This article is the Electoral history of John Turner, the seventeenth Prime Minister of Canada.

A liberal, Turner served one term as prime minister (June 30 to September 17, 1984), as successor to Pierre Trudeau. He had the second shortest-tenure of office of all the prime ministers, with only Charles Tupper having a shorter term. Like Tupper, he never sat in Parliament while he was prime minister.

Turner led the Liberal Party of Canada in two general elections (1984) and (1988), and lost both to Brian Mulroney. He resigned the party leadership following the 1988 general election, and was succeeded by Jean Chrétien.

Turner stood for election to the House of Commons of Canada eight times and was elected each time.

Turner stood for election as leader of the Liberal Party twice. He lost in 1968 to Pierre Trudeau, but he won in 1984, becoming Trudeau's successor as Liberal leader. He beat Jean Chrétien in the 1984 convention, but was eventually succeeded by Chrétien after the 1988 election loss.

Summary

Turner ranks twenty-second out of twenty-three prime ministers for time in office, serving one term of 79 days. Only Charles Tupper had a shorter term, of 68 days in office.PARLINFO: Prime Ministers of Canada. Like Tupper, Turner never sat in the House of Commons as prime minister.

Turner is the first of two prime ministers from British Columbia, the other being Kim Campbell.

A lawyer, Turner got involved in politics at an early age. He was first elected to the House of Commons at age 33, in the federal election of 1962. He was appointed to Cabinet by Prime Minister Lester Pearson (1965 to 1968) and then by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (1968 to 1975). He resigned from Cabinet in 1975 and returned to private practice of law.PARLINFO: The Right Hon. John Napier Turner, P.C., Q.C., C.C.

Turner had contested the Liberal Party leadership in 1968 when Pearson retired, but was defeated by Trudeau, who became prime minister.CPAC: 1968 Liberal Convention April 6, 1968. When Trudeau announced his retirement in 1984, Turner again entered the leadership contest. This time he won, defeating Jean Chrétien.Canadian Encyclopedia": "John Turner."

Turner led the Liberals in two general elections (1984) and (1988). Following his election as party leader in 1984, Turner called a general election. The Liberals were defeated by Brian Mulroney, going from government to opposition. Brian Mulroney won the largest majority in the Commons (in number of seats) in Canadian history, and the Liberals won only ten more seats than the third party, the New Democratic Party. Turner became Leader of the Official Opposition. In 1988, he again led the Liberals. While they were again defeated by Mulroney, under Turner's leadership they more than doubled their seats in the Commons, outstripping the NDP to remain the dominant second party.Thomas Axworthy, "The Forgotten Liberal: John Turner", Globe and Mail, December 26, 2000.

Turner never sat as prime minister in the House of Commons, because he was not a member of the Commons when he was elected leader of the Liberal Party. In the 1984 general election, he won a seat in the Commons, but Parliament was not recalled until after the change in government. Turner then sat in Commons as Leader of the Opposition. He is only the second prime minister who never sat in Parliament as prime minister, the other being Charles Tupper.

Turner stood for election to the Commons eight times: three times from Montreal (St. Lawrence—St. George), three times from Ottawa (Ottawa–Carleton), and twice from Vancouver (Vancouver Quadra). He was elected all eight times. He served a total of 22 years, 9 months, 17 days in the House of Commons.

After his second general election defeat, Turner resigned as leader of the Liberal Party in 1990, being succeeded by Chrétien. He continued to sit in the Commons until the 1993 election, when he retired from politics.

Federal general elections: 1984 and 1988 Turner led the Liberal Party in two general elections (1984) and (1988). He lost both times to Brian Mulroney.

Federal general election: 1984

In his first election as leader, Turner led the Liberals to a major defeat, winning only forty seats in the Commons. Mulroney won the largest majority (in seat numbers) in Canadian history.

+ Canadian Federal Election, 1984 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular VotePartyLeadersSeats WonPopular VoteProgressive ConservativeBrian Mulroney121150.0%John Turner24028.0%New Democratic PartyEd Broadbent3018.8%Non-affiliated–10.3%Total 282 97.1%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: 1988

In his second general election as leader, Turner doubled the Liberal Party standings in the House of Commons, but remained in Opposition.

+ Canadian Federal Election, 1988 - Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular VotePartyLeadersSeats WonPopular VoteProgressive ConservativeBrian Mulroney116943.0%John Turner28331.9%New Democratic PartyEd Broadbent4320.4%Total 295 95.3%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: 1962 to 1974; 1984 and 1988

Turner stood for election to the House of Commons eight times. He was elected each time.

1962 Federal Election: St. Lawrence–St. George

+ Federal Election, 1962: St. Lawrence—St. George, QuebecPartyCandidatePopular Vote % John Turner7,22751.9%Progressive ConservativeX Egan Chambers4,96935.7%New Democratic PartyR. Barry Rutland1,2829.2%Eugène Caraghiaur4373.1%Total13,91599.9%1Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: St. Lawrence–St. George

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

1963 Federal Election: St. Lawrence–St. George

+ Federal Election, 1963: St. Lawrence—St. George, QuebecPartyCandidatePopular Vote % X John Turner8,55258.3%Progressive ConservativeEgan Chambers3,79625.9%New Democratic PartyR. Barry Rutland1,60611.0%Charles Sucsany7084.8%Total14,662100.0%Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: St. Lawrence–St. George

Elected. X Incumbent.

