1960 Quebec general election

June 22, 1960

95 seats in the 27th Legislative Assembly of Quebec
48 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Jean Lesage Antonio Barrette
Party Liberal Union Nationale
Leader since May 31, 1958 January 7, 1960
Leader's seat Québec-Ouest Joliette
Last election 20 seats, 44.87% 72 seats, 51.80%
Seats won 52 42
Seat change Increase32 Decrease30
Percentage 51.38% 46.61%
Swing Increase6.51pp Decrease5.19pp

Premier before election

Antonio Barrette
Union Nationale

Premier after election

Jean Lesage
Liberal

The 1960 Quebec general election was held on June 22, 1960, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled perhaps only by the 1976 general election. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Antonio Barrette, was defeated by the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Lesage.

The 1960 election set the stage for the Quiet Revolution, a major social transformation of all aspects of Quebec society throughout the 1960s. Among many other changes, the influence and power of the Catholic Church fell sharply as Quebec became a secular society.

This election put an end to 16 years of continuous Union Nationale rule, much of it under Maurice Duplessis. Duplessis had died in 1959, ending a period that was later derisively referred to as La Grande Noirceur (the Great Darkness).

Duplessis' successor, longtime minister Paul Sauvé, saw the need to modernize a government that had long been one of the most conservative provincial governments in Canada. He initiated a "hundred days of change" that began to transform Quebec society, but they were cut short when Sauvé died suddenly after only a few months in office. He was succeeded by another longtime minister, Antonio Barrette. However, with its second new leader in less than a year and its third in less than two years, and no published platform, the Union Nationale was thus in disarray when it went into the election.

Background

On September 7, 1959, Maurice Duplessis died during a visit to the northern mining town of Schefferville. His nearly 20 years as premier (interrupted from 1939 to 1944 by Adélard Godbout) were marked by conservatism, clientelism, deference to the Catholic hierarchy, defence of provincial powers from federal interference, opposition to Keynesianism, and fierce anti-syndicalism. Contrary to some accounts of the Grande Noirceur, however, Quebec in the late 1950s was on the path to modernization, with a largely urbanized population and a significant manufacturing sector.[1]

Three days after the death of "le Chef" (the Boss), the cabinet chose Paul Sauvé as his successor. Sauvé undertook his "100 days" of change under the slogan "désormais " (From now on), determined to modernize the machinery of government after years of stagnation under Duplessis. On January 2, 1960, while he had wind in his sails and threatened the Liberals' momentum, the new premier died suddenly in Saint-Eustache, in his riding of Deux-Montagnes. On January 7, Antonio Barrette was chosen as premier. The party thus headed into the election with its third leader in under a year. Further undermining the government's stability was the exposure of the natural gas scandal, reported by Le Devoir on June 13, 1958.

Jean Lesage had been elected leader of the Liberal Party on May 31, 1958, succeeding Georges-Émile Lapalme. Lesage aimed to take advantage of the government's setbacks. Particularly critical of official corruption and Union Nationale policies on federal-provincial relations, he promised to create a "strong and dynamic state" against the "occupying regime".[2] The party could also count on recently recruited star candidate René Lévesque to promote its program.

In addition to the two main parties, the Social Democratic Party (the Quebec branch of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation) participated in the election, led by trade unionist Michel Chartrand. Lacking funds, however, it failed to present a candidate.[1]

On March 18, 1960, an Act was passed that raised the number of seats in the legislature to 95:[3]

The writ of election dropped on April 27, setting the electoral campaign in motion.

Campaign

Despite the Liberal Party's ambitious program and the disarray of the UN, it was difficult to predict the outcome of the vote at the outset of the campaign. The incumbent party still enjoyed significant support and many constituencies faced close races.[1] No leaders' debate was held as the parties could not agree on a format.[1]

The campaign revolved around the two leaders, Barrette and Lesage. Barrette stressed continuity with his predecessors, frequently appearing in publicity campaigns featuring Duplessis and Sauvé. He travelled across the province, relying more on voters' faith in him personally than on an electoral platform, which the UN did not publish.[1] At the beginning of the campaign, he even wrote in the party's organ Montréal-Matin: "Our program was formulated in 1931 and current legislation bears witness to its implementation."

