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Women Candidates
Canadian Federal Elections, 1921-2011

2011 - Women as % of 308 MPs Elected: 24.7% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 452 76 16.8%
New Democratic Party 123 40 16.8 %
Green Party 101 1 1.0 %
Liberal Party 90 6 6.7 %
Conservative Party of Canada 68 28 41.2 %
Marxist-Leninist Party 23 0 0 %
Bloc Québécois 23 1 4.3 %
Animal Alliance Env Voters 6 0 0 %
Christian Heritage Party 4 0 0 %
Communist Party of Canada 4 0 0 %
Libertarian Party of Canada 3 0 0 %
Rhinoceros 3 0 0 %
Canadian Action Party 2 0 0 %
Independent/No Affiliation 1 0 0 %
First Nations Peoples Party 0 0 0 %
Marijuana Party 0 0 0 %
Pirate Party 0 0 0 %
Progressive Canadian 0 0 0 %
United Party 0 0 0 %
Western Block 0 0 0 %

 
2008 - Women as % of 308 MPs Elected: 22.4% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 445 69 15.5 %
Liberal Party 113 19 16.8 %
New Democratic Party 104 12 11.5 %
Green Party of Canada 90 0 0 %
Conservative Party of Canada 63 23 36.5 %
Marxist-Leninist Party 21 0 0 %
Bloc Québécois 20 15 75.0 %
Independent 8 0 0 %
Christian Heritage Party of Canada 6 0 0 %
Communist Party of Canada 6 0 0 %
Libertarian Party of Canada 5 0 0 %
Animal Alliance Environment Voters  3 0 0 %
First Peoples National Party 2 0 0 %
neorhino.ca 1 0 0 %
Western Block Party 1 0 0 %
Work Less Party 1 0 0 %

 
2006 - Women as % of 308 MPs Elected: 20.8% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 380 64 16.8 %
New Democratic 108 12 11.1 %
Liberal 79 21 26.6 %
Green 72 0 0 %
Conservative 38 14 36.8 %
Marxist-Leninist 24 0 0 %
Bloc Québécois 23 17 73.9 %
Canadian Action 8 0 0 %
Christian Heritage 8 0 0 %
Communist 7 0 0 %
Independent 7 0 0 %
Animal Alliance Environment Voters 1 0 0 %
Libertarian 1 0 0 %
Marijuana 1 0 0 %
No Affiliation 1 0 0 %
Progressive Canadian 1 0 0 %
Western Block 1 0 0 %

 
2004 - Women as % of 308 MPs Elected: 21.1% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 391 65 16.62 %
New Democratic 96 5 5.20 %
Green  of Canada 78 0 0 %
Liberal 75 34 60 %
Conservative 36 12 33.33 %
Marxist-Leninist 28 0 0 %
Bloc Québécois 18 14 77.77 %
Communist  of Canada 11 0 0 %
Marijuana 9 0 0 %
Independent 7 0 0 %
Libertarian 2 0 0 %
No affiliation 2 0 0 %
Progressive Canadian 2 0 0 %

 
       
2000 - Women as % of 301 MPs Elected: 20.6% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 373 62 16.62 %
New Democratic 88 5 5.68 %
Liberal 65 39 60 %
Progressive Conservative 39 1 2.56 %
Canadian Alliance 32 7 21.87 %
Marxist-Leninist 30 0 0 %
Natural Law  of Canada 25 0 0 %
Green  of Canada 21 0 0 %
Bloc Québécois 18 10 55.55 %
Canadian Action 17 0 0 %
Marijuana 12 0 0 %
No affiliation 11 0 0 %
Communist  of Canada 10 0 0 %
Independent 5 0 0 %

 
1997 - Women as % of 301 MPs Elected: 20.6% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 408 62 15.19 %
New Democratic 107 8 7.47 %
Liberal 84 37 44.04 %
Progressive Conservative 56 2 3.57 %
Natural Law  of Canada 38 0 0 %
Marxist-Leninist 28 0 0 %
Green  of Canada 27 0 0 %
Reform  of Canada 23 4 17.39 %
Bloc Québécois 16 11 68.75 %
Canadian Action 13 0 0 %
Christian Heritage  of Canada 6 0 0 %
Independent 5 0 0 %
No affiliation 5 0 0 %

