25th Canadian Parliament

The 25th Canadian Parliament was in session from September 27, 1962, until February 6, 1963. The membership was set by the 1962 federal election on June 18, 1962, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1963 election.

There was only one session of the 25th Parliament: SessionStartEnd1stSeptember 27, 1962February 6, 1963

Overview It was controlled by a Progressive Conservative Party minority under Prime Minister John Diefenbaker and the 18th Canadian Ministry. The Official Opposition was the Liberal Party, led by Lester B. Pearson.

It was the third shortest parliament in Canadian history. Party standings Number of members per partyParty leaderGeneral ElectionJune 18th, 1962Progressive ConservativeJohn Diefenbaker116LiberalLester B. Pearson99Social CreditR.N. Thompson30New Democratic PartyTommy Douglas19Liberal - Labour1Total Seats264

Major events

The Cuban Missile Crisis

Though the Cuban Missile Crisis began on October 14, 1962, American President John F. Kennedy did not consult with other nations for several days. Diefenbaker was initially skeptical about the supposed evidence and proposed sending envoys from the United Nations to inspect further.

Relations between Kennedy and Diefenbaker had been historically tense, owing partially to the infamous "Rostow Memo" incident where an internal American memo had been left behind by Kennedy's team after he had met with Diefenbaker. The memo detailed items that the American's wished to "push" Canada on, and Diefenbaker believed that the Americans were attempting to use their position to dominate Canada.

Diefenbaker was reluctant to put Canadian troops on alert, angering the American's. When he eventually did so, the climax of the crisis had passed.

Nuclear Weapons Historic agreements with NATO and NORAD in the 50s required Canada to drastically increase its defense spending. Diefenbaker had difficulty with the issue throughout his tenure. Questions about whether Canada should arm itself with nuclear warheads purchased from America drew international attention. Canada had long held an anti-nuclear proliferation position, but by the early 60s, external pressure had forced Diefenbaker toward making a difficult decision on the matter.

Liberal opposition leader, Lester B. Pearson, stated his support for fulfilling Canada's commitment to accept nuclear weapons, despite his opposition to nuclear weapons in general. This put increased pressure on Diefenbaker, whose cabinet was split over the matter. On February 3, 1963, members of the cabinet turned on Diefenbaker, in light of his inaction, and three days later his government fell.

Ministry

The 18th Canadian Ministry began at the beginning of the 23rd Canadian Parliament and lasted until near the end of the 25th Canadian Parliament.

Office holders

Head of State positionImageNameAssumed officeLeft officeSovereignElizabeth IIFebruary 6, 1952September 8, 2022Governor GeneralGeorges VanierSeptember 15, 1959March 5, 1967

Party leadership PartyPhotoNameAssumed officeLeft officeProgressive ConservativeJohn DiefenbakerDecember 14, 1956September 8, 1967LiberalLester B. PearsonJanuary 16, 1958April 6, 1968Social CreditR.N. ThompsonJuly 7, 1961March 9, 1967New DemocraticTommy DouglasAugust 3, 1961April 24, 1971

House of Commons Presiding officer OfficePhotoOfficerRidingAssumed officeLeft officePartySpeaker of the House of CommonsMarcel LambertEdmonton WestSeptember 27, 1962May 15, 1963Progressive Conservative

Government leadership (Progressive Conservative) OfficePhotoOfficerRidingAssumed officeLeft officePrime MinisterJohn DiefenbakerPrince AlbertJune 21, 1957 April 22, 1963House LeaderGordon ChurchillWinnipeg South CentreJanuary 14, 1960February 5, 1963WhipThéogène RicardHull19621963

Changes to party standings By-elections

Parliamentarians House of Commons Following is a full list of members of the twenty-fifth Parliament listed first by province or territory, then by electoral district.

Key: Party leaders are italicized. Parliamentary secretaries is indicated by "". Cabinet ministers are in boldface. The Prime Minister is both. The Speaker is indicated by "()".

Electoral districts denoted by an asterisk (*) indicates that district was represented by two members.

Alberta Electoral districtNamePartyFirst elected/previously electedNo. of termsAcadiaJack HornerProgressive Conservative19582nd termAthabaskaJack BiggProgressive Conservative19582nd termBattle River—CamroseClifford SmallwoodProgressive Conservative19582nd termBow RiverEldon WoolliamsProgressive Conservative19582nd termCalgary NorthDouglas HarknessProgressive Conservative19456th termCalgary SouthArthur Ryan SmithProgressive Conservative19573rd termEdmonton EastWilliam SkoreykoProgressive Conservative19582nd termEdmonton—StrathconaTerry NugentProgressive Conservative19582nd termEdmonton WestMarcel Lambert Progressive Conservative19573rd termJasper—EdsonHugh HornerProgressive Conservative19582nd termLethbridgeDeane GundlockProgressive Conservative19582nd termMacleodLawrence KindtProgressive Conservative19582nd termMedicine HatBud OlsonSocial Credit1957, 19622nd term*Peace RiverGed Baldwin Progressive Conservative19582nd termRed DeerRobert N. ThompsonSocial Credit19621st termVegrevilleFrank FaneProgressive Conservative19582nd termWetaskiwinHarry Andrew MooreProgressive Conservative19621st term