Lesage meanwhile led an "American-style" campaign, focusing on voter outreach to counter the public's perception of him as haughty. He took inspiration from Harry Truman, sometimes spending up to three days in the same region listening to local demands.[4]

The majority of races were two- and three-way contests, but some ridings had more fractured campaigns:

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1960)[5]
Candidates Lib UN Ind I-UN I-Lib Comm Lib-Rép PSD CF UN-Lab Lab Total
2 5858116
3 252541361175
4 886441132
5 111115
>5 334491125
Total 9595142220211111253
Ridings with more than five candidates (1960)[5]
Riding Lib UN Ind I-UN I-Lib Comm Lib-Rép PSD CF UN-Lab Lab Total
Montréal–Saint-Henri 112116
Maisonneuve 112217
Montréal–Saint-Louis 11216112
Total 334491125

Controversy in L'Assomption

After a judicial recount, the UN had won L'Assomption by only one vote.[6] In July 1961, a panel of judges overturned the result, voiding the reelection of Victor-Stanislas Chartrand and declaring the Liberal candidate Frédéric Coiteux the victor by 10 votes.[6] Allegations of voter impersonation, threats and bribery were cited by the judges in voiding 11 votes in the count. Chartrand had attempted to resign his seat and thus trigger a byelection, but that was not accepted pending the outcome in court.[7]

Results

[5]

Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (1960)
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1956 1960 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Liberal Jean Lesage 95205232Increase1,077,135248,871Increase51.38%6.50Increase
Union Nationale Antonio Barrette 95724230Decrease977,30721,225Increase46.61%5.19Decrease
Independent 1411Steady22,18711,018Decrease1.06%0.74Decrease
Independent-Unionist 2210,5316,423Increase0.50%0.28Increase
Independent-Liberal 208,2083,770Increase0.39%0.15Increase
  Other candidates
 Communist[a 1] 25365,981Decrease0.03%0.33Decrease
 Libéral républicain 1188188Increase0.01%New
 Social Democratic 116611,066Decrease0.01%0.60Decrease
 Capital familial 114451Increase0.01%
 UN-Labour 1134382Decrease0.01%0.02Decrease
 Labour 1501,224Decrease0.00%0.07Decrease
Total 25393 95 2,096,586 100%
Rejected ballots 33,521 4,740Increase
Voter turnout 2,130,107 255,597Increase 81.66 3.34Increase
Registered electors 2,608,439 215,079Increase
  1. Campaigned in 1956 under the Labor-Progressive banner
Seats and popular vote by party
PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
 Liberal
52 / 95
51.38%
6.50 6.5
 
 Union Nationale
42 / 95
46.61%
-5.19
 
 Independent
1 / 95
1.06%
-0.74
 
 Other
0 / 95
0.95%
-0.57
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1960 Quebec general election[5][8][7][9]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1]
Votes
Name 1956 Party Votes Share Margin
#
Margin
%
Lib UN Ind I-UN I-Lib Other Total
 
