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 Parliament of Canada
Parliament Section
Duration of Minority Governments 1867 to Date
The official record - the report of the Chief Electoral Officer - makes no mention of political affiliation before 1963. Electoral results from 1867 to 1984 are taken from a chart prepared by the Office of Chief Electoral Officer of Canada and those from 1988 to date from the reports of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.

Average duration of minority government in Canada:
485 Days (1 year, 3 months, 29 days)
ParliamentKey DatesDuration between return of writs and dissolutionMinority
39th Writs Issued: 2005.11.29
General Election: 2006.01.23
Writs to be Returned: 2006.02.13
1st Sitting of Parliament: 2006.04.03
Government: 124
Opposition: 184
Minority: 60
38th Writs Issued: 2004.05.23
General Election: 2004.06.28
Writs to be Returned: 2004.07.19
1st Sitting of Parliament: 2004.10.04
Dissolution: 2005.11.29
498 Days (1 year, 4 months, 12 days) Government: 135
Opposition: 173
Minority: 38
31st Writs Issued: 1979.03.26
General Election: 1979.05.22
Writs to be Returned: 1979.06.11
1st Sitting of Parliament: 1979.10.09
Dissolution: 1979.12.14
186 Days (6 months, 4 days) Government: 136
Opposition: 146
Minority: 10
29th Writs Issued: 1972.09.01
General Election: 1972.10.30
Writs to be Returned: 1972.11.20
1st Sitting of Parliament: 1973.01.04
Dissolution: 1974.05.09
535 Days (1 year, 5 months, 18 days) Government: 109
Opposition: 155
Minority: 46
27th Writs Issued: 1965.09.08
General Election: 1965.11.08
Writs to be Returned: 1965.12.09
1st Sitting of Parliament: 1966.01.18
Dissolution: 1968.04.23
866 Days (2 years, 4 months, 15 days) Government: 131
Opposition: 134
Minority: 3
26th Writs Issued: 1963.02.06
General Election: 1963.04.08
Writs to be Returned: 1963.05.08
1st Sitting of Parliament: 1963.05.16
Dissolution: 1965.09.08
854 Days (2 years, 4 months, 3 days) Government: 129
Opposition: 136
Minority: 7
25th Writs Issued: 1962.04.19
General Election: 1962.06.18
Writs to be Returned: 1962.07.18
1st Sitting of Parliament: 1962.09.27
Dissolution: 1963.02.06
203 Days (6 months, 21 days) Government: 116
Opposition: 149
Minority: 33
23rd Writs Issued: 1957.04.12
General Election: 1957.06.10
Writs to be Returned: 1957.08.08
1st Sitting of Parliament: 1957.10.14
Dissolution: 1958.02.01
177 Days (5 months, 25 days) Government: 112
Opposition: 153
Minority: 41
15th Writs Issued: 1925.09.05
General Election: 1925.10.29
Writs to be Returned: 1925.12.07
1st Sitting of Parliament: 1926.01.07
Dissolution: 1926.07.02
207 Days (6 months, 25 days) Government: 99 * "101 if two Independent Liberals are included"
Source: Scarrow, H.A.. Canada Votes. New Orleans, Hauser Press, 1962. p. 46.

Opposition: 146
Minority: 47
14th Writs Issued: 1921.10.08
General Election: 1921.12.06
Writs to be Returned: 1922.01.15
1st Sitting of Parliament: 1922.03.08
Dissolution: 1925.09.05
1329 Days (3 years, 7 months, 20 days) Government: 116
Opposition: 119
Minority: 3
^

© Library of Parliament
PARLINFO v.2.01
Updated on: 2007.01.15

Revised on: 2007.01.15