The 1965 Canadian federal election was held on November 8, 1965, to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 27th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was re-elected to government, winning more seats than any other party. It won more seats in the House even though it received a smaller share of the popular vote. It fell short of a majority government. It formed a minority government that due to support from other MPs, lasted three years.
Overview
On September 7, 1965, for the first time ever, the election writ was announced on live television across Canada by Prime Minister Lester Pearson. The networks then broadcast responses to the election announcement from all four House of Commons opposition leaders.
National results
center|300px
{| class="wikitable" style="border-collapse: collapse border-color: #444444"
|- bgcolor="CCCCCC"
!rowspan=2 colspan=2|Party
!rowspan=2|Party leader
!rowspan=2|# of<br />candidates
!colspan=4|Seats
!colspan=3|Popular vote
|- bgcolor="CCCCCC"
|align="center"|1963
|align="center"|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Dissolution</span>
|align="center"|Elected
|align="center"|% Change
|align="center"|#
|align="center"|%
|align="center"|Change
| Liberal
|align="center"| Lester Pearson
|align="right"| 265
|align="right"|128
|align="right"|128
|align="right"| 131
|align="right"|+2.3%
|align="right"| 3,099,521
|align="right"| 40.18%
|align="right"|-1.34pp
| Progressive Conservative
|align="center"| John Diefenbaker
|align="right"| 265
|align="right"|95
|align="right"|95
|align="right"| 97
|align="right"|+4.3%
|align="right"| 2,500,113
|align="right"| 32.41%
|align="right"|-0.31pp
| New Democrats
|align="center"| Tommy Douglas
|align="right"| 255
|align="right"|17
|align="right"|17
|align="right"| 21
|align="right"|+23.5%
|align="right"| 1,381,658
|align="right"| 17.91%
|align="right"|+4.67pp
| Ralliement créditiste
|align="center"| Real Caouette
|align="right"| 77
|align="right"|
|align="right"| 19
|align="right"| 9
|align="right"|-47.4%
|align="right"| 359,258
|align="right"| 4.66%
|align="right"|
|align="center"| R.N. Thompson
|align="right"| 86
|align="right"|24
|align="right"|4
|align="right"| 5
|align="right"|-79%
|align="right"| 282,454
|align="right"| 3.66%
|align="right"|-8.26pp
| colspan=2|Independent
|align="right"| 24
|align="right"|
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| 1
|align="right"|
|align="right"| 52,155
|align="right"| 0.68%
|align="right"|+0.61pp
| colspan=2|Independent PC
|align="right"| 4
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| 1
|align="right"|
|align="right"| 13,198
|align="right"| 0.17%
|align="right"|+0.15pp
| colspan=2|Independent Liberal
|align="right"| 10
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| 16,738
|align="right"| 0.22%
|align="right"|+0.03pp
|align="center"| William Kashtan
|align="right"| 12
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| 4,285
|align="right"|0.06%
|align="right"|x
| New Capitalist
|align="center"| Frank O'Hearn
|align="right"| 3
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|
|align="right"| 1,009
|align="right"| 0.01%
|align="right"|
| Ouvrier Indépendant
|align="center"|
|align="right"| 2
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|650
|align="right"| 0.01%
|align="right"|-0.01pp
| Droit vital personnel
|align="center"| H-G Grenier
|align="right"| 1
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|
|align="right"| 465
|align="right"| 0.01%
|align="right"|
| colspan=2|Independent Social Credit
|align="right"| 2
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| 422
|align="right"|0.01%
|align="right"|x
| colspan=2|Independent Conservative
|align="right"| 1
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| 373
|align="right"| x
|align="right"|x
|align="center"| Cornelius I
|align="right"| 1
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|
|align="right"|321
|align="right"|x
|align="right"|
| Republican
|align="center"|
|align="right"| 1
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|
|align="right"| 297
|align="right"| x
|align="right"|
| Progressive Workers
|align="center"|
|align="right"| 1
|align="right"|
|align="right"|
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|
|align="right"|274
|align="right"|x
|align="right"|
| Socialist Labour
|align="center"|
|align="right"| 1
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| -
|align="right"|-
|align="right"| 147
|align="right"| x
|align="right"|x
|-
| colspan=3|Total
|align="right"| 1,011
|align="right"|265
|align="right"|265
|align="right"|265
|align="right"|-
|align="right"|7,713,338
|align="right"| 100%
!
|-
| align="center" colspan=11|Sources: http://www.elections.ca History of Federal Ridings since 1867
|-
|}
Notes:
"% change" refers to change from previous election
x - less than 0.005% of the popular vote
<sup>1</sup> "Previous" refers to the results of the previous election, not the party standings in the House of Commons prior to dissolution.