Abitibi-Est UN Lib 14,06151.25%8523.11%86.12%14,06113,20916627,436
Abitibi-Ouest Lib Lib 6,32152.78%6665.56%90.08%6,3215,65511,976
Argenteuil UN UN 8,83560.02%2,95120.05%89.88%5,8848,83514,719
Arthabaska UN Lib 10,60953.09%1,2696.35%93.52%10,6099,3403519,984
Bagot UN UN 5,33555.84%1,11611.68%91.53%4,2195,3359,554
Beauce UN Lib 12,93954.07%1,9468.13%87.31%12,93910,99323,932
Beauharnois UN UN 11,38549.86%1480.65%91.88%11,23711,3858512822,835
Bellechasse UN Lib 5,60152.06%4444.13%86.88%5,6015,15710,758
Berthier UN UN 6,66952.65%8096.39%89.56%5,8606,66913812,667
Bonaventure Lib Lib 8,51351.61%5323.23%86.03%8,5137,98116,494
Bourget New Lib 34,41153.08%5,2708.13%75.94%34,41129,1411,27764,829
Brome Lib Lib 3,57855.51%71011.01%87.15%3,5782,8686,446
Chambly Lib Lib 25,92149.91%5991.15%79.01%25,92125,32268851,931
Champlain UN UN 11,57250.32%1470.64%91.87%11,42511,57222,997
Charlevoix UN UN 7,09752.60%7025.20%87.84%6,3957,09713,492
Châteauguay UN UN 7,53953.44%1,2769.05%88.10%6,2637,53930514,107
Chicoutimi UN UN 16,74951.32%8602.63%89.96%15,88916,74932,638
Compton Lib UN 5,72553.77%8027.53%89.31%4,9235,72510,648
Deux-Montagnes UN Lib 6,97850.15%2992.15%89.43%6,9786,67912113713,915
Dorchester UN UN 8,00250.92%2881.83%86.74%7,7148,00215,716
Drummond UN Lib 12,26850.21%1010.41%92.04%12,26812,16724,435
Duplessis New Lib 6,55256.31%1,52813.13%78.05%6,5525,0246011,636
Frontenac UN UN 6,41851.77%4383.53%90.59%5,9806,41812,398
Gaspé-Nord UN Lib 4,82449.79%110.11%88.24%4,8244,813519,688
Gaspé-Sud UN UN 7,65652.72%7915.45%90.34%6,8657,65614,521
Gatineau UN UN 9,84655.42%2,14012.05%80.51%7,7069,84621417,766
Hull Lib Lib 15,19560.90%5,69222.81%84.36%15,1959,50325224,950
Huntingdon UN UN 3,67156.75%87313.50%85.85%2,7983,6716,469
Iberville UN Lib 4,12453.52%5427.03%92.81%4,1243,5827,706
Îles-de-la-Madeleine UN UN 2,75956.99%67713.98%91.24%2,0822,7594,841
Jacques-Cartier Lib Lib 46,02459.32%16,32521.04%73.08%46,02429,6991,52933677,588
Joliette UN UN 12,47964.75%5,68529.50%89.70%6,79412,47919,273
Jonquière-Kénogami UN Lib 15,31056.86%6,01422.33%89.82%15,3109,2962,13418826,928
Kamouraska UN UN 6,05653.84%8647.68%84.65%5,1926,05611,248
L'Assomption UN Lib 7,99949.73%100.06%89.16%7,9997,9899416,082
L'Islet UN Lib 5,86258.09%1,63216.17%86.47%5,8624,23010,092
Labelle UN UN 5,85752.33%5224.66%89.81%5,3355,85711,192
Lac-Saint-Jean UN Lib 9,84456.65%2,31013.29%91.75%9,8447,53417,378
Laval UN Lib 51,75256.43%11,79012.86%80.21%51,75239,96291,714
Laviolette UN UN 11,01351.71%7283.42%88.87%10,28511,01321,298
Lévis UN Lib 13,19454.74%2,2869.48%90.25%13,19410,90824,102
Lotbinière UN UN 6,27250.65%1611.30%90.17%6,1116,27212,383
Maisonneuve UN UN 22,68246.10%2,1304.33%73.78%20,55222,6823,1472,44337349,197
Maskinongé UN UN 5,48154.29%8678.59%92.95%4,6145,48110,095
Matane UN Lib 9,13153.55%1,2107.10%84.38%9,1317,92117,052
Matapédia UN Lib 7,26356.76%1,73013.52%86.25%7,2635,53312,796
Mégantic UN Lib 14,22159.22%4,42718.43%91.88%14,2219,79424,015
Missisquoi UN UN 7,86757.74%2,10815.47%89.83%5,7597,86713,626
Montcalm UN UN 4,43251.49%4415.12%90.35%3,9914,4321848,607
Montmagny UN Lib 5,86549.89%90.08%89.21%5,8655,8563511,756
Montmorency UN UN 6,26654.38%1,0098.76%90.98%5,2576,26611,523
Montréal–Jeanne-Mance UN UN 38,01551.32%2,4673.33%74.86%35,54838,01551574,078
Montréal-Laurier UN Lib 14,01247.83%1290.44%79.31%14,01213,88348991029,294
Montréal-Mercier UN UN 16,42351.46%9292.91%74.84%15,49416,42331,917
Montréal–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Lib Lib 29,85766.18%14,60232.37%60.87%29,85715,25545,112
Montréal-Outremont Lib Lib 27,06962.98%15,17435.30%58.38%27,06911,8954,01742,981
Montréal–Saint-Henri Lib Lib 17,82049.87%1,3873.88%74.92%17,82016,43338542067235,730
Montréal–Saint-Jacques UN UN 9,19053.08%1,4638.45%66.19%7,7279,19018621117,314
Montréal–Saint-Louis Lib Lib 10,58041.06%1010.39%61.34%10,58010,4793,569[a 2]2138765025,767
Montréal–Sainte-Anne Ind Ind 9,20657.90%3,75423.61%63.73%5,4521,2439,20615,901
Montréal–Sainte-Marie UN UN 15,69056.95%4,32815.71%71.40%11,36215,69049827,550
Montréal-Verdun Lib Lib 18,35457.64%5,39716.95%72.26%18,35412,9579726916331,840
Napierville-Laprairie UN UN 8,55150.05%160.09%90.06%8,5358,55117,086
Nicolet UN UN 7,28152.86%7885.72%84.45%6,4937,28113,774
Papineau UN UN 11,94153.74%1,6617.47%90.51%10,28011,94122,221
Pontiac UN UN 5,18158.37%1,48616.74%82.14%3,6955,1818,876
Portneuf UN Lib 12,08654.45%1,9758.90%91.19%12,08610,11122,197
Québec-Centre UN UN 9,48053.50%1,2396.99%83.93%8,2419,48017,721
Québec-Comté UN Lib 27,83955.95%7,15314.38%88.18%27,83920,6861,23249,757
Québec-Est UN UN 20,53652.32%1,9564.98%88.68%18,58020,53613439,250
Québec-Ouest Lib Lib 11,63555.87%2,52312.11%87.04%11,6359,1127920,826
Richelieu UN Lib 9,61752.91%1,1456.30%88.91%9,6178,4728818,177
Richmond Lib Lib 9,69153.50%1,2697.01%90.57%9,6918,42218,113
Rimouski Lib Lib 11,58555.84%2,42211.67%85.70%11,5859,16320,748
Rivière-du-Loup Lib Lib 8,67151.71%5723.41%88.58%8,6718,09916,770
Roberval UN Lib 12,76158.50%3,97118.21%87.78%12,7618,79026121,812
Rouville UN UN 5,91552.71%6095.43%89.07%5,3065,91511,221
Rouyn-Noranda Lib Lib 8,38752.29%7354.58%88.47%8,3877,65216,039
Saguenay UN Lib 10,47559.14%3,23718.27%80.09%10,4757,23817,713
Saint-Hyacinthe Lib Lib 11,45655.16%2,14410.32%85.60%11,4569,31220,768
Saint-Jean UN Lib 8,86950.60%2101.20%91.85%8,8698,65917,528
Saint-Maurice Lib Lib 15,04053.12%1,7676.24%91.02%15,04013,27328,313
Saint-Sauveur UN UN 14,21658.79%4,25217.58%88.63%9,96414,21624,180
Shefford UN UN 12,28652.98%1,3835.96%88.16%10,90312,28623,189
Sherbrooke UN Lib 17,66151.02%1,3964.03%84.11%17,66116,26569234,618
Stanstead UN Lib 8,23451.28%4102.55%86.51%8,2347,82416,058
Témiscamingue UN UN 4,28953.44%5526.88%89.78%3,7374,2898,026
Témiscouata UN UN 5,60653.46%7266.92%86.55%4,8805,60610,486
Terrebonne UN Lib 25,93658.72%8,38718.99%89.07%25,93617,54968144,166
Trois-Rivières UN UN 13,22146.65%1030.36%89.22%13,11813,2211,85614428,339
Vaudreuil-Soulanges UN Lib 9,05150.41%1490.83%90.85%9,0518,90217,953
Verchères UN Lib 5,58350.01%630.56%91.08%5,5835,5206011,163
Westmount–Saint-Georges Lib Lib 10,98861.75%4,18323.51%55.12%10,9886,80517,793
Wolfe UN Lib 3,97251.85%3344.36%92.17%3,9723,638517,661
Yamaska UN UN 4,03056.51%92913.03%87.84%3,1014,0307,131
  1. including spoilt ballots
  2. including Dave Rochon (3,447 votes), previously elected as Liberal MPP in 1956, but resigned from the party in June 1957
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = other incumbents renominated
  = multiple candidates
  = adjusted on judicial recount

