~1917~~1972]]*

| 3,717,804

~~| <center> 213~~

| 38.42

~~| <center> 82~~

| {{Composition bar|109|264|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 729,756~~

| {{decrease}} 46

~~| <center> 38.80%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~| coalition government~~

| {{yes2|Minority}}

! [[1974 Canadian federal election~~, 1921~~|~~1921~~1974]]

| 4,102,853

~~! <center> 204~~

| 43.15

~~! <center> 118~~

| {{Composition bar|141|264|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 1,285,998~~

| {{increase}} 32

~~! <center> 41.15%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~! majority government~~

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1979 Canadian federal election~~, 1925~~|~~1925~~1979]]

| 4,595,319

~~! <center> 216~~

| 40.11

~~! <center> 100~~

| {{Composition bar|114|282|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 1,252,684~~

| {{decrease}} 27

~~! <center> 39.74%~~

| {{decrease}} 2nd

~~! ''minority government''~~

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1980 Canadian federal election~~, 1926~~|~~1926~~1980]]

| 4,855,425

~~! <center> 189~~

| 44.34

~~! <center> 114~~

| {{Composition bar|147|282|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 1,294,072~~

| {{increase}} 33

~~! <center> 42.74%~~

| {{increase}} 1st

~~! majority government~~

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1984 Canadian federal election~~, 1930~~|~~1930~~1984]]

| align="left" rowspan=2| [[John Turner]]

~~| <center> 226~~

| 3,516,486

~~| <center> 90~~

| 28.02

~~| <center> 1,716,798~~

| {{Composition bar|40|282|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 44.03%~~

| {{decrease}} 107

~~| Cons. majority~~

| {{decrease}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1988 Canadian federal election~~, 1935~~|~~1935~~1988]]

| 4,205,072

~~! <center> 245~~

| 31.92

~~! <center> 173~~

| {{Composition bar|83|295|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 1,967,839~~

| {{increase}} 43

~~! <center> 44.68%~~

| {{steady}} 2nd

~~! majority government~~

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[1993 Canadian federal election~~, 1940~~|~~1940~~1993]]

| align="left" rowspan=3| [[Jean Chrétien]]

~~! <center> 242~~

| 5,647,952

~~! <center> 179~~

| 41.24

~~! <center> 2,365,979~~

| {{Composition bar|177|295|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 51.32%~~

| {{increase}} 94

~~! majority government~~

| {{increase}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[1997 Canadian federal election~~, 1945~~|~~1945~~1997]]

| 4,994,277

~~! <center> 236~~

| 38.46

~~! <center> 117~~

| {{Composition bar|155|301|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 2,086,545~~

| {{decrease}} 22

~~! <center> 39.78%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~! majority government~~

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[2000 Canadian federal election~~, 1949~~|~~1949~~2000]]

| 5,252,031

~~! <center> 259~~

| 40.85

~~! <center> 190~~

| {{Composition bar|172|301|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 2,878,097~~

| {{increase}} 17

~~! <center> 49.15%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~! majority government~~

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[2004 Canadian federal election~~, 1953~~|~~1953~~2004]]

| align="left" rowspan=2| [[Paul Martin]]

~~! <center> 263~~

| 4,982,220

~~! <center> 169~~

| 36.73

~~! <center> 2,743,013~~

| {{Composition bar|135|308|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 48.62%~~

| {{decrease}} 37

~~! majority government~~

| {{steady}} 1st

| {{yes2|Minority}}

! [[2006 Canadian federal election~~, 1957~~|~~1957~~2006]]

| 4,479,415

~~| <center> 265~~

| 30.23

~~| <center> 105~~

| {{Composition bar|103|308|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 2,703,687~~

| {{decrease}} 32

~~| <center> 40.91%~~

| {{decrease}} 2nd

~~| PC minority~~

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[2008 Canadian federal election~~, 1958~~|~~1958~~2008]]

| align="left" | [[Stéphane Dion]]

