View source for 1997 Canadian federal election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1997 Canadian federal election
| country = Canada
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| party_colour = no
| party_name = no
| previous_election = 1993 Canadian federal election
| previous_year = 1993
| previous_mps = 35th Canadian Parliament
| elected_mps = List of House members of the 36th Parliament of Canada
| election_date = {{start date text|June 2, 1997}}
| next_election = 2000 Canadian federal election
| next_year = 2000
| seats_for_election = 301 seats in the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]
| majority_seats = 151
| turnout = 67.0% ({{decrease}}3.9[[Percentage Point|pp]])
| opinion_polls = Opinion polling for the 1997 Canadian federal election

<!-- Liberal -->
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Jean Chrétien in 1996.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| colour1 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|nohash}}
| leader1 = [[Jean Chrétien]]
| party1 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|name}}
| leader_since1 = [[1990 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|June 23, 1990]]
| leaders_seat1 = [[Saint-Maurice (federal electoral district)|Saint-Maurice]]
| last_election1 = 177 seats, 41.24%
| seats_before1 = 174
| seats1 = 155
| seat_change1 = {{decrease}}19
| popular_vote1 = 4,994,277
| percentage1 = 38.46%
| swing1 = {{decrease}}2.78[[Percentage Point|pp]]

<!-- Reform -->
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Preston Manning in 2004 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| colour2 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Reform|nohash}}
| leader2 = [[Preston Manning]]
| leader_since2 = [[Reform Party of Canada#Political roots and the party's creation|November 1, 1987]]
| party2 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Reform|name}}
| leaders_seat2 = [[Calgary Southwest]]
| last_election2 = 52 seats, 18.69%
| seats_before2 = 50
| seats2 = 60
| seat_change2 = {{increase}}10
| popular_vote2 = 2,513,080
| percentage2 = 19.35%
| swing2 = {{increase}}0.66[[Percentage Point|pp]]

<!-- Bloc Québécois -->
| image3 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Gilles Duceppe2.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| colour3 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|nohash}}
| leader3 = [[Gilles Duceppe]]
| leader_since3 = [[1997 Bloc Québécois leadership election|March 15, 1997]]
| party3 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|name}}
| leaders_seat3 = [[Laurier—Sainte-Marie|Laurier—<br />Sainte-Marie]]
| last_election3 = 54 seats, 13.52%
| seats_before3 = 50
| seats3 = 44
| seat_change3 = {{decrease}}6
| popular_vote3 = 1,385,821
| percentage3 = 10.67%{{efn-lr|group=results0|Only contested seats in [[Quebec]].}}
| swing3 = {{decrease}}2.85[[Percentage Point|pp]]

<!-- New Democratic Party -->
| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Alexa McDonough cropped.jpg|bSize = 140|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 13}}
| colour4 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|nohash}}
| leader4 = [[Alexa McDonough]]
| leader_since4 = [[1995 New Democratic Party leadership election|October 14, 1995]]
| party4 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|name}}
| leaders_seat4 = [[Halifax (federal electoral district)|Halifax]]
| last_election4 = 9 seats, 6.88%
| seats_before4 = 9
| seats4 = 21
| seat_change4 = {{increase}}12
| popular_vote4 = 1,434,509
| percentage4 = 11.05%
| swing4 = {{increase}}4.17[[Percentage Point|pp]]

<!--Progressive Conservative -->
| image5 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Quebec Premier Jean Charest visits US Consulate (cropped).jpg |bSize = 140|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 3|oLeft = 9}}
| colour5 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|nohash}}
| leader5 = [[Jean Charest]]
| leader_since5 = [[Progressive Conservative leadership elections#1995 Progressive Conservative leadership convention|April 29, 1995]]
| party5 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|name}}
| leaders_seat5 = [[Sherbrooke (federal electoral district)|Sherbrooke]]
| last_election5 = 2 seats, 16.04%
| seats_before5 = 2
| seats5 = 20
| seat_change5 = {{increase}}18
| popular_vote5 = 2,446,705
| percentage5 = 18.84%
| swing5 = {{increase}}2.80[[Percentage Point|pp]]

