1988 Canadian federal election

1988 Canadian federal election

← 1984 November 21, 1988 1993 →
← outgoing members elected members →
295 seats in the House of Commons 148 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout	75.3%[1] ()
First party Second party Third party   Leader Brian Mulroney John Turner Ed Broadbent Party Progressive Conservative Liberal New Democratic Leader since June 11, 1983 June 16, 1984 July 7, 1975 Leader's seat Charlevoix Vancouver Quadra Oshawa Last election 211 seats, 50.03% 40 seats, 28.02% 30 seats, 18.81% Seats before 203 38 32 Seats won 169[a] 83 43 Seat change 34 45 11 Popular vote 5,667,543 4,205,072 2,685,263 Percentage 43.02% 31.92% 20.38% Swing 7.02pp 3.89pp 1.57pp
Results by electoral district Results by province and territory
The Canadian parliament after the 1988 election
Prime Minister before election Brian Mulroney Progressive Conservative Prime Minister after election Brian Mulroney Progressive Conservative

The 1988 Canadian federal election was held on November 21, 1988, to elect members to the House of Commons of Canada of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement (CUSFTA); the Progressive Conservative Party campaigned in favour of it, whereas the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party (NDP) campaigned against it. Mulroney won a governing majority and the agreement was passed into law, even though a majority of the voters had voted for parties opposing free trade.^[2] The Mulroney government instituted the Goods and Services Tax during this term as well.[1]

The incumbent prime minister, Brian Mulroney, led his Progressive Conservative Party to a second majority government. Mulroney was the party's first leader since John A. Macdonald to win a second majority government, although in 1988 with less than half the votes cast.^[b]

The Liberal Party experienced a recovery after its 1984 wipeout- receiving a greater vote share and votes and doubling its seat count. The New Democratic Party won its largest number of seats up to the time (they would beat the 1988 record in 2011).

The election was the last won by the Progressive Conservatives, the last until 2011 in which a right-of-centre party formed a majority government, and the last where a right-of-centre party won the most seats in Quebec. It was also the last election in Canadian history in which only three parties would be elected to Parliament.

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