~~| <center> 265~~

| 3,633,185

~~| <center> 49~~

| 26.26

~~| <center> 2,444,909~~

| {{Composition bar|77|308|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 33.50%~~

| {{decrease}} 26

~~| PC majority~~

| {{steady}} 2nd

| {{no2|Opposition}}

! [[2011 Canadian federal election~~, 1962~~|~~1962~~2011]]

| align="left" | [[Michael Ignatieff]]

~~| <center> 264~~

| 2,783,175

~~| <center> 100~~

| 18.91

~~| <center> 2,862,001~~

| {{Composition bar|34|308|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~| <center> 37.17%~~

| {{decrease}} 43

~~| PC minority~~

| {{decrease}} 3rd

| {{no|Third party}}

! [[2015 Canadian federal election~~, 1963~~|~~1963~~2015]]

| align="left" rowspan=6| [[Justin Trudeau]]

~~! <center> 265~~

| 6,928,055

~~! <center> 128~~

| 39.47

~~! <center> 3,276,995~~

| {{Composition bar|184|338|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 41.52%~~

| {{increase}} 150

~~! ''minority government''~~

| {{increase}} 1st

| {{yes|Majority}}

! [[2019 Canadian federal election~~, 1965~~|~~1965~~2019]]

| 6,018,728

~~! <center> 265~~

| 33.12

~~! <center> 131~~

| {{Composition bar|157|338|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 3,099,521~~

| {{decrease}} 27

~~! <center> 40.18%~~

| {{steady}} 1st

~~! ''minority government''~~

| {{yes2|Minority}}

! rowspan=4| [[2021 Canadian federal election~~, 1968~~|~~1968~~2021]]

| rowspan=4| 5,556,629

~~! <center> 263~~

| rowspan=4| 32.62

~~! <center> 155~~

| rowspan=4| {{Composition bar|160|338|hex={{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}}}

~~! <center> 3,686,801~~

| rowspan=4| {{increase}} 3

~~! <center> 47.53%~~

| rowspan=4| {{steady}} 1st

~~! majority government~~

|{{yes2| Minority (2021-2022)}}

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 1972|1972]]~~

~~! <center> 263~~

~~! <center> 109~~

~~! <center> 3,717,804~~

~~! <center> 38.42%~~

~~! ''minority government''~~

|{{yes2|Minority}} {{small|(with [[New Democratic Party|NDP]] [[confidence and supply]]) (2022-2024)}}{{efn|The New Democratic Party provided [[confidence and supply]] for the Liberal Party government, from March 2022 to September 2024.}}

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 1974|1974]]~~

~~! <center> 264~~

~~! <center> 141~~

~~! <center> 4,102,853~~

~~! <center> 43.15%~~

~~! majority government~~

|{{yes2| Minority (2024)}}

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 1979|1979]]~~

~~| <center> 282~~

~~| <center> 114~~

==Party leadership==

~~| <center> 4,595,319~~

To date, only seven Liberal leaders never served as prime minister, three of whom were interim leaders.

~~| <center> 40.11%~~

~~| PC minority~~

===Leaders===

{| class="wikitable"

! style="width:60px;"| Portrait

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 1980|1980]]~~

! Name

~~! <center> 282~~

! Term start

~~! <center> 147~~

! Term end

~~! <center> 4,855,425~~

! Date of birth

~~! <center> 44.40%~~

! Date of death

~~! majority government~~

!width=20%| Notes

| [[File:George Brown.jpg|60px]] || [[George Brown (Canadian politician)|George Brown]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 1867 || style="text-align:center;"| 1867 || November 29, 1818 || May 9, 1880 || Unofficial (The leader of the [[Clear Grits]], a forerunner of the federal Liberal Party)

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 1984|1984]]~~

~~| <center> 282~~

~~| <center> 40~~

~~| <center> 3,516,486~~

~~| <center> 28.02%~~

~~| PC majority~~

|[[File:Portrait of Edward Blake.jpg|60px]] || [[Edward Blake]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 1869 || style="text-align:center;"|1870 || October 13, 1834 || March 1, 1912 || Unofficial

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 1988|1988]]~~

~~| <center> 294~~

|[[File:Alexander MacKenzie - portrait.jpg|60px]] ||[[Alexander Mackenzie (politician)|Alexander Mackenzie]] || March 6, 1873 || April 27, 1880 || January 28, 1822 || April 17, 1892 || 2nd Prime Minister (1st Liberal Prime Minister)