<!-- bottom -->
<!-- map -->| map = {{Switcher
| [[File:Canadian federal election, 1997 results by riding.svg|400px]]
| Results by electoral district, shaded by winners' vote share
| [[File:Canada 1997 Federal Election.svg|400px]]
| Results by province and territory}}
| title = Prime Minister 
| before_election = [[Jean Chrétien]]
| before_party = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|name}}
| posttitle = Prime Minister after election
| after_election = [[Jean Chrétien]]
| after_party = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|name}}
| map2_image = Cdn1997.PNG
| map2_size = 380px
| map2_caption = The Canadian parliament after the 1997 election
}}
The '''1997 Canadian federal election''' was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members to the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]] of the [[36th Canadian Parliament|36th Parliament]] of Canada. [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Jean Chrétien]]'s [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] won a second [[majority government]]. The [[Reform Party of Canada|Reform Party]] replaced the [[Bloc Québécois]] as the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|Official Opposition]].

The election results closely followed the pattern of the [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993 election]]. The Liberals swept [[Ontario]], while the Bloc won a majority in [[Quebec]]. Reform made sufficient gains in the West to allow [[Preston Manning]] to become leader of the Official Opposition, but lost its only seat east of [[Manitoba]]. The most significant change was major gains in [[Atlantic Canada]] by the [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]] (NDP) and the [[rump party|rump]] [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative Party]].  The Liberal victory was not in doubt, though some commentators on election night were predicting that the party would be cut down to a [[minority government]] and that Chrétien might lose his seat. Chrétien narrowly won his riding, and the Liberals maintained a nine-seat majority thanks to gains in Quebec at the expense of the Bloc.  [[Jean Charest]]'s Tories and [[Alexa McDonough]]'s NDP both regained [[official party status]] in the House of Commons.

This was the first time that five political parties held official party status in a single session of Canada's Parliament, and the only time to date that five different parties have won the popular vote in at least one of the provinces and territories of Canada.

==Background==
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced his approved request by Governor General [[Roméo LeBlanc]] to dissolve Parliament on April 26, 1997, with an election to be held on June 2 of that year. Chrétien's election call came three years and five months into Parliament's life, short of both the maximum five year duration and the typical four years between elections. This represented the earliest election call in a majority Parliament since the [[1911 Canadian federal election|1911 election]].<ref name="cnn.com">{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9704/27/canada.election/index.html | work=CNN | title=Chrétien sets Canadian election for June 2 | access-date=April 28, 2010}}</ref> Opinion polls at the time predicted that the Liberal Party was expected to win a landslide victory capturing at least 180 to 220 of the 301 seats in the House of Commons, with the fragmentation of the opposition meaning that one party was not expected to be able to defeat the government.<ref name="cnn.com"/>

The election call was controversial both for being early and for occurring during Manitoba's recovery from the [[Red River Flood, 1997|Red River Flood]] earlier in the year. [[Reg Alcock]] and several others inside the Liberal Party had opposed the timing of the vote, and the poor results prompted Paul Martin's supporters to [[2004 Liberal Party of Canada infighting#Chrétien government|organize against Chrétien]].

The election was the first to be held with staggered polling hours across the country. Until 1993, polling hours were 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in each time zone, with a 4.5-hour difference between closing of polls in Newfoundland and those in British Columbia and Yukon, or a three-hour difference between Quebec-Ontario and B.C.-Yukon. With the new staggered hours, it would be three hours between Newfoundland and B.C.-Yukon, but just 30 minutes between Quebec-Ontario and B.C.-Yukon.

