1908 Ontario general election
1908 Ontario general election
The 1908 Ontario general election was the 12th general election held in the Province of Ontario , Canada. It was held on June 8, 1908, to elect the 106 Members of the 12th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs").[ 1]
The Ontario Conservative Party , led by Sir James P. Whitney , was elected for a second term in government, increasing its majority in the Legislature significantly.
The Ontario Liberal Party , led by Alexander Grant MacKay , continued to lose seats.
Allan Studholme became the province's first Labour MLA as the result of a 1906 Hamilton East by-election . He was re-elected in the 1908 general election and would remain in the legislature until his death in 1919.
The four Toronto districts each elected two members in this election. Each seat was contested separately, with each voter in the district allowed to vote for a candidate in each contest.
Expansion of the Legislative Assembly
The number of electoral districts was increased from 97 to 102, under an Act passed in 1902, returning a total of 106 MLAs.[ 2] The following electoral changes were made:
Electoral system
The eight Toronto MPPs were elected in two-seat districts. Plurality block voting was used in these districts.
The other 94 MPPs were elected through First-past-the-post voting in single-member districts.
Results
Elections to the 12th Parliament of Ontario (1908)[ 1]
Political party
Party leader
MLAs
Votes
Candidates
1905
1908
±
#
±
%
± (pp)
Conservative
James P. Whitney
105
69
86
17
246,324
8,712
54.68%
1.31
Liberal
Alexander Grant MacKay
90
28
19
9
177,719
20,876
39.45%
5.16
Labour
8
–
1
1
7,555
7,555
1.68%
New
Independent Liberal
2
1
–
1
1,470
3,892
0.33%
0.87
Independent Conservative
6
–
–
–
7,977
7,882
1.77%
1.75
Socialist
13
–
–
–
3,129
1,856
0.69%
0.40
Independent
6
–
–
–
3,091
2,991
0.69%
0.67
Prohibitionist
1
–
–
–
2,187
281
0.49%
0.06
Liberal-Temperance
1
–
–
–
1,017
1,017
0.23%
New
Total
232
98
106
450,469
100.00%
Voter turnout
457,209
10,006
73.42
0.54
Registered electors
622,751
18,085
Acclamations
█ Conservative
6
Seats and popular vote by party
Party
Seats
Votes
Change (pp)
Conservative
1.31
1.31
Liberal
-5.16
Labour
1.68
1.68
Other
2.17
2.17
Synopsis of results
Results by riding - 1908 Ontario general election[ 1]
Riding
Winning party
Turnout
Votes
Name[ a 1]
1905
Party
Votes
Share
Margin #
Margin %
Con
Lib
Lab
I-Con
I-Lib
Soc
Proh
L-Tmp
Ind
Total
Addington
Con
Con
acclaimed
Algoma
Con
Con
2,134
60.95%
767
21.91%
80.70%
2,134
1,367
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,501
Brant North
Con
Con
1,850
54.69%
317
9.37%
89.15%
1,850
1,533
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,383
Brant South
Lib
Con
2,815
51.83%
199
3.66%
86.91%
2,815
2,616
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,431
Brockville
Lib
Con
2,195
56.59%
511
13.17%
85.09%
2,195
1,684
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,879
Bruce Centre
Con
Con
1,940
55.05%
356
10.10%
88.48%
1,940
1,584
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,524
Bruce North
Lib
Lib
2,282
53.99%
337
7.97%
80.85%
1,945
2,282
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,227
Bruce South
Con
Lib
1,774
51.39%
96
2.78%
86.02%
1,678
1,774
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,452
Carleton
Con
Con
1,352
62.22%
531
24.44%
51.67%
1,352
821
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,173
Dufferin
Con
Con
2,229
50.48%
42
0.95%
84.37%
2,229
–
–
–
–
–
2,187
–
–
4,416
Dundas
Con
Con
2,260
62.67%
914
25.35%
75.78%
2,260
1,346
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,606
Durham East
Con
Con
acclaimed
Durham West
Con
Con
1,575
51.04%
64
2.07%
85.30%
1,575
1,511
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,086
Elgin East
Con
Con
2,289
56.09%
497
12.18%
86.70%
2,289
1,792
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,081
Elgin West
Con
Con
3,347
55.00%
609
10.01%
76.88%
3,347
2,738
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
6,085
Essex North
Con
Con
2,988
63.63%
1,280
27.26%
51.74%
2,988
1,708
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,696
Essex South
Lib