British Columbia Electoral districtNamePartyFirst elected/previously electedNo. of termsBurnaby—CoquitlamErhart Regier (resigned 20 August 1962)New Democratic Party19534th termTommy Douglas (by-election of 1962-10-22)New Democratic Party1935, 19623rd term*Burnaby—RichmondBob PrittieNew Democratic Party19621st termCaribooBert LeboeSocial Credit1953, 19623rd term*Coast—CapilanoJohn (Jack) DavisLiberal19621st termComox—AlberniThomas Speakman BarnettNew Democratic Party1953, 19623rd term*Esquimalt—SaanichGeorge ChattertonProgressive Conservative19612nd termFraser ValleyAlexander Bell PattersonSocial Credit1953, 19623rd term*KamloopsDavie FultonProgressive Conservative19456th termKootenay EastJim ByrneLiberal1949, 19624th term*Kootenay WestHerbert Wilfred HerridgeNew Democratic Party19456th termNanaimo—Cowichan—The IslandsColin CameronNew Democratic Party1953, 19623rd term*New WestminsterBarry MatherNew Democratic Party19621st termOkanagan BoundaryDavid Vaughan PughProgressive Conservative19582nd termOkanagan—RevelstokeStuart FlemingProgressive Conservative19582nd termSkeenaFrank HowardNew Democratic Party19573rd termVancouver—BurrardThomas R. BergerNew Democratic Party19621st termVancouver CentreJohn Robert (Jack) NicholsonLiberal19621st termVancouver EastHarold WinchNew Democratic Party19534th termVancouver KingswayArnold WebsterNew Democratic Party19621st termVancouver QuadraHoward Charles GreenProgressive Conservative19358th termVancouver SouthArthur LaingLiberal1949, 19622nd term*VictoriaAlbert McPhillips Progressive Conservative19573rd term

Manitoba Electoral districtNamePartyFirst elected/previously electedNo. of termsBrandon—SourisWalter DinsdaleProgressive Conservative19515th termChurchillRobert SimpsonProgressive Conservative19573rd termDauphinElmer ForbesProgressive Conservative19582nd termLisgarGeorge MuirProgressive Conservative19573rd termMarquetteNick MandziukProgressive Conservative19573rd termPortage—NeepawaSiegfried EnnsProgressive Conservative19621st termProvencherWarner Jorgenson Progressive Conservative19573rd termSelkirkEric Stefanson Sr.Progressive Conservative19582nd termSpringfieldJoseph SloganProgressive Conservative19582nd termSt. BonifaceRoger TeilletLiberal19621st termWinnipeg NorthDavid OrlikowNew Democratic Party19621st termWinnipeg North CentreStanley KnowlesNew Democratic Party1942, 19626th term*Winnipeg SouthGordon ChownProgressive Conservative19573rd termWinnipeg South CentreGordon ChurchillProgressive Conservative19515th term

New Brunswick Electoral districtNamePartyFirst elected/previously electedNo. of termsCharlotteAllan M.A. McLeanLiberal19621st termGloucesterHédard RobichaudLiberal19534th termKentGuy CrossmanLiberal19621st termNorthumberland—MiramichiGeorge Roy McWilliamLiberal19495th termRestigouche—MadawaskaJean-Eudes DubéLiberal19621st termRoyalGordon FairweatherProgressive Conservative19621st termSt. John—AlbertThomas Miller Bell Progressive Conservative19534th termVictoria—CarletonHugh John FlemmingProgressive Conservative19602nd termWestmorlandSherwood RideoutLiberal19621st termYork—SunburyJohn Chester MacRaeProgressive Conservative19573rd term

Newfoundland Electoral districtNamePartyFirst elected/previously electedNo. of termsBonavista—TwillingateJack PickersgillLiberal19534th termBurin—BurgeoChesley William CarterLiberal19495th termGrand Falls—White Bay—LabradorCharles GrangerLiberal19582nd termHumber—St. George'sHerman Maxwell BattenLiberal19534th termSt. John's EastJames McGrath Progressive Conservative19573rd termSt. John's WestRichard CashinLiberal19621st termTrinity—ConceptionJames Roy TuckerLiberal19582nd term

Northwest Territories Electoral districtNamePartyFirst elected/previously electedNo. of termsNorthwest TerritoriesIsabel Tibbie HardieLiberal19621st term

Nova Scotia Electoral districtNamePartyFirst elected/previously electedNo. of termsAntigonish—GuysboroughJohn Benjamin StewartLiberal19621st termCape Breton North and VictoriaRobert MuirProgressive Conservative19573rd termCape Breton SouthMalcolm MacInnisNew Democratic Party19621st termColchester—HantsCyril KennedyProgressive Conservative19573rd termCumberlandRobert CoatesProgressive Conservative19573rd termDigby—Annapolis—KingsGeorge NowlanProgressive Conservative1948, 19506th term*Halifax*Robert McCleave Progressive Conservative19573rd termEdmund L. MorrisProgressive Conservative19573rd termInverness—RichmondAllan MacEachenLiberal1953, 19623rd term*PictouRussell MacEwanProgressive Conservative19573rd termQueens—LunenburgLloyd CrouseProgressive Conservative19573rd termShelburne—Yarmouth—ClareFelton LegereProgressive Conservative19582nd term

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