==Political Parties==

===Liberal Party===
[[File:Liberal Party of Canada L logo-Parti Liberal du Canada logo de L (1990s-2004).svg|thumb|220px|right|Liberal Party logo during the election.]]
The Liberal Party under Jean Chrétien campaigned on promising to continue to cut the federal deficit to allow for a budget surplus, and then to spend one half of the surplus on repaying Canada's national debt and cutting taxes while the other half of the surplus would be used to increase funding to health care, assistance for Canadian children in poverty, and job creation.<ref>Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). ''The Canadian General Election of 1997''. Dundurn Press Ltd, 1998. Pp. 45.</ref> The platform was called ''Securing Our Future Together''.<ref>Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). 1998. Pp. 45.</ref> The Liberal Party was attacked by the opposition parties for failing to keep many of the promises that the party campaigned on in the [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993 federal election]].<ref name="Frizzell, Alan 1998. Pp. 46">Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). 1998. Pp. 46.</ref> The Liberals attacked the Progressive Conservatives and the Reform Party for prematurely calling for tax cuts while a deficit still remained while attacking the New Democratic Party for proposing to increase government spending while Canada faced a deficit.<ref name="Frizzell, Alan 1998. Pp. 46"/>

The Liberals suffered from a number of gaffes in their campaign. In one incident, when Jean Chrétien was questioned by reporters over the cost of the Liberals' election proposal of a national pharmacare program, reporters claimed that Chrétien was unsure of what the cost would be.<ref name="Frizzell, Alan 1998. Pp. 46" /> Chrétien also turned down invitations for interviews by Canada's national media outlets, the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] (CBC) and [[MuchMusic]].<ref name="Frizzell, Alan 1998. Pp. 46"/> In the televised debates between the five major political parties, Chrétien apologized to Canadians for his government having cut funding for social programs to reduce the deficit.<ref name="Frizzell, Alan 1998. Pp. 46"/>

On election day, the Liberals won with a significantly reduced majority.  While they lost much of their support in Atlantic Canada, they won all but two seats in Ontario and improved on their numbers in Quebec.  They were only assured of a majority when the final numbers came in from Western Canada.

===Reform Party===

The Reform Party under Preston Manning campaigned on preserving national unity through decentralization of multiple federal government powers to all of the provinces, cutting taxes, reducing the size of government, reducing spending, and strongly opposing distinct society status for Quebec.  Feeling that the general acceptance of deficit reduction at the federal and provincial level had been encouraged by their party, Reform saw a chance to finally make the party a national in scope by making political inroads outside of the west, particularly in Ontario.<ref name="Frizzell, Alan 1998. Pp. 112">Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). 1998. Pp. 112.</ref><ref>Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). 1998. Pp. 46 and 118</ref> Their platform was titled the ''Fresh Start for all Canadians''.<ref>Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). 1998. Pp. 118.</ref> The Reformers ran a full slate of candidates in Quebec, making this the first and last election in which it would run candidates in every region of Canada.

Reform's campaign ran into multiple problems. The party was repeatedly accused by other parties and the media of holding intolerant views due to comments made by a number of Reform MPs during the writ period.<ref name="Frizzell, Alan 1998. Pp. 112"/> Critics had accused the party's performance during the 1993–1997 parliament of being disorganized.<ref name="Frizzell, Alan 1998. Pp. 46"/> Tension between the party's democratic nature and the leader-centric model of modern campaigning led to Manning's leadership abilities being questioned by a number of former members, including [[Stephen Harper]], who accused Manning of inappropriately using a [[Canadian dollar|Can$]]31,000 personal expense allowance as leader.<ref>Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). 1998. Pp. 112</ref> Some Reform supporters were frustrated by the party's decision to expand its political base into Quebec, as they continued to believe that the party should represent English-speaking Canada, and others from the right-wing and populist faction of the party were angry that Manning punished MPs [[Bob Ringma]] and [[David Chatters]] for outbursts.<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/business/hansard/36th_2nd/vol28a/h028a_4.html
 |title        = Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas), Member Statements
 |publisher    = Government of Manitoba
 |access-date   = 2008-10-08
 |last         = Canadian Press
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20140407062708/http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/business/hansard/36th_2nd/vol28a/h028a_4.html#
 |archive-date = 2014-04-07
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref> During the campaign the Reform Party released a controversial television advertisement where the faces of four Quebecers, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe, Progressive Conservative leader Jean Charest, and Premier of Quebec [[Lucien Bouchard]], were crossed out, followed by a message saying that Quebec politicians had dominated the federal government for too long and that the Reform Party would end this favoritism towards Quebec.<ref name="2cnn.com">{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9706/01/canada.elex/index.html | work=CNN | title=Canada poised for vote that may deadlock parliament | access-date=April 28, 2010}}</ref> The advertisement was harshly criticized by the other party leaders including accusations that Manning was "intolerant" and a "bigot" for having permitted the advertisement to be aired.<ref name="2cnn.com"/>