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place[5]
Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
LibUN
Liberal 5252
Union Nationale 4242
Independent 11
Total 435295
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[5]
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5th
 Liberal 5243
 Union Nationale 42521
 Independent 1731
 Independent UN 1543
 Independent Liberal 122
 Social Democratic 1
 UN-Labour 1
 Communist 1
 Capital familial 1
 Libéral républicain 1
Resulting composition of the 27th Quebec Legislative Assembly[8]
SourceParty
Lib UN Ind Total
Seats retainedIncumbents returned 1640157
Open seats held 112
Ouster of incumbent 11
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated 2323
Incumbents defeated - previous incumbents returned 33
Open seats gained 55
Open seats gained - previous incumbents returned 11
Byelection gain held 11
New ridingsNew MPPs elected 22
Total 5242195

See also

Further reading

  • Saywell, John T., ed. (1961). Canadian Annual Review for 1960. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Éric Bédard. "Le 22 juin 1960 — L'élection de Jean Lesage : « un changement de la vie » ? - La Fondation Lionel-Groulx". www.fondationlionelgroulx.org. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  2. Thomson, Dale C. (1984). Jean Lesage & the quiet revolution. Toronto: McMillan of Canada. p. 107. ISBN 0-7715-9797-5.
  3. An Act respecting the territorial division of the Province, S.Q. 1959-60, c. 28
  4. Lemieux, Vincent (1969). Quatre élections provinciales au Québec (1956-1966). Quebec City: Les Presses de l'Université Laval. p. 14.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Drouilly, Pierre (November 7, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1960". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
  6. 1 2 Morin, Maurice (July 13, 1961). "Majorité libérale augmentée" [Liberal majority increased]. La Presse (in French). Montreal. pp. 1, 2.
  7. 1 2 "M. Coiteux élu dans L'Assomption" [Mr Coiteux is elected in L'Assomption]. Le Devoir (in French). July 14, 1961. p. 1.
  8. 1 2 "Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription" [National Assembly members by riding] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  9. "Les élections annulées" [Voided elections] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
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