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National referenda are seldom used in Canada, and have tended to be disasters. The first two saw voters in Québec and the rest of Canada take dramatically opposing stands, the third saw most of the voters take a stand dramatically opposed to that of the politicians in power.
National Referendum on Prohibition Results of the National Referendum on Prohibition (September 29, 1898) | Province | For Prohibition | Percent For | Against Prohibition | Percent Against | | Ontario | 154,498 | 57.3 | 115,284 | 42.7 | | Quebec | 28,436 | 18.8 | 122,760 | 81.2 | | Nova Scotia | 34,368 | 87.2 | 5,370 | 12.8 | | New Brunswick | 26,919 | 72.2 | 9,575 | 27.7 | | P. E. I. | 9,461 | 89.2 | 1,146 | 10.8 | | Manitoba | 12,419 | 80.6 | 2,978 | 19.4 | | British Columbia | 5,731 | 54.6 | 4,756 | 45.4 | | Saskatchewan and Alberta | 6,238 | 68.8 | 2,824 | 31.2 | | All of Canada | 278,380 | 51.2 | 264,693 | 48.8 |
National Plebiscite on Conscription Results of the 1942 National Plebiscite on Conscription. The Plebiscite Question: - Are you in favour of releasing the Government from any obligations arising out of any past commitments restricting the methods of raising men for military service?
The plebiscite was held on April 27, 1942 (see also: Conscription Crisis of 1944)
| | Province | Voted Yes | Percent Yes | Voted No | Percent No | | Prince Edward Island | 23,568 | 82.9 | 4,869 | 17.1 | | Nova Scotia | 120,763 | 77.1 | 35,840 | 22.1 | | New Brunswick | 105,629 | 69.8 | 45,743 | 30.2 | | Quebec | 375,650 | 27.9 | 971,925 | 72.1 | | Ontario | 1,202,953 | 84.0 | 229,847 | 16.0 | | Manitoba | 218,093 | 80.3 | 53,651 | 19.7 | | Saskatchewan | 183,617 | 73.1 | 67,654 | 26.9 | | Alberta | 186,624 | 71.1 | 75,880 | 28.9 | | British Columbia | 253,844 | 80.4 | 62,033 | 19.6 | | Yukon | 847 | 74.4 | 291 | 25.6 | | Total civilian vote | 2,670,088 | 63.3 | 1,547,724 | 36.7 | | Military vote | 251,118 | 80.5 | 60,885 | 19.5 | | Total | 2,921,206 | 64.5 | 1,608,609 | 35.5 |
National Referendum on the Charlottetown Accord National Referendum on the Charlottetown Accord (October 26, 1992) | Province | Voted Yes | % of Yes Votes | Voted No | % of No Votes | | Newfoundland | 133,193 | 63.1 | 77,881 | 36.9 | | P.E.I. | 48,687 | 74.0 | 17,124 | 26.0 | | Nova Scotia | 218,618 | 48.7 | 230,182 | 51.3 | | New Brunswick | 234,010 | 61.7 | 145,096 | 38.3 | | Quebec | 1,710,117 | 43.4 | 2,232,280 | 56.6 | | Ontario | 2,410,119 | 50.1 | 2,397,665 | 49.9 | | Manitoba | 198,230 | 38.0 | 322,971 | 62.0 | | Saskatchewan | 203,361 | 44.6 | 252,459 | 55.4 | | Alberta | 483,275 | 39.8 | 731,975 | 60.2 | | British Columbia | 525,188 | 31.8 | 1,126,761 | 68.2 | | Yukon | 5,354 | 43.6 | 6,922 | 56.4 | | N. W. T. | 14,750 | 61.0 | 9,416 | 39.0 | | Total Canada | 6,185,902 | 45.0 | 7,550,732 | 55.0 |
Proposed Referenda During the Canadian Federal election of 2004, the NDP stated that it would require the federal government to hold a national referendum on electoral reform (specifically Proportional Representation) for support from the NDP should the Liberals win a minority government. The Liberals won a minority, and the NDP announced they would press for electoral reform through a referendum (the two other parties in the House of Commons, the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois, have historically supported electoral reform and are expected to support NDP legislation on a national referendum). The possibility of a national referendum on electoral reform was made more likely through the throne speech that opened Parliament in October, 2004,in which Prime Minister Paul Martin included electoral reform in his plan for the next Parliament.
There has been discussion on a national referendum over the issue of same-sex marriage, which is a highly divisive issue in Canada (and most other countries), it has been suggested by Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and some Conservatives and Liberal backbenchers, however it is unlikely to take place.
Provincial Referenda The provinces of Canada have held a variety of referenda on various issues over the years. The best known are the two Quebec referenda on sovereignty. Recently, in 2004, Nova Scotia held a referendum on whether to allow "Sunday shopping" and British Columbia will hold a referedum on electoral reform in 2005. |
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