Reform  began the campaign with Can$1.5 million in cash on hand, and had raised a total of Can$8 million.  In contrast to the other parties, the vast majority of the money came from donations by individuals or small businesses.<ref>Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). 1998. Pp. 120.</ref>

The results for Reform were a generally considered a  minor tactical success.  The party won 60 seats to displace the Bloc as Official Opposition, largely by building on its already heavy concentration of support in Western Canada. Strategically, Reform failed to make inroads into eastern Canada and lost its one seat in Ontario, leaving it effectively perceived as a Western regional party, despite making their first significant inroads into rural Ontario.

===Bloc Québécois===

The Bloc Québécois, under the leadership of [[Gilles Duceppe]], lost its position of Official Opposition, falling to third place. The party's founding leader, [[Lucien Bouchard]], had resigned in the aftermath of the [[1995 Quebec referendum]] in order to become [[Premier of Quebec]]. Bouchard had been replaced by [[Michel Gauthier]], but a lack of direction and party infighting caused their poll numbers to plummet, leaving them in danger of being overhauled by both the Liberals and the resurgent Progressive Conservatives. Duceppe, who took over as leader after Gauthier resigned, nonetheless made progress by emphasizing the lack of possibility of constitutional reform. While the party only finished 1.2 percentage points ahead of the Liberals in the province's popular vote, a more efficiently-distributed vote (the Liberal vote was too concentrated in and around [[Montreal]]; elsewhere, they split the vote with the Progressive Conservatives) still allowed them capture a comfortable majority of 44 out of Quebec's 75 seats.

===New Democratic Party===

The [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]] under the leadership of [[Alexa McDonough]] regained official party status that the party lost in the 1993 Canadian federal election. The party won the fourth largest share of total votes and won 21 seats.  Notably, the party made a substantial showing in Atlantic Canada, a region where it had only elected three MPs in its entire history prior to the election.

===Progressive Conservative Party===

The Progressive Conservative Party under [[Jean Charest]] campaigned on securing national unity in Canada by recognizing Quebec as being a distinct society within Canada, along with the proposal of a "New Covenant" for Canadian confederation to be negotiated between the Federal and Provincial governments.<ref>Frizzell, Alan (ed.); Pammett, Jon H (ed.). 1998. Pp. 49.</ref> The party's platform included the novelty of being publicly distributed on [[CD-ROM]].  Charest and the PCs benefited from rapidly rising in popularity amongst all language groups in Quebec, where voters were found to have preferred Charest over [[Gilles Duceppe]], the leader of the Bloc Québécois.<ref>Clarke, Harold D.; Kornberg, Allan;Wearing, Peter. A Polity on the Edge: Canada. Pp. 246.</ref>

The Progressive Conservatives faced multiple difficulties, as the party was not able to apply for federal financial assistance due to it not being an official party. The party's results in their previous bastion of Western Canada remained anemic, and the Reformers remained the dominant conservative political force in the west. Reform also made inroads into rural central and southern Ontario — traditionally the heartland of the Tories' provincial counterparts.