~~| <center> 83~~

~~| <center> 4,205,072~~

~~| <center> 31.92%~~

~~| PC majority~~

|[[File:Portrait of Edward Blake.jpg|60px]] || [[Edward Blake]] || May 4, 1880 || June 2, 1887 || October 13, 1833 || March 1, 1912 ||

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 1993|1993]]~~

~~! <center> 295~~

|[[File:The Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier Photo C (HS85-10-16873) - medium crop.jpg|60px]] || [[Wilfrid Laurier]] || June 23, 1887 || February 17, 1919 || November 20, 1841 || February 17, 1919 || 7th Prime Minister

~~! <center> 177~~

~~! <center> 5,598,775~~

|[[Image:DanielDuncanMcKenzie.jpg|60px]]|| [[Daniel Duncan McKenzie]] || February 17, 1919 || August 7, 1919 || January 8, 1859 || June 8, 1927 ||Interim leader

~~! <center> 41.24%~~

~~! majority government~~

|[[File:Wm Lyon Mackenzie King.jpg|60px]] || [[William Lyon Mackenzie King|William Lyon Mackenzie King]] || [[1919 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|August 7, 1919]] || August 7, 1948 || December 17, 1874 || July 22, 1950 || 10th Prime Minister

|[[File:Louis St. Laurent portrait.jpg|60px]] ||[[Louis St. Laurent]] || [[1948 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|August 7, 1948]] || January 16, 1958 || February 1, 1882 || July 25, 1973 || 12th Prime Minister

|[[File:Lester B. Pearson (1963 ABC press photo).jpg|60px]] || [[Lester B. Pearson]] || [[1958 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|January 16, 1958]] || April 6, 1968 || April 23, 1897 || December 27, 1972 || 14th Prime Minister

|[[File:Pierre Trudeau (1975).jpg|60px]] || [[Pierre Trudeau]] || [[1968 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|April 6, 1968]] || June 16, 1984 || October 18, 1919 || [[Death and state funeral of Pierre Trudeau|September 28, 2000]] || 15th Prime Minister

|[[File:John Turner 1987 crop (cropped).jpg|60px]] || [[John Turner]] || [[1984 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|June 16, 1984]] || June 23, 1990 || June 7, 1929 || September 18, 2020 || 17th Prime Minister

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 1997|1997]]~~

~~! <center> 301~~

|[[File:Jean Chrétien 2010.jpg|60px]] || [[Jean Chrétien]] || [[1990 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|June 23, 1990]] || November 14, 2003 || January 11, 1934 || living || 20th Prime Minister

~~! <center> 155~~

~~! <center> 4,994,377~~

|[[File:Paul martin 2004.jpg|60px]] || [[Paul Martin]] || [[2003 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|November 14, 2003]] || March 19, 2006 || August 28, 1938 || living || 21st Prime Minister

~~! <center> 38.46%~~

~~! majority government~~

|[[File:Bill Graham by Rod Brito.jpg|60px]]|| [[Bill Graham (Canadian politician)|Bill Graham]] || March 19, 2006 || December 2, 2006 || March 17, 1939 || August 7, 2022 ||Interim leader

|[[File:Stéphane Dion at Carleton (cropped).jpg|60px]] || [[Stéphane Dion]] || [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|December 2, 2006]] || December 10, 2008 || September 28, 1955 || living ||

|[[File:Victoria, BC Liberal Town Hall Forum public libéral.jpg|60px]] || [[Michael Ignatieff]] || December 10, 2008 || May 25, 2011 || May 12, 1947 || living ||Interim leader until May 2, 2009 (when [[2009 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|ratified as permanent leader]])

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 2000|2000]]~~

~~! <center> 301~~

|[[File:Bob Rae Khalsa Day Celebration.jpg|60px]] || [[Bob Rae]] || May 25, 2011 || April 14, 2013 || August 2, 1948 || living ||Interim leader