Vote and seat summaries
Results by province
{| class="wikitable"
! align="center" colspan=3|Party name
! align="center"|BC
! align="center"|AB
! align="center"|SK
! align="center"|MB
! align="center"|ON
! align="center"|QC
! align="center"|NB
! align="center"|NS
! align="center"|PE
! align="center"|NL
! align="center"|YK
! align="center"|NW
! align="center"|Total
| rowspan=2|Liberal
| Seats:
| align="right"| 7 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| - <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| - <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| 1 <!--Man-->
| align="right"| 51 <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 56 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| 6 <!--NB-->
| align="right"| 2 <!--NS-->
| align="right"| - <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| 7 <!--NL-->
| align="right"| - <!--NW-->
| align="right"| 1 <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 131 <!--Canada/Total-->
| Popular Vote:
| align="right"| 30.0 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| 22.4 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| 24.0 <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| 31.0 <!--Man-->
| align="right"| 43.6 <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 45.6 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| 47.5 <!--NB-->
| align="right"| 42.0 <!--NS-->
| align="right"| 44.1 <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| 64.1 <!--NL-->
| align="right"| 44.8 <!--NW-->
| align="right"| 56.2 <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 40.2 <!--Canada/Total-->
| rowspan=2|Progressive Conservative
| Seats:
| align="right"| 3 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| 15 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| 17 <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| 10 <!--Man-->
| align="right"| 25 <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 8 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| 4 <!--NB-->
| align="right"| 10 <!--NS-->
| align="right"| 4 <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| - <!--NL-->
| align="right"| 1 <!--NW-->
| align="right"| - <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 97 <!--Canada/Total-->
| Vote:
| align="right"| 19.2 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| 46.6 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| 48.0 <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| 40.7 <!--Man-->
| align="right"| 34.0 <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 21.3 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| 42.5 <!--NB-->
| align="right"| 48.6 <!--NS-->
| align="right"| 53.9 <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| 32.4 <!--NL-->
| align="right"| 55.2 <!--NW-->
| align="right"| 39.1 <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 32.4 <!--Canada/Total-->
| rowspan=2|New Democrats
| Seats:
| align="right"| 9 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| - <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| - <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| 3 <!--Man-->
| align="right"| 9 <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| - <!--Que-->
| align="right"| - <!--NB-->
| align="right"| - <!--NS-->
| align="right"| - <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| - <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| - <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 21 <!--Canada/Total-->
| Vote:
| align="right"| 32.9 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| 8.2 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| 26.0 <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| 24.0 <!--Man-->
| align="right"| 21.7 <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 12.0 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| 9.4 <!--NB-->
| align="right"| 9.1 <!--NS-->
| align="right"| 2.0 <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| 1.2 <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| 4.7 <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 17.9 <!--Canada/Total-->
| rowspan=2|Ralliement créditiste
| Seats:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| - <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 9 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| - <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 9 <!--Canada/Total-->
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 17.5 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| 0.4 <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 4.7 <!--Canada/Total-->
| rowspan=2|Social Credit
| Seats:
| align="right"| 3 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| 2 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| - <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| - <!--Man-->
| align="right"| - <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| <!--Que-->
| align="right"| - <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| - <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 5 <!--Canada/Total-->
| Vote:
| align="right"| 17.4 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| 22.5 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| 1.9 <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| 4.3 <!--Man-->
| align="right"| 0.4 <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| <!--Que-->
| align="right"| 0.1 <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| 1.6 <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 3.7 <!--Canada/Total-->
| rowspan=2|Independent
| Seats:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 1 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 1<!--Canada/Total-->
| Vote:
| align="right"| 0.2<!--BC-->
| align="right"| 0.1 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| 0.1 <!--Man-->
| align="right"|0.2 <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 2.1 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| 0.3 <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 0.7 <!--Canada/Total-->
| rowspan=2|Independent PC
| Seats:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| -<!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 1 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 1<!--Canada/Total-->
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 0.6 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 0.2 <!--Canada/Total-->
|-
| colspan=3|Total seats:
| align="right"|22 <!--BC-->
| align="right"|17 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"|17 <!--Sask-->
| align="right"|14 <!--Man-->
| align="right"| 85<!--Ont-->
| align="right"|75 <!--Que-->
| align="right"|10 <!--NB-->
| align="right"|12 <!--NS-->
| align="right"| 4<!--PEI-->
| align="right"|7 <!--NL-->
| align="right"|1 <!--NW-->
| align="right"|1 <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 265<!--Canada/Total-->
|-
| colspan=16|Parties that won no seats:
|-
| Independent Liberal
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| 0.8 <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| 0.7 <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 0.2 <!--Canada/Total-->
| Vote:
| align="right"| 0.2 <!--BC-->
| align="right"| 0.1 <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| 0.1 <!--Canada/Total-->
| New Capitalist
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx<!--Canada/Total-->
| Ouvrier Indépendant
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx<!--Canada/Total-->
| Droit vital personnel
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Canada/Total-->
| Independent Social Credit
| Vote:
| align="right"| xx <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Canada/Total-->
| Independent Conservative
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Canada/Total-->
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Canada/Total-->
|Republican
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| xx <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx<!--Canada/Total-->
| Progressive Workers
| Vote:
| align="right"| xx <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"| <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx<!--Canada/Total-->
| Socialist Labour
| Vote:
| align="right"| <!--BC-->
| align="right"| <!--Alb-->
| align="right"| <!--Sask-->
| align="right"| <!--Man-->
| align="right"|xx <!--Ont-->
| align="right"| <!--Que-->
| align="right"| <!--NB-->
| align="right"| <!--NS-->
| align="right"| <!--PEI-->
| align="right"| <!--NL-->
| align="right"| <!--NW-->
| align="right"| <!--YK-->
| align="right"| xx<!--Canada/Total-->
|}
- xx - less than 0.05% of the popular vote
See also
- List of Canadian federal general elections
- List of political parties in Canada
- 27th Canadian Parliament