New Westminster (federal electoral district)

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New Westminster
British Columbia electoral district
Boundaries at abolition
Defunct federal electoral district
LegislatureHouse of Commons
District created1871
District abolished1979
First contested1872
Last contested1974

New Westminster was a federal electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1871 to 1979.

This riding was created in 1871 as New Westminster District when British Columbia joined Confederation and filled by special byelection. It was renamed "New Westminster" in 1872. The riding was abolished in 1976, when it was redistributed into the ridings of New Westminster—Coquitlam and Burnaby.

History[edit]

Originally, this riding covered the entirety of the Lower Mainland, there being no other riding in the area (Vancouver riding was Vancouver Island, not the present city of Vancouver). Once the City of Vancouver and its suburbs the municipalities of Point Grey and South Vancouver were chartered, those areas were excluded from the New Westminster riding (1903) but the riding continued to include Richmond, Delta and all the Fraser Valley communities up the river to one mile beyond Yale. In 1914, the riding consisted of New Westminster, Richmond and Delta - the Surrey-Langley area had become part of the Fraser Valley riding. In a further redistribution in 1924, the riding was shrunk to all areas south of the Fraser River west of and including the Township of Langley, plus the city of New Westminster and the City of Burnaby. As population in the Lower Mainland continued to grow, the 1933 redistribution transferred northern Burnaby to Vancouver North. In 1947, the rest of Burnaby and Richmond were removed and became Burnaby-Richmond, and New Westminster riding consisted of New Westminster, Surrey, Delta and Langley.

The 1966 redistribution, which combined northern Burnaby into North Vancouver-Seymour, New Westminster riding extended as far into Burnaby as Grandview Highway and Edmonds Avenue, including Burnaby Mountain and the areas of Coquitlam west of Laurentian Avenue. At the time this included the then-municipality of Fraser Mills adjoining the francophone community at Maillardville. Langley, Surrey and Delta were excluded from the riding.

The riding was abolished in 1976. Successor ridings were Burnaby and New Westminster—Coquitlam.

Historical boundaries[edit]

Members of Parliament[edit]

Parliament Years Member Party
Riding created from New Westminster District
2nd  1872–1874     Hugh Nelson Liberal–Conservative
3rd  1874–1878     James Cunningham Liberal
 1878–1878     Thomas Robert McInnes Independent
4th  1878–1882
 1882–1882     Joshua Homer Liberal–Conservative
5th  1882–1887
6th  1887–1890†     Donald Chisholm Conservative
 1890–1891     Gordon Edward Corbould Conservative
7th  1891–1896
8th  1896–1900     Aulay MacAulay Morrison Liberal
9th  1900–1904
10th  1904–1908     James Buckham Kennedy Liberal
11th  1908–1911     James Davis Taylor Conservative
12th  1911–1917
13th  1917–1921     William Garland McQuarrie Government (Unionist)
14th  1921–1925     Conservative
15th  1925–1930
16th  1930–1935     Thomas Reid Liberal
17th  1935–1940
18th  1940–1945
19th  1945–1949
20th  1949–1949
 1949–1953     William Mott Liberal
21st  1953–1957     George Hahn Social Credit
22nd  1957–1958
23rd  1958–1962     William McLennan Progressive Conservative
24th  1962–1963     Barry Mather New Democratic
25th  1963–1965
26th  1965–1968
27th  1968–1972     Douglas Hogarth Liberal
28th  1972–1974     Stuart Leggatt New Democratic
29th  1974–1979
Riding dissolved into New Westminster—Coquitlam and Burnaby

Electoral history[edit]

