The election was the second fought by Liberal leader, Prime MinisterPierre Trudeau. The Liberals entered the election high in the polls, but the spirit of Trudeaumania had worn off, and a slumping economy hurt his party. The Tories were led by Robert Stanfield, the former premier of Nova Scotia, who had an honest but bumbling image. The Tories tried to capitalize on the public's perception that the Liberals were mismanaging the economy with the slogan, "A Progressive Conservative government will do better." The Liberals campaigned on the slogan, "The Land is Strong", and television ads illustrating Canada's scenery. The slogan quickly became much derided, and the party had developed few real issues to campaign on. As a result, their entire campaign was viewed as being one of the worst managed in recent decades.
eliminate 3% increase in personal income tax rates scheduled for January 1, 1973, and reduce rates by 8% for ordinary Canadians;
introduce controls on prices and rents, but not on wages;
create a $4300 million program to fund public works during winter months to reduce unemployment;
increase old age security payments, but eliminate them for wealthy senior citizens;
legislate greater autonomy for Canadian trade unions that are branches of international unions;
tough tax laws for corporations;
eliminate "corporate welfare", i.e., grants and subsidies for corporations, and use this money to build housing and transportation infrastructure, and fund municipal services to create jobs.
Social Credit Party:
reform the monetary system in line with social credit theories;
increase old age security payments to $200 per month beginning at age 60, and to $150 per month for spouses of seniors regardless of age.
National results
The voter turn-out was 76.7%. One independent candidate was elected: Roch LaSalle was re-elected in his Quebec riding. LaSalle had left the PC caucus to protest the party's failure to recognize Quebec's right to self-determination, and was the only candidate to win the support of the separatistParti Québécois. One candidate with no affiliation was elected: Lucien Lamoureux, in the Ontario riding of Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry. Lamoureux, originally elected as a Liberal, had been serving as Speaker of the House of Commons. He ran without affiliation in order to preserve his impartiality as Speaker. He retired after this Parliament, and did not run in the 1974 election. The Liberals won a minority government, with the New Democratic Party led by David Lewis holding the balance of power. Requiring NDP support to continue, the government would move to the political left, including the creation of Petro-Canada. Notes: "% change" refers to change from previous election 1 Indicates increase from total Social Credit + Ralliement creditiste seats/vote in 1968. 2 Roch LaSalle, who was elected in 1968 as a Progressive Conservative, won re-election as an independent. 3 Lucien Lamoureux who was elected as a Liberal but served as Speaker of the House, won re-election with no party affiliation. 4The Rhinoceros Party ran a total of 12 candidates, but because it was not recognized by Elections Canada as a registered party, its candidates were listed as independents.