~~! <center> 172~~

~~! <center> 5,251,961~~

| [[File:Trudeau visit White House for USMCA (cropped2).jpg|60px]] || [[Justin Trudeau]] || [[2013 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|April 14, 2013]] || ''Incumbent'' || December 25, 1971 || living || 23rd Prime Minister

~~! <center> 40.85%~~

~~! majority government~~

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 2004|2004]]~~

~~! <center> 308~~

~~! <center> 135~~

~~! <center> 4,951,107~~

~~! <center> 36.7%~~

~~! ''minority government''~~

~~! [[Canadian federal election, 2006|2006]]~~

~~| <center> 308~~

~~| <center> 103~~

~~| <center> 4,477,217~~

~~| <center> 30.09%~~

~~| Cons. minority~~

===Deputy Leaders===

* 1953-1968 includes one Liberal-Labour Member of Parliament.

* [[Sheila Copps]] 1991–1993<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=11520 |title=The Hon. Sheila Maureen Copps, P.C., O.C., M.P. |author= |date= |website=Parlinfo |publisher=Library of Parliament |access-date=2024-06-25 |archive-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625222952/https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=11520 |url-status=live }}</ref>

~~<nowiki>*</nowiki> In 1917, some Liberals ran under the Unionist banner, figures only count those who ran as "[[Laurier Liberals]]"~~

* Michael Ignatieff 2006–2008<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=4927 |title=The Hon. Michael Ignatieff, P.C., M.P. |author= |date= |website=Parlinfo |publisher=Library of Parliament |access-date=2024-06-25 |archive-date=September 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906223410/https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=4927 |url-status=live }}</ref>

* [[Ralph Goodale]] 2010–2015<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=4487 |title=The Hon. Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P. |author= |date= |website=Parlinfo |publisher=Library of Parliament |access-date=2024-06-25 |archive-date=December 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214203616/https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=4487 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Presidents===

~~==Provincial and territorial Liberal parties==~~

* [[Vincent Massey]] 1932–1935

* [[Norman Platt Lambert]] 1936–1941

* ''vacant'' 1941–1943

* [[Norman Alexander McLarty]] 1943 (acting)

* [[Wishart McLea Robertson]] 1943–1945

* [[James Gordon Fogo]] 1946–1952

* [[Duncan Kenneth MacTavish]] 1952–1958

* [[Bruce Matthews (Canadian Army officer)|Bruce Matthews]] 1958–1961

* [[John Joseph Connolly]] 1961–1964

* [[John Lang Nichol]] 1964–1968

* [[Richard Stanbury]] 1968–1973

* [[Gildas Molgat]] 1973–1976

* [[Alasdair Graham]] 1976–1980

* [[Norman MacLeod (Canadian businessman)|Norman MacLeod]] 1980–1982

* [[Iona Campagnolo]] 1982–1986

* [[J. J. Michel Robert]] 1986–1990

* [[Don Johnston]] 1990–1994

* [[Dan Hays]] 1994–1998

* [[Stephen LeDrew]] 1998–2003

* [[Michael Eizenga]] 2003–2006

* [[Marie Charette-Poulin|Marie Poulin]] 2006–2008

* [[Doug Ferguson (Canadian politician)|Doug Ferguson]] 2008–2009

* [[Alfred Apps]] 2009–2012

* [[Mike Crawley]] 2012–2014

* [[Anna Gainey]] 2014–2018

* [[Suzanne Cowan]] 2018–2023

* [[Sachit Mehra]] 2023–present<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vigliotti |first1=Marco |title=Liberals elect Sachit Mehra as new party president |url=https://www.ipolitics.ca/news/liberals-elect-sachit-mehra-as-new-party-president |access-date=8 May 2023 |work=[[iPolitics]] |date=6 May 2023 |archive-date=May 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509171338/https://www.ipolitics.ca/news/liberals-elect-sachit-mehra-as-new-party-president |url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also ==

~~Each province and one territory in Canada has its own Liberal Party.~~

* [[Liberal Party of Canada leadership elections]]

* [[Liberalism in Canada]]

* [[List of political parties in Canada]]

* [[Senate Liberal Caucus]]

* [[Trudeauism]]

