Electoral history of Joe Clark

This article is the Electoral history of Joe Clark, the sixteenth Prime Minister of Canada.

A conservative, he served one term as prime minister (1979–1980). He led the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in three general elections, winning one (1979) and losing two (1980 and 2000).

Clark defeated Pierre Trudeau in the 1979 election, but did not win a majority in the House of Commons of Canada. He formed a minority government, but it proved to be short-lived. The Clark government fell on a budget vote in December, 1979, triggering the 1980 election. Trudeau won that election and returned to office with a majority government. Clark became the Leader of the Opposition, but in 1983 he lost a leadership challenge to Brian Mulroney, who took over as leader of the Progressive Conservatives.

Clark again became leader of the party in 1998, and led the Progressive Conservatives in the 2000 election. The party lost seats in the House of Commons, remaining in fifth place. Clark led the party in the House for three years, until he announced his resignation in 2002. Peter Mackay succeeded him as leader of the Progressive Conservatives in 2003.

Clark stood for election to the House of Commons of Canada eight times. He was elected each time, often by substantial majorities. He also stood once for election to the Alberta Legislative Assembly but was not elected.

Summary

Clark ranks twentieth out of twenty-three prime ministers for time in office, serving one term of 273 days.PARLINFO: Prime Ministers of Canada.

He was the second of three prime ministers from Alberta, the others being R. B. Bennett and Stephen Harper.

Clark was active in the Progressive Conservative Party from a young age.Canadian Encyclopedia: "Joe Clark". In 1976, he entered the leadership convention called to replace the outgoing leader, Robert Stanfield. Clark won the leadership against a crowded field, including Brian Mulroney.

In the 1979 election, Clark defeated Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberals, but did not win a majority in the House of Commons. He formed a minority government but it proved to be short-lived. The Liberals and the New Democratic Party voted together to defeat the proposed budget in December, 1979, with the Social Credit members abstaining. The defeat on a budget measure triggered an immediate election, which Trudeau won, returning to power with a majority government.Allan McEachern, "Behind the fall of Joe Clark", Toronto Star, December 11, 2009.

Clark returned to the position as Leader of the Official Opposition, but also faced criticism from within his own party. In 1983, there was a leadership review at the Progressive Conservative party convention. Although Clark won an approval of 66.9%, he determined that he needed a stronger mandate from the party. He resigned as leader, while announcing that he would again run for the leadership and seek the party's approval. At the leadership convention held in the summer of 1983, Clark was defeated by Mulroney.

Although defeated for the leadership, Clark continued to sit in the Commons. When Mulroney led the Progressive Conservatives to a majority government in the general election of 1984, he appointed Clark to his Cabinet, first as Minister of External Affairs (1984–1991), and then as President of the Privy Council (1991–1993), with responsibility for constitutional affairs. Clark announced his retirement before the 1993 general election, when the Progressive Conservatives were reduced from a majority government to only two seats in the Commons.

In 1998, Clark was again elected as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, which had never recovered from the 1993 defeat. He led the party in the 2000 election. The party lost seats in the House of Commons, remaining in fifth place. He led the party in the Commons until announcing his second retirement, in 2003.

Clark stood for election to the House of Commons for four different ridings. Three were in Alberta and one was in Nova Scotia, in a by-election after he was elected party leader in 2000. He was elected each time, often by substantial majorities. He served a total of 24 years, 9 months, and 11 days in the House of Commons.PARLINFO: The Right Hon. Charles Joseph Clark, P.C., C.C., A.O.E.

Prior to his first election to the House of Commons, Clark stood for election to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1967, but was defeated.

Federal general elections: 1979, 1980, and 2000 Clark led the Progressive Conservatives in three general elections. He won a minority government in the general election of 1979, but was defeated in the 1980 election. In the 2000 election, the Progressive Conservatives remained in fifth place in the Commons after the election.

Federal general election: 1979

In his first election as leader, Clark led the Progressive Conservatives to a minority government, defeating Pierre Trudeau and the Liberals.

+ Canadian Federal Election, 1979 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular VotePartyLeadersSeats WonPopular VoteProgressive ConservativeJoe Clark113635.9%Pierre Trudeau211440.1%New Democratic PartyEd Broadbent2617.9%Fabien Roy64.6%Total28298.5%3Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

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

Federal general election: 1980

Clark's government fell on a budget vote in December, 1979, triggering the general election of 1980. Trudeau led the Liberals in the resulting election and was returned to power with a majority. Clark became the Leader of the Opposition.

+ Canadian Federal Election, 1980 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular VotePartyLeadersSeats WonPopular VotePierre Trudeau114744.3%Progressive ConservativeJoe Clark210332.5%New Democratic PartyEd Broadbent3219.8%Total28296.6%3Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

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

Federal general election: 2000

Clark became leader of the Progressive Conservatives for a second time in 1998 and led them in the general election of 2000. The party lost seats and remained in fifth place in the Commons.