1974 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Stuart Leggatt 15,397 32.85 -8.75
Progressive Conservative Marg Gregory 15,193 32.42 +0.46
Liberal Carl Miller 14,997 32.00 +6.51
Social Credit Ted Adlem 926 1.98 -0.13
Communist Rod Doran 190 0.41 -0.01
Independent Selmer E. Bean 96 0.20
Marxist–Leninist Leanne Averbach 68 0.15
Total valid votes 46,867 100.0  
New Democratic hold Swing -4.60
1972 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Stuart Leggatt 19,181 41.60 +1.86
Progressive Conservative Maurice Mulligan 14,739 31.96 +20.24
Liberal Greg Basham 10,992 25.49 -19.03
Social Credit Ted Adlem 971 2.11 -1.29
No affiliation Rod Doran 192 0.42
No affiliation Victor Reid 36 0.08
Total valid votes 46,111 100.0  
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing -9.19
1968 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Douglas Hogarth 18,083 44.52 +20.30
New Democratic Clive B. Lytle 16,144 39.74 -3.83
Progressive Conservative Frederick Young Craig 4,761 11.72 -3.96
Social Credit Grayden B. McRae 1,382 3.40 -13.12
Communist Robert C. McLaren 251 0.62
Total valid votes 40,621 100.0  
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +12.06
1965 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Barry Mather 27,574 43.57 +6.61
Liberal Chris Brown 15,330 24.22 -2.53
Social Credit Joe Unwin 10,458 16.52 +1.99
Progressive Conservative Walter C. MacDonald 9,925 15.68 -6.09
Total valid votes 63,287 100.0  
New Democratic hold Swing +4.57
1963 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Barry Mather 23,609 36.96 -2.22
Liberal F.H. Jackson 17,086 26.75 +3.97
Progressive Conservative W.A. McLennan 13,908 21.77 -0.12
Social Credit Jack Burrows 9,280 14.53 -1.62
Total valid votes 63,883 100.0  
New Democratic hold Swing -3.10
1962 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Barry Mather 23,827 39.18 +15.39
Liberal F.H. Jackson 13,855 22.78 +13.81
Progressive Conservative William A. McLennan 13,311 21.89 -19.83
Social Credit Myrtle Everett 9,822 16.15 -5.27
Total valid votes 60,815 100.0  
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +0.79
Change for the New Democrats is based on the results of the Co-operative Commonwealth in the previous election.
1958 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative William A. McLennan 21,202 41.72 +20.39
Co-operative Commonwealth Douglas Stout 13,220 26.01 +2.22
Social Credit Frederick George Hahn 10,886 21.42 -14.05
Liberal Alex Stewart 4,559 8.97 -9.13
Labor–Progressive Charles M. Stewart 958 1.88
Total valid votes 40,825 100.0  
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing +9.08
1957 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Frederick George Hahn 16,916 35.47 +4.47
Co-operative Commonwealth W. Jack Jones 11,344 23.79 -3.64
Progressive Conservative Ted Kuhn 10,172 21.33 +12.46
Liberal Hugh McGivern 8,632 18.10 -12.80
Canadian Democrat Gerry Goeujon 628 1.32
Total valid votes 47,692 100.0  
Social Credit hold Swing +4.06
1953 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Frederick George Hahn 10,770 31.00
Liberal William Malcolm Mott 10,735 30.90 -4.31
Co-operative Commonwealth Ron Irvine 9,258 27.43 +4.15
Progressive Conservative William McFerran Adrain 3,083 8.87 -3.51
Labor–Progressive Leo Albert Brady 896 2.58 +0.01
Total valid votes 34,742 100.0  
Social Credit gain from Liberal Swing +17.66
Canadian federal by-election, 24 October 1949
On Thomas Reid being called to the Senate, 7 September 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Malcolm Mott 8,727 35.21 -7.21
Independent Elmore Philpott 6,583 26.56
Co-operative Commonwealth Ronald William Irvine 5,769 23.28 -5.17
Progressive Conservative Leslie James Christmas 3,068 12.38 -13.06
Labor–Progressive Maurice Rush 637 2.57
Total valid votes 24,784 100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -16.88
1949 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 13,904 42.42 +8.62
Co-operative Commonwealth Ronald William Irvine 9,326 28.45 -0.75
Progressive Conservative Leslie James Christmas 8,338 25.44 -1.14
Social Credit William Cameron McCallum 1,207 3.68 +0.33
Total valid votes 32,775 100.0  
Liberal hold Swing +4.68


