Saskatchewan general election, 1960
Encyclopedia
The Saskatchewan general election of 1960 was the fourteenth provincial election held in the Canadian
province of Saskatchewan
. It was held on June 8, 1960, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
.
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
of Tommy Douglas campaigned promising a public medical insurance
plan for all of the citizens of Saskatchewan, and was re-elected with a slightly increased majority. The CCF won despite opposition from the College of Physicians and Surgeons. The College told voters that public medicare would take freedom of choice away from patients, and it would cause doctors to leave the province.
A year later, Douglas passed legislation making Saskatchewan the first province in Canada to have public medicare. That same year, Douglas resigned as leader of the CCF to become leader of the federal New Democratic Party
.
, the College of Physicians and Surgeons launched a full scale campaign against medicare.
.
Progressive Conservatives
The Tories, led by Martin Pederson
, a 38-year-old farmer, won considerable support in the cities (Regina
and Saskatoon), but were not able to win any seats in the legislature. The 15 federal Progressive Conservative Members of Parliament who were from Saskatchewan campaigned for the provincial party. The main issue for the Tories was not medicare, but farm prosperity. They promised farmers grant of a dollar an acre ($247/km²) from the province, with a maximum of $100. The Tories claimed that this program would be made possible by assistance from the federal government of Prime Minister
John Diefenbaker
, who was a Saskatchewaner himself, and a former leader of the Saskatchewan PCs. The Tories proposed a royal commission to review medicare, but did not commit to implementing the idea.
, claimed that Pederson's promise of land payments was tantamount to bribery. The Liberals won 17 seats, and formed the official opposition. Thatcher, who was a former member of the CCF, was concerned about the economic problems in the province. He was not in favour or opposed to medicare, stating that it would be up to the people of Saskatchewan to decide whether or not the province would implement medicare. They were also in favour of pre-paid medical insurance. The Liberals were concerned that the economic development of Saskatchewan had lagged behind the rest of Canada during the Douglas era. They were also concerned about the proposed merger of the CCF and the Canadian Labour Congress
that later led to the formation of the New Democratic Party
.
was led by the 38-year-old Martin Kelln. Kelln had strong views about monetary reform and the social credit
movement, and was viewed by many as a serious threat to the ruling CCF government. However, the party was unable to win any seats. The Socreds were the only party openly opposed to the proposal for medicare.
Notes:
1Compared to Labour Progressive Party in 1956 election
.
2One seat declared void.
Source: Elections Saskatchewan
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. It was held on June 8, 1960, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
.
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
of Tommy Douglas campaigned promising a public medical insurance
Medicare (Canada)
Medicare is the unofficial name for Canada's publicly funded universal health insurance system. The formal terminology for the insurance system is provided by the Canada Health Act and the health insurance legislation of the individual provinces and territories.Under the terms of the Canada Health...
plan for all of the citizens of Saskatchewan, and was re-elected with a slightly increased majority. The CCF won despite opposition from the College of Physicians and Surgeons. The College told voters that public medicare would take freedom of choice away from patients, and it would cause doctors to leave the province.
A year later, Douglas passed legislation making Saskatchewan the first province in Canada to have public medicare. That same year, Douglas resigned as leader of the CCF to become leader of the federal New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
.
Campaigns
In addition to the elections campaigns led by the four main political partiesPolitical Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
, the College of Physicians and Surgeons launched a full scale campaign against medicare.
CCF
The CCF, led by Premier Tommy Douglas, proposed "a province-wide medical care program". Douglas assured voters that the only thing that would change about the medical system would be that the doctor would bill the medical care plan instead of billing the patient. The CCF won the election, with thirty seven seats, one more than in the previous election in 1956Saskatchewan general election, 1956
The Saskatchewan general election of 1956 was the thirteenth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 20, 1956, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.-The campaign:...
.
Progressive ConservativesProgressive Conservative Party of SaskatchewanThe Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan is a right-of-centre political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Prior to 1942, it was known as the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. Members are commonly known as Tories....
The Tories, led by Martin PedersonMartin Pederson
Martin Pederson was a Canadian politician, who was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan from 1958 to 1968....