+ Canadian Federal Election, 2000 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular VotePartyLeadersSeats WonPopular VoteJean Chrétien117240.9%Stockwell Day26625.5%Gilles Duceppe3810.7%New Democratic PartyAlexa McDonough138.5%Progressive ConservativeJoe Clark1212.2%Total30197.8%3Sources: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867

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

Federal constituency elections, 1972 to 1988; 2000

Clark stood for election to the House of Commons eight times, starting with the general election of 1972. He was elected all eight times, from three different ridings in Alberta and one Nova Scotia riding.

1972 Federal Election: Rocky Mountain

+ Federal Election, 1972: Rocky Mountain, AlbertaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % Progressive Conservative Joe Clark12,98451.6% X Allen B. Sulatycky7,97331.7%New Democratic PartyAl Cheney3,11212.4%Brian Ganske1,0804.3%Total25,149100.0%Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Rocky Mountain

Elected. X Incumbent.

1974 Federal Election: Rocky Mountain

+ Federal Election, 1974: Rocky Mountain, AlbertaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % Progressive Conservative X Joe Clark16,04261.1% Arthur Yates6,23623.7%New Democratic PartyBob Wrigley2,75010.5%C. J. Speirs1,2304.7%Total26,258100.0%Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Rocky Mountain

Elected. X Incumbent.

1979 Federal Election: Yellowhead

+ Federal Election, 1979: Yellowhead, AlbertaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % Progressive Conservative X Joe Clark28,84970.0% Laurie Switzer7,08317.2%New Democratic PartyBob Ritchie3,6008.7%Non-affiliatedLex Miller1,5353.7%IndependentRonnie B. Plaunt1430.3%Total41,21099.9%1Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Yellowhead

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

1980 Federal Election: Yellowhead

+ Federal Election, 1980: Yellowhead, AlbertaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % Progressive Conservative X Joe Clark27,95369.5% Laurie Switzer7,30218.1%New Democratic PartyLaird Mitchell4,56211.3%IndependentRobert L. T. Brower2490.6%IndependentBrian K. Fallis1700.4%Total40,23699.9%1Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Yellowhead

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

1984 Federal Election: Yellowhead

+ Federal Election, 1984: Yellowhead, AlbertaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % Progressive Conservative X Joe Clark37,46274.0%New Democratic PartyRick Hardy6,90613.6% Louis H. Joy4,0978.1%G. R. Snow8291.6%Douglas Alan Bush7731.5%Audrey Sweigard5531.1%Total50,62099.9%1Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Yellowhead

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

1988 Federal Election: Yellowhead

+ Federal Election, 1988: Yellowhead, AlbertaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % Progressive Conservative X Joe Clark17,84744.5%Preston Manning11,20727.9%New Democratic PartyMuriel Stanley Venne6,17215.4% John Higgerty3,9879.9%John M. Torringa7081.8%Peter E. Hope900.2%Non-affiliatedPat Geo. A. O'Hara860.2%Total40,09799.9%1Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Yellowhead

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

This was the only time when a former prime minister and leader of the opposition (Clark) and a future leader of the opposition (Manning) were candidates in the same riding election.

2000 Federal By-Election: Kings–Hants

The 2000 by-election was triggered by the resignation of the incumbent Member of Parliament, Scott Brison, on July 24, 2000, to open a seat for Clark to re-enter the Commons.

+ Federal By-Election, September 11, 2000: Kings—Hants, Nova ScotiaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % Progressive Conservative Joe Clark14,52553.4%New Democratic PartyKaye Johnson7,37527.1%Gerry Fulton4,38516.1%Non-affiliatedAlex Neron6702.5%IndependentJohn C. Turmel2210.8%Total27,17699.9%1Source: – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Kings—Hants

Elected. 1 Rounding error.

2000 Federal Election: Calgary Centre

+ Federal Election, 2000: Calgary Centre, AlbertaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % Progressive Conservative Joe Clark26,35846.0%X Eric Lowther22,05438.5% Joanne Levy5,6309.8%New Democratic PartyDon Lepan1,6042.8%Michael Alvarez-Toye1,1702.0%IndependentBeverley Smith2930.5%Margaret Peggy Askin1330.2%Total57,24299.8%1Source: – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Calgary Centre

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

Alberta constituency election: 1967

+ 1967 Alberta Election: Calgary South, AlbertaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % X Arthur J. Dixon5,40141.9% Joe Clark4,94038.4%New Democratic PartyJack Peters1,38810.8% Willis O'Leary1,1468.9%Total12,878100.0%

Elected. X Incumbent.

Progressive Conservative Party Leadership Conventions and Reviews: 1976 to 1983, 1997