== Notes ==

~~Current governments and Premiers:~~

*[[British Columbia Liberal Party]], [[Gordon Campbell]], [[Legislative Assembly|MLA]] (has no official connection to the federal party)

*[[Ontario Liberal Party]], [[Dalton McGuinty]], [[Member of Provincial Parliament|MPP]]

*[[Parti Libéral du Québec]], [[Jean Charest]], [[National Assembly of Quebec|MNA]] (has no official connection to the federal party)

*[[New Brunswick Liberal Association]], [[Shawn Graham]], [[Legislative Assembly|MLA]]

~~ ~~

~~Current official oppositions and Leaders:~~

*[[Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador]], [[Gerry Reid]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly|MHA]]

*[[Prince Edward Island Liberal Party]], [[Robert Ghiz]], [[Legislative Assembly|MLA]]

*[[Yukon Liberal Party]], [[Arthur Mitchell]], [[Legislative Assembly|MLA]]

*[[Alberta Liberal Party]], [[Kevin Taft]], [[Legislative Assembly|MLA]] (has no official connection to the federal party)

~~ ~~

~~Third Party status and Leaders:~~

*[[Liberal Party (Nova Scotia)|Nova Scotia Liberal Party]], [[Michel Samson]], [[Nova Scotia House of Assembly|MLA]]

*[[Manitoba Liberal Party]], [[Jon Gerrard]], [[Legislative Assembly|MLA]]

~~ ~~

~~Not Represented Provincially and Leader:~~

*[[Saskatchewan Liberal Party]], [[David Karwacki]]

~~ ~~

The relationship between the federal and provincial Liberal parties in Canada varies across Canada. In the four largest provinces (BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec) the parties are informally linked to varying degrees. In the case of BC and Quebec, because provincial parties to the right of the Liberals are relatively weak or nonexistent, many federal Conservatives as well as federal Liberals are active in the provincial Liberal party, and the provincial party therefore tends to formally maintain neutrality in federal politics.

== References ==

In the 6 other provinces and one territory, the provincial parties are direct organizational affiliates with the federal Liberal party, much like the provincial sections of the [[New Democratic Party]].

== Further reading ==

The [[Saskatchewan Party]] was an unofficial merger of the members of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan and members of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party, and now contains supporters of the federal Conservatives and federal Liberals in its ranks. Because the politics of the province are so clearly divided between the NDP and the Saskatchewan party, there is little room for the rump of the Liberal party. The Saskatchewan Party is also completely independent and officially neutral when it comes to federal politics, although its only leaders have had roots in the Reform and Progressive Conservative parties of the past.

* Bickerton, James, and Alain G. Gagnon. ''Canadian Politics'' (5th ed. 2009), 415pp; university textbook

* Bliss, Michael. ''Right Honourable Men: The Descent of Canadian Politics from Macdonald to Mulroney'' (1994), essays on Prime Ministers

* Carty, R. Kenneth. ''Big Tent Politics: The Liberal Party’s Long Mastery of Canada’s Public Life'' (2015)

* Clarkson, Stephen. ''The Big Red Machine: How the Liberal Party Dominates Canadian Politics'' (2005)

* Cohen, Andrew, and J. L. Granatstein, eds. ''Trudeau's Shadow: the life and legacy of Pierre Elliott Trudeau'' (1999).

* Gagnon, Alain G., and Brian Tanguay. ''Canadian Parties in Transition'' (3rd ed. 2007), 574pp; university textbook

* Granatstein, J.L. ''Mackenzie King: His Life and World'' (1977).

* Hillmer, Norman, and Steven Azzi. "Canada's Best Prime Ministers", [http://www.macleans.ca/2011/06/10/canadas-best-prime-ministers ''Maclean's'' June 20, 2011 online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202234845/http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/06/10/canadas-best-prime-ministers/ |date=December 2, 2013 }}

* Jeffrey, Brooke. ''Divided Loyalties: The Liberal Party of Canada, 1984–2008'' (2010) [https://www.amazon.com/Divided-Loyalties-Liberal-Canada-1984-2008/dp/1442610654/ excerpt and text search] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321212235/http://www.amazon.com/Divided-Loyalties-Liberal-Canada-1984-2008/dp/1442610654 |date=March 21, 2016 }}

* Jeffrey, Brooke. ''Road to Redemption: The Liberal Party of Canada, 2006-2019'' (2020)

* Koop, Royce. "Professionalism, Sociability and the Liberal Party in the Constituencies." ''Canadian Journal of Political Science'' (2010) 43#04 pp: 893–913.