The Progressive Conservatives won the third largest number of the total votes and improved their situation in the House of Commons, regaining official party status after winning 20 seats. Despite finishing  about half a point behind Reform in the nationwide popular vote, their only heavy concentrations of support were in [[Atlantic Canada]] and [[Quebec]]. Elsewhere, like in 1993, their support was too spread out to translate into victories in individual ridings. They only won one seat each in Ontario and Manitoba, and none west of Manitoba.  The result, a disappointment for Charest, would lead to his resignation and eventual assumption of leadership of the [[Liberal Party of Quebec]].

===Green Party===
Support for the [[Green Party of Canada]] was 79% higher than at the previous election, with its greatest success in British Columbia, where it received 2% of the vote.  The Green Party remained almost entirely off the national media's radar.  At 0.43% of the vote, and 1.64% of the vote in the ridings it contested, the Green Party remained a small but growing movement.

==Results==

[[File:1997 Canadian parliament.svg|center|300px]]

{{election table|title=Summary of the 1997 [[House of Commons of Canada]] election results}}
|- style="background-color:#CCCCCC"
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Party
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|Party Leader
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|Candidates
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="4"|Seats
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"|Popular vote
|- style="background-color:#CCCCCC"
| style="text-align:center;" |[[1993 Canadian federal election|1993]]
| style="text-align:center;" |<span style="font-size:75%;">[[36th Canadian Parliament|Dissol.]]</span>
| style="text-align:center;" |'''Elected'''
| style="text-align:center;" |% Change
| style="text-align:center;" |#
| style="text-align:center;" |%
| style="text-align:center;" |Change
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Jean Chrétien]]
| style="text-align:right;" |301
| style="text-align:right;" |177
| style="text-align:right;" |174
| style="text-align:right;" |'''155'''
| style="text-align:right;" |-12.4%
| style="text-align:right;" |4,994,277
| style="text-align:right;" |38.46%
| style="text-align:right;" |-2.78pp
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Reform|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Preston Manning]]
| style="text-align:right;" |227
| style="text-align:right;" |52
| style="text-align:right;" |50
| style="text-align:right;" |'''60'''
| style="text-align:right;" |+15.4%
| style="text-align:right;" |2,513,080
| style="text-align:right;" |19.35%
| style="text-align:right;" |+0.66pp
{{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Gilles Duceppe]]
| style="text-align:right;" |75
| style="text-align:right;" |54
| style="text-align:right;" |50
| style="text-align:right;" |'''44'''
| style="text-align:right;" |-18.5%
| style="text-align:right;" |1,385,821
| style="text-align:right;" |10.67%
| style="text-align:right;" |-2.85pp
{{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Alexa McDonough]]
| style="text-align:right;" |301
| style="text-align:right;" |9
| style="text-align:right;" |9
| style="text-align:right;" |'''21'''
| style="text-align:right;" |+133.3%
| style="text-align:right;" |1,434,509
| style="text-align:right;" |11.05%
| style="text-align:right;" |+4.17pp
{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Jean Charest]]
| style="text-align:right;" |301
| style="text-align:right;" |2
| style="text-align:right;" |2
| style="text-align:right;" |'''20'''
| style="text-align:right;" |+900%
| style="text-align:right;" |2,446,705
| style="text-align:right;" |18.84%
| style="text-align:right;" |+2.80pp
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Independent|row}}
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"|Independent and No Affiliation
| style="text-align:right;" |76
| style="text-align:right;" |1
| style="text-align:right;" |6
| style="text-align:right;" |'''1'''
| style="text-align:right;" |&nbsp;
| style="text-align:right;" |60,759
| style="text-align:right;" |0.47%
| style="text-align:right;" |-0.09pp
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Green|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Joan Russow]]
| style="text-align:right;" |79
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |55,583
| style="text-align:right;" |0.43%
| style="text-align:right;" |+0.18pp
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Natural Law|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | Neil Paterson
| style="text-align:right;" |136
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |37,085
| style="text-align:right;" |0.29%
| style="text-align:right;" |+x
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Christian Heritage|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | Ron Gray
| style="text-align:right;" |53
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |29,085
| style="text-align:right;" |0.22%
| style="text-align:right;" |+x
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Canadian Action|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Paul T. Hellyer]]
| style="text-align:right;" |58
| style="text-align:right;" |*
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |*
| style="text-align:right;" |17,502
| style="text-align:right;" |0.13%
| style="text-align:right;" |*
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Marxist-Leninist|row-name}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Hardial Bains]]
| style="text-align:right;" |65
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |-
| style="text-align:right;" |11,468
| style="text-align:right;" |0.09%
| style="text-align:right;" |+0.05pp
|-
{{Canadian party colour|CA|vacant|row}}
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="4" |Vacant
| style="text-align:right;" |4
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="5" |&nbsp;
|-
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="3"|'''Total'''
| style="text-align:right;" |'''1,672'''
| style="text-align:right;" |'''295'''
| style="text-align:right;" |'''295'''
| style="text-align:right;" |'''301'''
| style="text-align:right;" |'''+2.0%'''
| style="text-align:right;" |'''12,985,874'''
| style="text-align:right;" |'''100%'''
| style="text-align:right;" |&nbsp;
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="11" |'''Sources:''' http://www.elections.ca [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/hfer/hfer.asp?Language=E History of Federal Ridings since 1867]
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