 
1993 - Women as % of 295 MPs Elected: 18.0% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 476 53 11.13 %
New Democratic 113 1 0.88 %
Progressive Conservative 67 1 1.49 %
Liberal 64 36 56.25 %
Natural Law  of Canada 57 0 0 %
National  of Canada 35 0 0 %
Abolitionist  of Canada 24 0 0 %
Reform  of Canada 23 7 30.43 %
No affiliation 23 0 0 %
Marxist-Leninist 17 0 0 %
Green  of Canada 16 0 0 %
 for the Commonwealth of Canada 11 0 0 %
Bloc Québécois 10 8 80 %
Canada 5 0 0 %
Christian Heritage  of Canada 5 0 0 %
Libertarian  of Canada 5 0 0 %
Independent 1 0 0 %

 
1988 - Women as % of 295 MPs Elected: 13.2% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 302 39 12.91 %
New Democratic 84 5 5.95 %
Liberal 53 13 24.52 %
Progressive Conservative 37 21 56.75 %
No affiliation 32 0 0 %
Communist  of Canada 20 0 0 %
Green  of Canada 15 0 0 %
Parti Rhinocéros 14 0 0 %
Libertarian  of Canada 13 0 0 %
 for the Commonwealth of Canada 11 0 0 %
Reform  of Canada 8 0 0 %
Christian Heritage  of Canada 6 0 0 %
Confederation of Regions Western 4 0 0 %
Independent 4 0 0 %
Social Credit  of Canada 1 0 0 %

 
1984 - Women as % of 282 MPs Elected: 9.6% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 214 27 12.61 %
New Democratic 64 3 4.68 %
Liberal 44 5 11.36 %
Progressive Conservative 23 19 82.60 %
Communist  of Canada 14 0 0 %
Parti Rhinocéros 13 0 0 %
Green  of Canada 11 0 0 %
Parti Nationaliste du Québec 11 0 0 %
Confederation of Regions Western 8 0 0 %
Independent 8 0 0 %
Libertarian  of Canada 6 0 0 %
Social Credit  of Canada 6 0 0 %
 for the Commonwealth of Canada 4 0 0 %
No affiliation 2 0 0 %

 
1980 - Women as % of 282 MPs Elected: 5.0% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 218 14 6.42 %
Marxist-Leninist 62 0 0 %
New Democratic 33 2 6.06 %
Liberal 23 10 43.47 %
Union Populaire 21 0 0 %
Progressive Conservative 14 2 14.28 %
No affiliation 14 0 0 %
Libertarian  of Canada 11 0 0 %
Parti Rhinocéros 11 0 0 %
Social Credit  of Canada 11 0 0 %
Communist  of Canada 10 0 0 %
Independent 8 0 0 %

 
1979 - Women as % of 282 MPs Elected: 3.5% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 195 10 5.12 %
Marxist-Leninist 48 0 0 %
New Democratic 47 2 4.25 %
Liberal 21 6 28.57 %
Communist  of Canada 19 0 0 %
Progressive Conservative 14 2 14.28 %
Parti Rhinocéros 14 0 0 %
Libertarian  of Canada 10 0 0 %
Union Populaire 10 0 0 %
Social Credit  of Canada 7 0 0 %
Independent 4 0 0 %
No affiliation 1 0 0 %

 
1974 - Women as % of 301 MPs Elected: 2.9% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 137 9 6.56 %
New Democratic 42 0 0 %
Marxist-Leninist 28 0 0 %
Liberal 20 8 40 %
Communist  of Canada 19 0 0 %
Progressive Conservative 11 1 9.09 %
Social Credit  of Canada 8 0 0 %
Independent 6 0 0 %
No affiliation 3 0 0 %

 
1972 - Women as % of 264 MPs Elected: 1.9% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 71 5 7.04 %
New Democratic 28 1 3.57 %
No affiliation 18 0 0 %
Liberal 10 3 30 %
Progressive Conservative 6 1 16.66 %
Social Credit  of Canada 5 0 0 %
Independent 4 0 0 %

 
1968 - Women as % of 264 MPs Elected: 0.4% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 36 1 2.77 %
New Democratic 21 1 4.76 %
Progressive Conservative 6 0 0 %
Communist  of Canada 2 0 0 %
Ralliement Créditiste 2 0 0 %
Social Credit  of Canada 2 0 0 %
Independent 1 0 0 %
Independent Progressive Conservative 1 0 0 %
Liberal 1 0 0 %