* {{cite encyclopedia |last = McCall |first = Christina |author2 = Stephen Clarkson |title = Liberal Party |encyclopedia = The Canadian Encyclopedia |url = http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004670 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050326083244/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004670 |url-status = dead |archive-date = March 26, 2005 }}

* McCall, Christina. ''Grits: an intimate portrait of the Liberal Party'' (Macmillan of Canada, 1982)

* [[Neatby, H. Blair]]. ''Laurier and a Liberal Quebec: A Study in Political Management'' (1973)

* Whitaker, Reginald. ''The Government Party: Organizing and Financing the Liberal Party of Canada, 1930–1958'' (1977)

* {{Cite encyclopedia |publisher = University Associates of Canada |volume = IV |pages = 75–76 |last = Wallace |first = W.S. |title = History of the Liberal Party of Canada |encyclopedia = The Encyclopedia of Canada |location = Toronto |year = 1948 |url = http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/encyclopedia/HistoryoftheLiberalPartyofCanada-CanadianHistory.htm |access-date = November 25, 2008 |archive-date = March 3, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303210702/http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/encyclopedia/HistoryoftheLiberalPartyofCanada-CanadianHistory.htm |url-status = live }}

* Wearing, Joseph. ''The L-Shaped Party: The Liberal Party of Canada, 1958–1980'' (McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1981)

== External links ==

~~The [[Northwest Territories]] and [[Nunavut]] have non-partisan legislatures.~~

* {{Official website|https://www.liberal.ca}}

* [https://wayback.archive-it.org/227/*/http://www.liberal.ca/ Liberal Party of Canada - Canadian Political Parties and Political Interest Groups] - Web Archive created by the University of Toronto Libraries

* [https://www.liberal.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/constitution-en.pdf The Liberal Party of Canada Constitution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619191210/https://www.liberal.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/constitution-en.pdf |date=June 19, 2019 }}

* [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/liberal-party Canadian Encyclopedia entry on the Liberal Party] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025144208/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/liberal-party/ |date=October 25, 2015 }}

* [http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=fonandcol&id=105123&lang=eng Liberal Party of Canada fonds] at [[Library and Archives Canada]]

* {{commons category-inline|Liberal Party of Canada}}

* {{wikinews-inline|Category:Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party of Canada}}

* {{wikisource-inline|Portal:Liberal_Party_of_Canada|Liberal Party of Canada}}

* {{Twitter|liberal_party}}

Historically the [[Northwest Territories]] had political parties between 1898 and 1905. In 1905 the bulk of the populated parts were formed into the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. the [[Northwest Territories Liberal Party]] formed the opposition for two elections before 1905.

~~==See also==~~

*[[Liberalism]]

*[[Contributions to Liberal theory]]

*[[Liberalism worldwide]]

*[[List of Liberal parties]]

*[[Liberal democracy]]

*[[Liberalism in Canada]]

*[[List of political parties in Canada]]

*[[Prime Minister of Canada]]

*[[Official Opposition (Canada)]]

*[[Liberal leadership conventions]]

**[[Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention, 1968]]

**[[Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention, 2003]]

**[[Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention, 2006]]

*[[Liberal Party candidates, 2006 Canadian federal election]]

*[[Liberal Party candidates, 2004 Canadian federal election]]

*[[Liberal Party candidates, 2000 Canadian federal election]]

*[[Liberal Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election]]

*[[Liberal Party candidates, 1993 Canadian federal election]]

~~==References==~~

[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada| ]]

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[[Category:1867 establishments in Canada]]

~~See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for a~~

[[Category:Federal political parties in Canada]]

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~~footnotes using the <ref>, </ref> and <reference /> tags~~

[[Category:Liberal parties in Canada]]

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