Canadian federal election, 1965

In the Canadian federal election of 1965, the Liberal Party of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was re-elected with a larger number of seats in the Canadian House of Commons. Although the Liberals lost a small share of the popular vote, they were able to win more seats, but fell just short of having a majority.

Party platforms

Liberal Party:

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• implement a national medicare program by July 1, 1967;
• $500 million for medical and dental research over 15 years;
• $40 million university scholarship program over 2 years;
• improve crop insurance for farmers;
• create a national dairy marketing board;
• allow full-time farm workers to participate in Unemployment Insurance;
• increase old age security payments;
• $100 million programs to build roads in northern Canada;
• $25 million to support the coal industry in Nova Scotia.

Progressive Conservative Party:

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• increase grants to universities;
• special tax deduction for gifts to universties;
• grants to support medical and dental research;
• establish a federal government grain agency;
• provide grants to farmers;
• increase old age security payments from $75 per month to $100 per month for senior citizens over the age of 70;
• create a national water conservation program, and divert water from northern Canada to southern regions;
• develop hydro-electric potential of Nelson River, Peace River and the Bay of Fundy;
• reduce corporate and personal income taxes;
• provide tax deductions for home-owners.

New Democratic Party:

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• eliminate university tuition fees;
• provide grants for universities' capital costs;
• increased funding for technical training;
• increase the minimum price for wheat;
• increase the old age security payment from $75 per month to $100 per month at age 65;
• implement economic palnning program that lays down guidelinhes for wages and prices;
• halt unjustified price increases.

Social Credit Party:

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• increased federal aid for education;
• introduce a non-compuslory medicare program;
• require the Bank of Canada to provide loans for government capital projects.

Ralliement des creditistes/Social Credit Rally:

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• in lieu of a medicare program, provide government allowance to individuals to buy private medical insurance;
• subsidize famers' crop losses;
• increase old age security payments to $100 per month immeidately, and to $125 per month over time;
• require the Bank of Canada to pay $15 million of dividends to Canadians.

Source: Globe and Mail newspaper, October 1965.

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