<nowiki>*</nowiki>: Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.

x: Less than 0.005% of the popular vote

===Vote and seat summaries===
{{Bar box
|title=Popular vote
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=410px
|bars= 
{{Bar percent|Liberal|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|38.46}}
{{Bar percent|Reform|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Reform}}|19.35}}
{{Bar percent|PC|{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}|18.84}}
{{Bar percent|NDP|{{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP}}|11.05}}
{{Bar percent|Bloc Québécois|{{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ}}|10.67}}
{{Bar percent|Green|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Green}}|0.43}}
{{Bar percent|Others|#DCDCDC|1.20}}
}}

{{Bar box
|title=Seat totals
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=410px
|bars= 
{{Bar percent|Liberal|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|51.50}}
{{Bar percent|Reform|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Reform}}|19.93}}
{{Bar percent|Bloc Québécois|{{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ}}|14.62}}
{{Bar percent|NDP|{{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP}}|6.98}}
{{Bar percent|PC|{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}|6.64}}
{{Bar percent|Independents|#DCDCDC|0.33}}
}}

===Results by province===

{| class="wikitable"
|- "
! style="text-align:center;" colspan=3|Party Name
! style="text-align:center;"|[[British Columbia|BC]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Alberta|AB]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Saskatchewan|SK]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Manitoba|MB]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Ontario|ON]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Quebec|QC]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[New Brunswick|NB]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Nova Scotia|NS]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Prince Edward Island|PE]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Newfoundland and Labrador|NL]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Northwest Territories|NT]]
! style="text-align:center;"|[[Yukon|YK]]
! style="text-align:center;"|Total
|-
|rowspan=2 {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|background}}|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| rowspan=2|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| Seats:
| style="text-align:right;"|6 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|2 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|1 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|6 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|101 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|26 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|3 <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|4 <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|4 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|2 <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"| &nbsp; <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |155<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
| Popular vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|28.8 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|24.0 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|24.7 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|34.3 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|49.5 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|36.7 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|32.9 <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|28.4 <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|44.8 <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|37.9 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|43.1 <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|22.0 <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |38.5<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
|rowspan=2 {{Canadian party colour|CA|Reform|background}}|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| rowspan=2|[[Reform Party of Canada|Reform]]
| Seats:
| style="text-align:right;"|25 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|24 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|8 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|3 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |60<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|43.1 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|54.6 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|36.0 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|23.7 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|19.1 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.3 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|13.1 <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|9.7 <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|1.5 <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|2.5 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|11.7 <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|25.3 <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |19.4<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
|rowspan=2 {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|background}}|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| rowspan=2|[[Bloc Québécois]]
| Seats:
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|44 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |44<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|37.9 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |10.7<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
|rowspan=2 {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|background}}|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| rowspan=2|[[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democrats]]
| Seats:
| style="text-align:right;"|3 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|5 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|4 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|2 <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|6 <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|1 <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |21<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|18.2 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|5.7 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|30.9 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|23.2 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|10.7 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|2.0 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|18.4 <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|30.4 <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|15.1 <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|22.0 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|20.9 <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|28.9 <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |11.0<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
|rowspan=2 {{Canadian party colour|CA|PC|background}}|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| rowspan=2|[[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]]
| Seats:
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|1 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|1 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|5 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|5 <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|5 <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|3 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |20<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|6.2 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|14.4 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|7.8 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|17.8 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|18.8 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|22.2 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|35.0 <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|30.8 <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|38.3 <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|36.8 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|16.7 <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|13.9 <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |18.8<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
|rowspan=2 {{Canadian party colour|CA|Independant|background}}|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| rowspan=2|Other
| Seats:
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|1 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |1<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|0.6 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.3 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.6 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.5 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|7.6 <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|8.9 <!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;" |0.5<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
! colspan=3|Total seats: 
! style="text-align:right;"|34<!--BC-->
! style="text-align:right;"|26<!--Alb-->
! style="text-align:right;"|14<!--Sask-->
! style="text-align:right;"|14<!--Man-->
! style="text-align:right;"|103<!--Ont-->
! style="text-align:right;"|75<!--Que-->
! style="text-align:right;"|10<!--NB-->
! style="text-align:right;"|11<!--NS-->
! style="text-align:right;"|4<!--PEI-->
! style="text-align:right;"|7<!--NL-->
! style="text-align:right;"|2<!--NT-->
! style="text-align:right;"|1<!--YK-->
! style="text-align:right;"|'''301<!--Canada/Total-->'''
|-
| colspan=16|'''Parties that won no seats:'''
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Green|row-name}}
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|2.0 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--Canada/Total-->
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Natural Law|row}}
|[[Natural Law Party of Canada|Natural Law]]
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|0.3 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.3 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.3 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.6 <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.3 <!--Canada/Total-->
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Christian Heritage|row-name}}
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.4 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|1.0 <!--YK-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--Canada/Total-->
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Canadian Action|row-name}}
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.3 <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--Canada/Total-->
{{Canadian party colour|CA|Marxist-Leninist|row-name}}
| Vote:
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--BC-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Alb-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--Sask-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.2 <!--Man-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--Ont-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--Que-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NB-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NS-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--PEI-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NL-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--NT-->
| style="text-align:right;"|&nbsp; <!--YK-->
| style="text-align:right;"|0.1 <!--Canada/Total-->
|}

Source: [http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=res_table09&dir=rep/dec3097&lang=e&textonly=false Elections Canada]

===Notes===
* '''Number of parties''': 10
** '''First appearance''': [[Canadian Action Party]]
** '''Final appearance''': [[Reform Party of Canada]]
** '''Final appearance before hiatus''': [[Christian Heritage Party of Canada]] (returned in 2004)
* 1997 was one of only three elections in Canadian history (the others were 1993 and 2008) where the official Opposition did not have the majority of the opposition's seats. 60 seats were held by the Reform Party, yet 86 seats for the other opposition parties and independents combined. 
* 1997 was the only election to date in which five different parties won the popular vote in a province or territory (the Liberals won in Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Ontario and Prince Edward Island; Reform in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan; the BQ in Quebec; the NDP in the Yukon Territory; and the PCs in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia). Consequently, it was also the last time the PCs won a province or territory.