1965 Federal Election: St. Lawrence–St. George

+ Federal Election, 1965: St. Lawrence—St. George, QuebecPartyCandidatePopular Vote % X John Turner6,92060.1%Progressive ConservativeAlfred Warkentin2,64823.0%New Democratic PartyFrank Auf der Maur1,67614.6%Ralliement CréditisteLucien Plante2742.4%Total11,518100.1%1Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: St. Lawrence–St. George

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

The constituency of St. Lawrence–St. George was abolished in the 1968 re-distribution.

1968 Federal Election: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario

+ Federal Election, 1968: Ottawa—Carleton, OntarioPartyCandidatePopular Vote % John Turner28,98766.2%Progressive ConservativeKenneth Binks11,66526.7%New Democratic PartyHarold Wilson3,1157.1%Total43,767100.0%Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Ottawa–Carleton

Elected.

1972 Federal Election: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario

+ Federal Election, 1972: Ottawa—Carleton, OntarioPartyCandidatePopular Vote % X John Turner31,31647.4%Progressive ConservativeStrome Galloway22,64134.3%New Democratic PartyDoris Shackleton11,22517.0%David Morse8391.3%Total66,021100.0%Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Ottawa–Carleton

Elected. X Incumbent.

1974 Federal Election: Ottawa—Carleton, Ontario

+ Federal Election, 1974: Ottawa—Carleton, OntarioPartyCandidatePopular Vote % X John Turner38,46353.4%Progressive ConservativeBill Neville27,58838.3%New Democratic PartyDave Hall6,0148.3%Total72,065 100.0%Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Ottawa–Carleton

Elected. X Incumbent.

1984 Federal Election: Vancouver Quadra, British Columbia

+ Federal Election, 1984: Vancouver Quadra, British ColumbiaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % John Turner21,79443.9%Progressive ConservativeX Bill Clarke18,58137.5%New Democratic PartyRay Cantillon8,34316.8%Jim Bohlen3890.8%Ian McConkey2190.4%IndependentDiane Jones1110.2%Marco Den Ouden870.2%Non-affiliatedBill Burgess280.1%IndependentDavid Michael Shebib200.0%1T. Gaetan Feuille D'arable Wall200.0%1IndependentJ. G. Joseph Jackman120.01%Total49,604 99.9%2Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Vancouver Quadra

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Less than 0.1%. 2 Rounding error.

1988 Federal Election: Vancouver Quadra, British Columbia

+ Federal Election, 1988: Vancouver Quadra, British ColumbiaPartyCandidatePopular Vote % X John N. Turner24,02144.0%Progressive ConservativeBill Clarke16,66430.5%New Democratic PartyGerry Scott11,68721.4%J. R. Jack Ford1,1122.0%John Turner7601.4%Walter Boytinck1290.2%Bert Ogden750.1%IndependentAlbert A. Ritchie740.1%Non-affiliatedBlair T. Longley520.1%Nora Galenzoski350.1%G. J. Joseph Jackman230.0%1Non-affiliatedAllen Soroka220.0%1Total54,654 99.9%2Source: Library of Parliament – History of Federal Ridings since 1867: Vancouver Quadra

Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Less than 0.1%. 2 Rounding error.

Liberal Party Leadership Conventions: 1968 and 1984 Turner contested the leadership of the Liberal Party twice. In 1968, he lost to Trudeau, but in the 1984 convention he won the leadership, becoming Trudeau's successor as Liberal leader and prime minister.

1968 Leadership Convention

Turner entered the leadership contest as the youngest candidate. He eventually lost on the fourth ballot to Trudeau, coming in third place after Trudeau and Robert Winters, a former minister in Pearson's government.

+ Liberal Leadership Convention, April 6, 1968 Voting results by ballot Candidate First Ballot Second BallotThird BallotFourth Ballot Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast %Pierre Trudeau75231.8%96440.8%105144.6%1,20351.1%Paul Hellyer33013.9%46519.7%377 Withdrew after third ballot.16.0%––Robert Winters29312.4%47320.0%62126.3%95440.6%John Turner27711.7%34714.7%27911.8%1958.3%Paul Martin Sr.277 Withdrew after first ballot.11.7%––––––Joe Greene1697.1%1044.4%29 Eliminated after third ballot.1.2%––Allan MacEachen1656.9%11 Eliminated after second ballot.0.5%––––Eric Kierans103 Withdrew after first ballot.4.3%––––––Harold Lloyd Henderson0 Eliminated after first ballot.0.0%––––––Total2,36699.8%12,364100.1%12,35799.9%12,352100.0%Source: CPAC - 1968 Liberal Convention

1 Rounding error.

1984 Leadership Convention

Trudeau announced his retirement in February 1984. Turner entered the leadership election and won on the second ballot. His main opposition was Jean Chrétien, who came in second.

+ Liberal Party Leadership Convention, June 16, 1984 Voting results by ballot Candidate First Ballot Second Ballot Votes cast % Votes cast %John Turner1,59346.4%1,86254.4%Jean Chrétien1,06731.1%1,36840.0%Don Johnston2788.1%1925.6%John Roberts185Withdrew after first ballot.5.4%––Mark MacGuigan135Withdrew after first ballot.3.9%––John Munro93Withdrew after first ballot.2.7%––Eugene Whelan84Eliminated after first ballot.2.4%––Total3,435100.0%3,422100.0%Source: CPAC – 1984 Liberal Convention

See also Electoral history of Pierre Trudeau – Turner's predecessor as leader of the Liberal Party and as prime minister. Electoral history of Brian Mulroney – Turner's successor as prime minister and principal opponent in two general elections. Electoral history of Jean Chrétien – Turner's successor as leader of the Liberal Party.