1945 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 14,158 33.80 −10.52
Co-operative Commonwealth Albert Thomas Alsbury 12,229 29.20 +0.68
Progressive Conservative George Oswald Twiss 11,133 26.58 −0.59
Liberal–Progressive Harold John Griffin 2,640 6.30
Social Credit George Anderson Pollock 1,403 3.35
Democratic Spencer Herbert Broatch 315 0.75
Total valid votes 41,878 100.00  
Liberal hold Swing −5.60
1940 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 15,287 44.32 +7.47
Co-operative Commonwealth Albert Thomas Alsbury 9,837 28.52 -7.37
National Government Thomas Robert Selkirk 9,372 27.17 +3.05
Total valid votes 34,496 100.0  
Liberal hold Swing +7.42
1935 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 9,977 36.85 -19.01
Co-operative Commonwealth Edwin Henry Baker 9,716 35.89
Conservative John Hanna Nicholls Morgan 6,531 24.12 -20.02
Reconstruction Charles Frederick Millar 850 3.14
Total valid votes 27,074 100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -27.45
1930 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Reid 13,293 55.86 +16.97
Conservative William Garland McQuarrie 10,502 44.14 +1.36
Total valid votes 23,795 100.00  
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +7.80
1925 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Garland McQuarrie 7,714 42.78 -0.68
Liberal Arthur Wellesley Gray 7,013 38.89 +11.47
Labour Rose Mary Louise Henderson 3,305 18.33 -10.79
Total valid votes 18,032 100.0  
Conservative hold Swing -6.08
1921 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Garland McQuarrie 5,520 43.46 -28.46
Labour Richard Parmater Pettipiece 3,699 29.12
Liberal John Reid 3,482 27.42 -0.66
Total valid votes 12,701 100.0  
Conservative hold Swing -28.79


1917 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Government (Unionist) William Garland McQuarrie 7,380 71.92 +6.22
Opposition (Laurier Liberals) Duncan Alexander McRae 2,882 28.08 −6.22
Total valid votes 10,262 100.00  
Government (Unionist) hold Swing +6.22
1911 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Davis Taylor 3,542 65.70 +7.21
Liberal John Oliver 1,849 34.30 -7.21
Total valid votes 5,391 100.0  
Conservative hold Swing +7.21
1908 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Davis Taylor 2,846 58.49 +9.92
Liberal Robert Jardine 2,020 41.51 -9.92
Total valid votes 4,866 100.0  
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +9.92
1904 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Buckham Kennedy 1,866 51.43 -0.70
Conservative James Davis Taylor 1,762 48.57 +0.70
Total valid votes 3,628 100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -0.70
1900 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Aulay MacAulay Morrison 1,772 52.13 -2.50
Conservative Edgar Dewdney 1,627 47.87 +2.50
Total valid votes 3,399 100.0  
Liberal hold Swing -2.50
1896 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Aulay MacAulay Morrison 1,758 54.63 +30.73
Conservative Richard McBride 1,460 45.37 -30.73
Total valid votes 3,218 100.0  
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +30.73
1891 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative G.E. Corbould 1,694 76.10
Liberal E.S. Scoullor 532 23.90
Total valid votes 2,226 100.0  
Canadian federal by-election, 19 June 1890
On the death of Donald Chisholm, 5 April 1890
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative Gordon Edward Corbould acclaimed
1887 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Donald Chisholm 533 69.13
Conservative T.J. Trapp 238 30.87
Total valid votes 771 100.0  
1882 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal–Conservative J.A.R. Homer acclaimed
Canadian federal by-election, 9 March 1882
On the resignation of Thomas Robert McInnes, 12 December 1881
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal–Conservative J.A.R. Homer acclaimed
1878 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Thomas Robert McInnes 388 56.48
Unknown James Robinson 299 43.52
Total valid votes 687 100.0  
Canadian federal by-election, 25 March 1878
On the resignation of James Cunningham, 22 January 1878
Party Candidate Votes
Independent Thomas Robert McInnes acclaimed
1874 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal James Cunningham 162 53.29
Liberal–Conservative J.A.R. Homer 142 46.71
Total valid votes 304 100.0  
1872 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal–Conservative Hugh Nelson acclaimed

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]