===10 closest ridings===

# '''[[Sackville—Eastern Shore]], NS''': [[Peter Stoffer]], NDP def. Ken Streatch, PC by 41 votes
# '''[[Bellechasse—Etchemins—Montmagny—L'Islet]], QC''': [[Gilbert Normand]], Lib def. François Langlois, BQ by 47 votes
# '''[[Selkirk—Interlake]], MB''': [[Howard Hilstrom]], Ref def. [[Jon Gerrard]], Lib by 66 votes
# '''[[Cardigan (electoral district)|Cardigan]], PE''': [[Lawrence MacAulay]], Lib def. Dan Hughes, PC by 99 votes
# '''[[Bonaventure—Gaspé—Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Pabok]], QC:''' [[Yvan Bernier]], BQ def. Patrick Gagnon, Lib by 179 votes
# '''[[Saskatoon—Humboldt]], SK''': [[Jim Pankiw]], Ref def. [[Dennis Gruending]], NDP by 220 votes
# '''[[Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte]], NF''': [[Gerry Byrne (politician)|Gerry Byrne]], Lib def. Art Bull, PC by 232 votes
# '''[[Chicoutimi—Le Fjord|Chicoutimi]], QC''': [[André Harvey (MP)|André Harvey]], PC def. Gilbert Fillion, BQ by 317 votes
# '''[[Frontenac—Mégantic]], QC''': [[Jean-Guy Chrétien]], BQ def. Manon Lecours, Lib by 465 votes
# '''[[Simcoe—Grey (federal electoral district)|Simcoe—Grey]], ON''': [[Paul Bonwick]], Lib def. Paul Shaw, Ref by 481 votes

==See also==
{{Portal|Canada|Politics}} 
* [[List of Canadian federal general elections]]
* [[List of political parties in Canada]]
Articles on parties' candidates in this election:
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Independent candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Independents]]
* [[Canadian Action Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Canadian Action]]
* [[Christian Heritage Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Christian Heritage]]
* [[Green Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Greens]]
* [[Independent Rhinoceros candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Independent Rhinoceros]]
* [[Liberal Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Liberals]]
* [[Marxist-Leninist Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Marxist-Leninists]]
* [[Natural Law Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Natural Law]]
* [[New Democratic Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|New Democrats]]
* [[Progressive Conservative Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Progressive Conservatives]]
* [[Reform Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal election|Reform Party]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist|group=lower-roman}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal |last1=Andersen |first1=Robert |last2=Fox |first2=John |title=Pre-election polls and the dynamics of the 1997 Canadian federal election |journal=Electoral Studies |date=March 2001 |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=87–108 |doi=10.1016/S0261-3794(00)00003-2 |issn=0261-3794}}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Frizzell |editor1-first=Alan |editor2-last=Pammett |editor2-first=Jon H. |title=The Canadian general election of 1997 |date=1997 |publisher=Dundurn Press |location=Toronto |isbn=978-1-55002-300-8}}
*{{cite book |last1=Nevitte |first1=Neil |last2=Blais |author2-link=André Blais |first2=André |last3=Gidengil |first3=Elisabeth |author3-link=Elisabeth Gidengil |last4=Nadeau |first4=Richard |author4-link=Richard Nadeau |title=Unsteady State: The 1997 Canadian Federal Election |date=2000 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Don Mills, Ontario |isbn=978-0-19-541466-0 |url=https://archive.org/details/unsteadystate1990000unse |url-access=registration}}

==External links==
* [http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=index&dir=rep/dec3097&lang=e&textonly=false Elections Canada: 1997 election]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060331095917/http://www.stenotran.com/tsb/db1e.htm Transcript of English Leader's debate]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060314142238/http://www.egwald.com/statistics/canadianelections.php3 Predicting the 1997 Canadian Election]

{{Canadian federal election, 1997A}}
{{election canada}}

[[Category:1997 Canadian federal election| ]]
[[Category:Canadian federal elections by year|1997]]
[[Category:1997 elections in Canada|Federal]]
[[Category:June 1997 events in Canada|Federal election]]