 
1965 - Women as % of 265 MPs Elected: 1.5% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 37 4 10.81 %
New Democratic 16 1 6.25 %
Liberal 8 2 25 %
Progressive Conservative 8 1 12.5 %
Social Credit  of Canada 3 0 0 %
Communist  of Canada 1 0 0 %
Independent Liberal 1 0 0 %

 
1963 - Women as % of 265 MPs Elected: 1.5% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 40 4 10 %
New Democratic 13 0 0 %
Progressive Conservative 12 1 8.33 %
Liberal 6 3 50 %
Social Credit  of Canada 6 0 0 %
Independent 2 0 0 %
Communist  of Canada 1 0 0 %

 
1962 - Women as % of 265 MPs Elected: 1.9% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 26 5 19.23 %
Progressive Conservative 7 3 42.85 %
New Democratic 7 0 0 %
Liberal 6 2 33.33 %
Social Credit  of Canada 4 0 0 %
Communist  of Canada 1 0 0 %
Independent 1 0 0 %

 
1958 - Women as % of 265 MPs Elected: 0.8% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 21 2 9.52 %
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 8 0 0 %
Liberal 8 0 0 %
Progressive Conservative 3 2 66.66 %
Social Credit  of Canada 2 0 0 %

 
1957 - Women as % of 265 MPs Elected: 0.8% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 29 2 6.89 %
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 13 0 0 %
Progressive Conservative 5 2 40 %
Social Credit  of Canada 5 0 0 %
Liberal 4 0 0 %
Independent Liberal 1 0 0 %
Labour Progressive 1 0 0 %

 
1953 - Women as % of 265 MPs Elected: 1.5% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 47 4 8.51 %
Labour Progressive 22 0 0 %
Progressive Conservative 10 3 30 %
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 10 0 0 %
Liberal 3 1 33.33 %
Independent Liberal 1 0 0 %
Social Credit  of Canada 1 0 0 %

 
1949 - Women as % of 262 MPs Elected: 0% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 11 0 0 %
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 5 0 0 %
Progressive Conservative 3 0 0 %
Union of Electors 2 0 0 %
Liberal 1 0 0 %

 
1945 - Women as % of 245 MPs Elected: 0.4% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 19 1 5.26 %
Labour Progressive 8 0 0 %
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 6 1 16.66 %
Progressive Conservative 2 0 0 %
Social Credit  of Canada 2 0 0 %
Liberal 1 0 0 %

 
1940 - Women as % of 245 MPs Elected: 0.4% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 9 1 11.11 %
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 5 0 0 %
Unity 1 1 100 %
Independent 1 0 0 %
New Democracy 1 0 0 %
United Farmers of Ontario-Labour 1 0 0 %

 
1935 - Women as % of 245 MPs Elected: 0.8% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 16 2 12.5 %
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 7 0 0 %
Reconstruction 5 0 0 %
Independent Conservative 1 1 100 %
United Farmers of Ontario-Labour 1 1 100 %
Independent 1 0 0 %
Liberal 1 0 0 %

 
1930 - Women as % of 245 MPs Elected: 0.4% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 10 1 10 %
Liberal 3 0 0 %
Farmer 2 0 0 %
Independent 2 0 0 %
Progressive 1 1 100 %
Independent Conservative 1 0 0 %
Labour 1 0 0 %

 
1926 - Women as % of 245 MPs Elected: 0.4% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 2 1 50 %
Progressive 1 1 100 %
Liberal 1 0 0 %

 
1925 - Women as % of 245 MPs Elected: 0.4% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 4 1 25 %
Progressive 1 1 100 %
Independent 1 0 0 %
Independent Conservative 1 0 0 %
Labour 1 0 0 %

 
1921 - Women as % of 235 MPs Elected: 0.4% Women
Candidates
Elected Percentage Elected
Total 4 1 25 %
Labour 2 0 0 %
Progressive 1 1 100 %
Liberal 1 0 0 %
 

Source: 1921-2008: Library of Parliament; the 2011 tables are calculated from Election Canada data available at:http://enr.elections.ca/DownloadResults.aspx and 2011 Voter Information Service. (The late John Wilson noted to me that the Library of Parliament mistakenly recorded 11 women candidates in the 1949 election when there were in fact 15; however, I have not been able to verify this).

 

 

I welcome any feedback and suggestions for fresh material to add to this site -

Andrew Heard
Political Science Department  --  Simon Fraser university