British Columbia Liberal Party

The British Columbia Liberal Party (usually called the BC Liberal Party) is a right-of-centre provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada, differing from some other right-of-centre parties in being fiscally conservative and socially moderate (or neoliberal). The party has often remained separate from the federal Liberal Party of Canada, and is currently not formally linked to the federal party. The party is probably best described as a coalition of many ideological groups, united by an opposition to the New Democratic Party (NDP), and in favour of bringing more free market reforms to the province.

In the wilderness

In the 1956 election, with the Sommers scandal still not resolved, the Liberals fared worse than in 1953. Arthur Laing lost his seat, and the party was reduced to 2 MLAs and 20.9% of the vote.

Related Topics:
1956 election - Arthur Laing

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In the 1960 election, the party won 4 seats with the same 20.9% of the popular vote as in 1956.

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In the 1963 election, the party's caucus increased by one more MLA to five, but their share of the popular vote fell to 19.98%.

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The 1966 election, the party won another seat, bringing its caucus to six, and had a modest increase in the vote to 20.24%.

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In the 1969 vote, the party lost one seat, and its share of the vote fell to 19.03%.

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In 1972, the party was led into the election by a new leader, David Anderson, who had been elected in the 1968 federal election as a federal Liberal MP. He and four others managed to be elected to the legislature, but with the lowest vote in party history at 16.4%.

Related Topics:
David Anderson - 1968 federal election - Federal Liberal

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After the NDP won the 1972 election, many supporters of the Liberal and Conservative parties united under the umbrella of Social Credit. This coalition was able to keep the NDP out of power from 1975 until the 1990s. MLAs Garde Gardom, Pat Mcgeer and Allan Williams left the Liberals for Social Credit along with Hugh Curtis of the suddenly rejuventated Tories. All of them became members of Social Credit Cabinets after 1975.

Related Topics:
1972 election - 1975 - Garde Gardom - Pat Mcgeer - Allan Williams - Hugh Curtis

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In the 1975 election, the only Liberal to be elected was Gordon Gibson as the party scored a dismal 7.24%. David Anderson was badly defeated in his Victoria riding, placing behind the NDP and Social Credit.

Related Topics:
1975 election - Gordon Gibson

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The 1979 election was the party's lowest point. For the first time in party history, it was shut out of the legislature. Only five candidates ran, none were elected, and the party got 0.5% of the vote.

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The 1983 election saw a small recovery as the party came close to a full slate of candidates, but won a dismal 2.69% of the vote.

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The 1986 vote was the third and last election in which the party was shut out. Its share of the popular vote improved to 6.74%.

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