2011 Canadian federal election

2011 Canadian federal election

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308 seats in the House of Commons 155 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout	61.1% (2.3pp)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Stephen Harper Jack Layton Michael Ignatieff Party Conservative New Democratic Liberal Leader since March 20, 2004 January 25, 2003 May 2, 2009 Leader's seat Calgary Southwest Toronto—Danforth Etobicoke—Lakeshore (lost re-election) Last election 143 seats, 37.65% 37 seats, 18.18% 77 seats, 26.26% Seats before 143 36 77 Seats won 166 103 34 Seat change 23 67 43 Popular vote 5,832,401 4,508,474 2,783,175 Percentage 39.62% 30.63% 18.91% Swing 1.97pp 12.45pp 7.35pp   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Gilles Duceppe Elizabeth May Party Bloc Québécois Green Leader since March 15, 1997 August 27, 2006 Leader's seat Laurier—Sainte-Marie (lost re-election) Saanich—Gulf Islands Last election 49 seats, 9.98% 0 seats, 6.78% Seats before 47 0 Seats won 4 1 Seat change 43 1 Popular vote 889,788 576,221 Percentage 6.04% 3.91% Swing 3.94pp 2.87pp
Results by riding Results by province and territory
Prime Minister before election Stephen Harper Conservative Prime Minister after election Stephen Harper Conservative

The 2011 Canadian federal election was held on May 2, 2011, to elect members to the House of Commons of Canada of the 41st Canadian Parliament.

The writs of election for the 2011 election were issued by Governor General David Johnston on March 26. Prime Minister Stephen Harper advised the Governor General to dissolve parliament after the House of Commons passed a motion of non-confidence against the government, finding it to be in contempt of Parliament. A few days before, the three opposition parties had rejected the minority government's proposed budget.^[1]

The Conservative Party remained in power, increasing its seat count from a minority to a majority government, marking the first time since 1988 that a right-of-centre party formed a majority government. The Liberal Party, sometimes dubbed the "natural governing party", was reduced to third party status for the first time as they won the fewest seats in its history, and party leader Michael Ignatieff was defeated in his riding. The Bloc Québécois lost official party status for the first time since contesting general elections in 1993. Party leader Gilles Duceppe was defeated in his riding and subsequently resigned as leader. The New Democratic Party led by Jack Layton won the largest number of seats in its history, enabling it to form the Official Opposition for the first time in the party's history, as they made a major breakthrough in Quebec. The Green Party elected its first member to the House of Commons with its leader, Elizabeth May, becoming MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands.