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1944 Quebec general election

Canadian provincial election


Canadian provincial election

FieldValue
election_name1944 Quebec general election
countryQuebec
typeparliamentary
ongoingno
party_colourno
party_nameno
previous_election1939 Quebec general election
previous_year1939
previous_mps21st Quebec Legislature
next_election1948 Quebec general election
next_year1948
elected_members22nd Quebec Legislature
seats_for_election91 seats in the [22nd Legislative Assembly of Quebec](22nd-legislative-assembly-of-quebec)
46 seats were needed for a majority
election_dateAugust 8, 1944
image1Duplessis 1947.jpg
image1_size150x150px
colour1
leader1Maurice Duplessis
leader_since1June 20, 1936
party1
leaders_seat1Trois-Rivières
last_election115 seats, 39.13%
seats1**48**
seat_change133
popular_vote1505,661
percentage138.02%
swing11.11pp
image2Adelard Godbout portrait.jpg
image2_size150x150px
colour2
leader2Adélard Godbout
leader_since2June 11, 1936
party2
leaders_seat2L'Islet
last_election270 seats, 54.05%
seats237
seat_change233
popular_vote2**523,316**
percentage2**39.35%**
swing214.7pp
image3Andre Laurendeau 1945.jpg
image3_size150x150px
colour3
leader3André Laurendeau
leader_since3July 6, 1942
party3
leaders_seat3Montréal-Laurier
last_election3*pre-creation*
seats34
seat_change34
popular_vote3191,564
percentage314.40%
swing314.40pp
titlePremier
before_electionAdélard Godbout
before_party
after_electionMaurice Duplessis
posttitlePremier after election
after_party

46 seats were needed for a majority

The 1944 Quebec general election was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Union Nationale, led by former premier Maurice Duplessis, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Adélard Godbout. This was the first Quebec provincial election in which women were allowed to vote, having been granted suffrage at the provincial level in 1941 (much later than what had been fully attained at the federal level in 1919).

This election marked Duplessis's comeback after having defeated Godbout in the 1936 election and having lost to him in the 1939 election. Unlike in the 1939 election, when the alcoholic Duplessis was clearly drunk at numerous campaign rallies, le chef had benefited from the time he had spent in an American sanatorium in 1942-43, where he had sobered up, and in the 1944 election, Duplessis refrained from drinking.

The biggest issue during this election was provincial autonomy. In order to appeal to nationalist voters, Duplessis attacked the incumbent premier, claiming that he was not taking a strong enough stand against Ottawa. He mainly criticized Godbout for agreeing to transfer unemployment insurance from the province to the federal government. He also criticized the Rowell-Sirois Commission for its stance on unemployment insurance and equalization payments.

Another reason Duplessis won the election was by appealing to anti-Semitic prejudices in Quebec by making the false claim in a violently anti-Semitic speech that the Dominion government together with the Godbout government had made a secret deal with the "International Zionist Brotherhood" to settle 100,000 Jewish refugees left homeless by the Holocaust in Quebec after the war in exchange for Jewish campaign contributions to both the federal and provincial Liberal parties. By contrast, Duplessis claimed that he was not taking any money from the Jews, and if he were elected Premier, he would stop this plan to bring Jewish refugees to Quebec. To further push on the message, the Union Nationale handed out campaign pamphlets warning about the alleged plan to bring 100,000 Jewish refugees to Quebec, which featured a cartoon of the standard stereotype of an evil-looking, hook-nosed Jew handing bags of money to Godbout while in the background a vast horde of dirty, disreputable-looking, hook-nosed Jewish refugees were ready to descend on la belle province. Through Duplessis's story about the plan to settle 100,000 Jewish refugees in Quebec was entirely false, his story was widely believed in Quebec, and ensured he won the election. Duplessis's biographer Conrad Black argued that Duplessis was in no way personally anti-Semitic, but because the majority of Quebecois were at the time, Duplessis had merely used antisemitism to win the 1944 election. Duplessis won another three elections in a row, for a total of five terms of office (four consecutive), before dying in office in 1959.

In this wartime election, Godbout's support for Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King in the Conscription Crisis of 1944 may have contributed to his defeat.

The Bloc Populaire won four seats on an anti-conscription platform. More importantly, they siphoned off enough votes from the Liberals to deny them a second term. Even though the Liberals narrowly won the popular vote, massive vote-splitting with the Bloc Populaire allowed the Union Nationals to win a narrow majority of seats.

The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (predecessor of the New Democratic Party) won one seat. Party member David Côté was elected to the legislature, but in July 1945, he decided to sit as an independent.

Redistribution of ridings

An Act passed before the election increased the number of MLAs from 86 to 91 through the following changes:

Abolished ridingsNew ridings*Drawn from parts of other ridings**Reorganization of ridings**Division of ridings*

Campaign

CandidatesTotal
align="center"**UN**align="center"**Lib**
25
345
425
512
61
72
81
Total91

Results

|- ! colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Political party ! rowspan=2 | Party leader ! colspan=4 | MLAs ! colspan=4 | Votes |- ! Candidates 1939 !1944 !± !# ! ± !% ! ± (pp) |- 1939 includes Joseph-Philias Morin (Champlain), who was elected under the Conservative banner and served only one term |91 |15 |48 |33 |505,661 |285,259 |38.02

1.11
90
69
37
32
523,316
221,934
39.35
14.15
-
80
4
4
191,564

| |14.40 | |- |24 |– |1 |1 |33,986 |31,473 |2.56

2.11
12
16,542

| |1.24 |

-
-
16
1
1
12,766
6,485
0.96
0.03
-
2
1
1

| |8,711 |5,637 |0.65

0.10
7
8,656
7,868
0.65
0.51
-
2
8,355
7,945
0.63
0.56
-
3
7,873
7,714
0.59
0.56
-
3
6,775
6,306
0.51
0.43
-
1
3,015

| |0.23 | |- |1 |– |– |– |2,583 | |0.19 | |- |1 |– |– |– |156 | |0.01 | |- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" | Total | 333 | 86 ! " colspan="2"| 91 ! " colspan="2"| 1,329,959 ! " colspan="2"| 100% |- | 15,552

8,218
1,345,511
774,880
71.98
5.02
-
1,869,396
1,128,265
-
1
}

Vote and seat summaries

|File:Ternary QC1939.svg |1939 |File:Ternary QC1944.svg |1944

Synopsis of results

RidingWinning partyTurnout
including spoilt ballotsVotesAffiliations without candidates gaining 1st or 2nd place results provincewide, or otherwise not receiving more than 1% of the total vote, are grouped under "Other"Name**[1939](1939-quebec-general-election)**PartyVotesShareMargin
#Margin
%UNLibBPCCFUdENatIndI-LibLabLPOtherTotal
Abitibi-Est*New*Lib5,41038.24%1,43410.14%79.76%3,9765,4102,0108891,86214,147
Abitibi-Ouest*New*UN3,72938.82%1,17412.22%86.03%3,7292,5551,4941,8289,606
ArgenteuilLibLib6,08461.84%3,79138.53%77.87%1,4616,0842,2939,838
ArthabaskaLibLib5,51140.80%330.24%86.01%5,4785,5112,51913,508
BagotLibLib3,78147.78%1271.60%83.39%3,6543,7814797,914
BeauceLibBP5,46629.30%1640.88%85.91%5,3025,0995,4662,79018,657
BeauharnoisUNBP7,18645.87%1,2668.08%83.18%5,9202,5607,18615,666
BellechasseLibLib4,76249.72%5455.69%79.16%4,2174,7625999,578
BerthierLibLib5,13849.96%8238.00%85.38%4,3155,13883210,285
BonaventureLibUN6,03145.03%1,54211.51%73.27%6,0311,6511,2234,48913,394
BromeUNUN2,86051.36%65511.76%74.69%2,8602,2055035,568
ChamblyLibLib6,63842.25%1,1107.06%70.11%5,5286,6382,1401,40615,712
ChamplainConUN7,63254.41%2,49417.78%81.92%7,6325,1381,25814,028
Charlevoix—SaguenayLibUN11,17379.17%8,23458.35%59.07%11,1732,93914,112
Châteauguay*New*Lib3,12844.55%83911.95%82.05%2,2893,1281,6047,021
ChicoutimiUNUN17,75250.49%8,90625.33%79.12%17,7528,8466,2562,30735,161
ComptonLibLib4,56649.99%1,72918.93%76.38%2,8374,5661,7309,133
Deux-MontagnesUNUN3,59950.78%1,50921.29%79.15%3,5992,0901,313867,088
DorchesterUNUN6,88752.95%2,21517.03%81.21%6,8874,6721,44713,006
DrummondLibUN6,96542.39%1,97912.04%84.59%6,9654,9864,48116,432
FrontenacLibUN4,59941.95%1,30711.92%86.18%4,5993,2921,6041,4175210,964
Gaspé-NordLibUN3,19847.31%5397.97%89.13%3,1982,6591507536,760
Gaspé-SudUNUN6,09053.64%2,60022.90%79.13%6,0903,4901,77311,353
GatineauLibLib5,47149.27%1,59214.34%72.78%3,8795,47194281311,105
HullLibUN9,05155.49%4,08425.04%76.66%9,0514,9672,29316,311
HuntingdonLibLib2,86554.26%1,11421.10%74.22%1,7512,8656645,280
IbervilleLibUN1,91038.81%4268.66%82.43%1,9101,4849565724,922
Îles-de-la-MadeleineUNUN2,09255.49%41410.98%90.09%2,0921,6783,770
Jacques-CartierLibLib13,34952.04%5,20820.30%66.89%8,14113,3494,16325,653
JolietteUNUN8,65261.83%3,65526.12%82.60%8,6524,99734413,993
Kamouraska*New*Lib5,17552.04%6956.99%77.88%4,4805,1752899,944
L'AssomptionLibUN3,52240.02%3684.18%83.98%3,5223,1542,1248,800
L'IsletLibLib4,83455.14%90210.29%81.25%3,9324,8348,766
LabelleUNUN5,51766.18%3,67844.12%78.83%5,5171,8397961848,336
Lac-Saint-JeanLibLib3,71838.07%1091.12%89.49%3,6093,7181,9444959,766
LavalLibLib11,64235.22%2,5117.60%62.20%7,64811,6429,1314,63233,053
LavioletteLibUN7,45555.04%3,34224.67%79.48%7,4554,1131,78519213,545
LévisLibUN8,10145.94%9215.22%79.79%8,1017,1802,35217,633
LotbinièreNatLib4,47241.74%8127.58%83.46%3,6604,4722,58310,715
MaisonneuveLibUN10,58432.50%510.16%65.05%10,58410,5338,2451,3801,82432,566
MaskinongéLibUN4,47554.98%1,34016.46%85.85%4,4753,1355308,140
MataneUNUN8,68464.07%4,13030.47%85.30%8,6844,55431613,554
MatapédiaLibUN4,97945.14%6786.15%82.20%4,9794,3011,54820111,029
MéganticLibUN9,71357.22%2,45014.43%87.36%9,7137,26316,976
MissisquoiLibLib5,51557.25%3,04431.60%77.26%2,4715,5151,6479,633
MontcalmLibUN3,07945.30%92613.62%81.66%3,0792,1531,5656,797
MontmagnyLibLib4,78155.87%1,00411.73%73.39%3,7774,7818,558
MontmorencyLibLib3,76448.42%1,05213.53%80.89%2,7123,7641681,1307,774
Montréal–Jeanne-ManceLibLib11,66236.45%1,5704.91%64.25%6,85911,66210,0922,89748531,995
Montréal-LaurierLibBP9,54034.62%6472.35%62.08%8,3508,8939,54043833327,554
Montréal-MercierLibLib12,97739.78%1,5664.80%63.23%11,41112,9778,23532,623
Montréal–Notre-Dame-de-GrâceLibLib20,14078.13%17,70968.70%56.62%69920,1401,0702,4311,43725,777
Montréal-OutremontLibLib17,70477.18%15,54067.74%56.32%1,41717,7042,1641,65422,939
Montréal–Saint-HenriLibUN9,56936.34%2881.09%61.13%9,5699,2814,7522,73226,334
Montréal–Saint-JacquesLibUN11,40043.11%1,5045.69%56.06%11,4009,8963,8601,28526,441
Montréal–Saint-LouisLibLib9,75440.72%2,88112.03%60.04%2,8909,7542,4211,2417736,87323,952
Montréal–Sainte-AnneLibLib13,18056.61%8,71137.42%53.68%4,46913,1801,6593,97423,282
Montréal–Sainte-MarieIndUN9,29935.34%1,6076.11%57.94%9,2997,6926,7661,09052194426,312
Montréal-VerdunLibLib8,79336.62%2,75411.47%64.06%2,8998,7933,2636,0393,01524,009
Napierville-Laprairie*New*UN3,66541.47%4154.70%79.39%3,6653,2501,9228,837
NicoletLibUN5,63944.48%7085.58%78.54%5,6394,9312,10712,677
PapineauUNUN8,84260.71%4,77332.77%78.58%8,8424,0691,65414,565
PontiacLibLib3,66748.29%88211.62%71.40%2,7853,6671,1417,593
PortneufLibUN6,48939.04%1,5509.32%80.70%6,4894,8794,93916015616,623
Québec-CentreLibLib8,75552.47%2,81716.88%69.10%5,9388,7551,48729021616,686
Québec-ComtéLibNat6,58734.79%3631.92%79.17%6,1206,2246,58718,931
Québec-EstLibLib7,37031.13%8393.54%74.85%5,7347,3702,8321699866,5315623,678
Québec-OuestLibLib6,00654.35%2,50522.67%69.70%3,5016,0061,36517911,051
Richelieu*New*Lib7,63655.98%4,29231.46%77.73%3,3447,6362,66113,641
RichmondLibUN5,62645.03%2822.26%81.48%5,6265,3441,52512,495
RimouskiLibUN7,43751.73%1,4179.86%79.93%7,4376,02092014,377
Rivière-du-Loup*New*Lib7,06150.37%9016.43%84.20%6,1607,06179714,018
RobervalLibUN6,07142.86%7085.00%85.57%6,0715,3631,5091,22214,165
RouvilleLibUN3,52945.46%170.22%84.13%3,5293,5127227,763
Rouyn-Noranda*New*CCF2,10021.03%2502.50%75.46%1,6431,7531,8502,1001,411141,2159,986
Saint-HyacintheLibUN5,96244.97%9957.50%70.64%5,9624,9671,71661413,259
Saint-Jean*New*UN5,52555.33%1,80418.07%79.91%5,5253,7217399,985
Saint-MauriceLibUN9,93351.86%5,21927.25%82.65%9,9334,3174,71418919,153
Saint-SauveurLibLib8,79645.88%1,5908.29%79.02%7,2068,7961,1891721,81019,173
SheffordLibUN6,47342.85%1,2978.59%80.97%6,4735,1762,91654115,106
SherbrookeUNUN10,55952.03%3,64917.98%74.64%10,5596,9102,82520,294
StansteadLibBP3,52229.16%4043.34%75.40%3,1182,7853,5225532,10012,078
TémiscamingueLibUN2,22534.50%3355.19%80.35%2,2251,8901,4868486,449
TémiscouataLibUN4,32648.88%7348.29%83.40%4,3263,5929338,851
TerrebonneLibUN11,47149.16%1,0404.46%82.65%11,47110,4311,43223,334
Trois-RivièresUNUN12,57666.74%7,25838.52%80.41%12,5765,31895018,844
Vaudreuil-SoulangesLibLib4,71446.00%3513.43%79.46%4,3634,7141,17010,247
Verchères*New*Lib4,03662.78%2,20334.27%76.97%1,8334,0365606,429
Westmount–Saint-GeorgesLibLib14,27175.74%12,34065.49%45.27%1,29614,2711,9311,34418,842
WolfeLibUN3,47846.74%610.82%88.07%3,4783,4175467,441
YamaskaUNUN4,16662.93%2,20133.25%77.43%4,1661,9654896,620

: = open seat : = turnout is above provincial average : = winning candidate was in previous Legislature : = incumbent had switched allegiance : = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature : = incumbency arose from byelection gain : = previously incumbent in another riding : = other incumbents renominated : = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada : = multiple candidates

Effect of redistribution

The reorganized ridings returned the following MLAs:

19391944RidingPartyRidingParty
TémiscamingueTémiscamingue
Rouyn-Noranda
Châteauguay
Napierville-Laprairie
Saint-Jean
AbitibiAbitibi-Est
Abitibi-Ouest
Kamouraska–Rivière-du-LoupKamouraska
Rivière-du-Loup
Richelieu-VerchèresRichelieu
Verchères

Analysis

Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotalUNLibBPCCFIndI-LibLabLP
4421148
28431137
314
11
11
Total314673111191
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5thTotal
483182291
3746790
4760980
13213423
112
135413
1124
112
112
27312
1113
11
11
11
SourcePartyTotal
align="center"**UN**align="center"**Lib**align="center"**BP**
Seats retainedIncumbents returned13
Open seats held16
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated - by previous incumbent10
Incumbents defeated - by new MLAs6
Open seats gained - previous incumbents returned7
Open seats gained - new MLAs71
Byelection gains held1
Incumbent switched riding
New ridingsIncumbent returned in new seat1
Previous member of Legislature reelected1
MP migrated from Parliament of Canada1
New MLA elected13
**Total**4837

References

References

  1. {{Cite canlaw. (1940)
  2. {{Cite canlaw. (1918)
  3. "Biography - DUPLESSIS, MAURICE LE NOBLET".
  4. Knowles, Valerie ''Strangers at Our Gates: Canadian Immigration and Immigration Policy, 1540-2006'', Toronto: Dundun Press, 2007 page 149.
  5. Abella, Irving & Troper, Harold ''None is too many: Canada and the Jews of Europe, 1933-1948'', Toronto: L & O Denny, 1986 page 162.
  6. Black, Conrad ''Duplesisis'', Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1977 page 719
  7. {{Cite canlaw. (1944)
  8. Drouilly, Pierre. (December 4, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1944". Atlas des élections au Québec.
  9. . ["Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription"](https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/patrimoine/depcir/index.html). *[[National Assembly of Quebec]]*.
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