, a 38-year-old farmer, won considerable support in the cities (Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
and Saskatoon), but were not able to win any seats in the legislature. The 15 federal Progressive Conservative Members of Parliament who were from Saskatchewan campaigned for the provincial party. The main issue for the Tories was not medicare, but farm prosperity. They promised farmers grant of a dollar an acre ($247/km²) from the province, with a maximum of $100. The Tories claimed that this program would be made possible by assistance from the federal government of Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
, who was a Saskatchewaner himself, and a former leader of the Saskatchewan PCs. The Tories proposed a royal commission to review medicare, but did not commit to implementing the idea.
Liberals
The Liberals, led by Ross Thatcher of Moose JawMoose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Moose Jaw is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada on the Moose Jaw River. It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javians. It is best known as a retirement and tourist city that serves as a hub to the hundreds of small towns...
, claimed that Pederson's promise of land payments was tantamount to bribery. The Liberals won 17 seats, and formed the official opposition. Thatcher, who was a former member of the CCF, was concerned about the economic problems in the province. He was not in favour or opposed to medicare, stating that it would be up to the people of Saskatchewan to decide whether or not the province would implement medicare. They were also in favour of pre-paid medical insurance. The Liberals were concerned that the economic development of Saskatchewan had lagged behind the rest of Canada during the Douglas era. They were also concerned about the proposed merger of the CCF and the Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
that later led to the formation of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
.
Social Credit
The Social Credit Party of SaskatchewanSocial Credit Party of Saskatchewan
The Social Credit Party of Saskatchewan was a political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan that promoted social credit economic theories from the mid-1930s to the mid-1970s....
was led by the 38-year-old Martin Kelln. Kelln had strong views about monetary reform and the social credit
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
movement, and was viewed by many as a serious threat to the ruling CCF government. However, the party was unable to win any seats. The Socreds were the only party openly opposed to the proposal for medicare.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons
The College of Physisicans and Surgeons, while not running as a party, ran a campaign against the idea of medicare. Almost all doctors in Saskatchewan were against medicare, and many had pamphlets available in their offices. The College paid for anti-medicare ads in newspapers and on television. The College used scare tactics to frighten the public, claiming, for example, that patients would just be numbers, and that patients would be assigned new doctors based on their names, or that the government would be able to pass on medical secrets of patients.Results
| Party | Party Leader | # of candidates |
Seats | Popular Vote | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 Saskatchewan general election, 1956 The Saskatchewan general election of 1956 was the thirteenth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 20, 1956, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.-The campaign:... |
Elected | % Change | # | % | % Change |
Co-operative Commonwealth Saskatchewan New Democratic Party The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s... |
|
55 | 36 | 37 | +2.8% | 276,846 | 40.76% | -4.49% |
Liberal | |
55 | 14 | 17 | +21.4% | 221,932 | 32.67% | +2.33% |
Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan is a right-of-centre political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Prior to 1942, it was known as the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. Members are commonly known as Tories.... |
Martin Pederson Martin Pederson was a Canadian politician, who was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan from 1958 to 1968.... |
55 | – | – | – | 94,737 | 13.95% | +11.97% |
Social Credit Social Credit Party of Saskatchewan The Social Credit Party of Saskatchewan was a political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan that promoted social credit economic theories from the mid-1930s to the mid-1970s.... |
|
55 | 3 | – | -3 | 83,895 | 12.35% | -9.13% |
Independent | 3 | – | – | – | 1,417 | 0.21% | -0.64% |
Communist Communist Party of Canada (Saskatchewan) The Communist Party of Canada was a communist political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was the Saskatchewan section of the Communist Party of Canada... 1 |
|
2 | – | – | – | 380 | 0.06% | -0.04% | |
| Total | 225 | 53 | 542 | +1.9% | 679,207 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes:
1Compared to Labour Progressive Party in 1956 election
Saskatchewan general election, 1956
The Saskatchewan general election of 1956 was the thirteenth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 20, 1956, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.-The campaign:...
.
2One seat declared void.
Source: Elections Saskatchewan
See also
- List of Saskatchewan political parties