Con
2,618
50.76%
78
1.51%
83.62%
2,618
2,540
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,158
Fort William
New
Con
1,317
61.06%
477
22.11%
67.38%
1,317
840
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,157
Frontenac
Con
Con
1,576
53.05%
181
6.09%
67.46%
1,576
1,395
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,971
Glengarry
Lib
Con
2,170
53.07%
251
6.14%
77.41%
2,170
1,919
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,089
Grenville
Con
Con
1,923
50.30%
23
0.60%
75.72%
1,923
–
–
1,900
–
–
–
–
–
3,823
Grey Centre
Con
Con
2,253
64.54%
1,015
29.07%
62.54%
2,253
1,238
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,491
Grey North
Lib
Lib
3,026
50.59%
71
1.19%
70.93%
2,955
3,026
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,981
Grey South
Con
Con
2,187
53.04%
251
6.09%
73.16%
2,187
1,936
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,123
Haldimand
Lib
Lib
1,977
54.81%
347
9.62%
96.22%
1,630
1,977
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,607
Halton
Con
Con
2,449
53.86%
351
7.72%
86.86%
2,449
2,098
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,547
Hamilton East
Con
Lab
2,717
40.91%
75
1.13%
72.45%
2,642
1,258
2,717
–
–
–
–
–
24
6,641
Hamilton West
Con
Con
3,121
63.22%
1,558
31.56%
69.65%
3,121
1,563
–
–
–
–
–
–
253
4,937
Hastings East
I-Lib
Con
2,201
61.76%
838
23.51%
75.90%
2,201
1,363
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,564
Hastings North
Con
Con
2,225
65.42%
1,049
30.84%
64.19%
2,225
–
–
1,176
–
–
–
–
–
3,401
Hastings West
Con
Con
1,882
52.41%
173
4.82%
81.15%
1,882
1,709
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,591
Huron Centre
Lib
Lib
2,051
52.11%
166
4.22%
78.68%
1,885
2,051
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,936
Huron North
Lib
Con
2,292
51.94%
171
3.87%
93.11%
2,292
2,121
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,413
Huron South
Con
Con
2,365
54.41%
383
8.81%
89.97%
2,365
1,982
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,347
Kenora
New
Con
1,078
56.00%
231
12.00%
41.23%
1,078
847
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,925
Kent East
Con
Con
2,524
50.83%
82
1.65%
78.54%
2,524
2,442
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,966
Kent West
Lib
Con
3,926
52.98%
441
5.95%
83.47%
3,926
3,485
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
7,411
Kingston
Lib
Con
2,215
54.48%
393
9.67%
96.27%
2,215
1,822
29
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,066
Lambton East
Con
Lib
2,404
52.57%
235
5.14%
93.46%
2,169
2,404
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,573
Lambton West
Con
Con
3,841
54.45%
628
8.90%
79.98%
3,841
3,213
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
7,054
Lanark North
Con
Con
2,017
56.61%
471
13.22%
90.11%
2,017
1,546
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,563
Lanark South
Con
Con
acclaimed
Leeds
Con
Con
2,102
52.35%
189
4.71%
89.98%
2,102
1,913
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,015
Lennox
Con
Con
1,477
50.29%
17
0.58%
89.40%
1,477
1,460
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,937
Lincoln
Con
Con
3,463
59.56%
1,112
19.13%
78.67%
3,463
2,351
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,814
London
Con
Con
5,084
58.00%
1,403
16.01%
78.42%
5,084
3,681
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
8,765
Manitoulin
Con
Con
1,414
66.73%
709
33.46%
58.48%
1,414
705
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,119
Middlesex East
Con
Con
2,363
56.44%
539
12.87%
79.28%
2,363
1,824
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,187
Middlesex North
Con
Lib
2,172
51.29%
109
2.57%
91.10%
2,063
2,172
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,235
Middlesex West
Lib
Lib
1,775
60.29%
606
20.58%
82.91%
–
1,775
–
–
1,169
–
–
–
–
2,944
Monck
Lib
Con
1,816
50.49%
35
0.97%
90.23%
1,816
1,781
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,597
Muskoka
Con
Con
acclaimed
Nipissing
New
Con
1,654
59.09%
509
18.19%
67.63%
1,654
1,145
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,799
Norfolk North
Lib
Con
1,720
51.08%
73
2.17%
94.01%
1,720
1,647
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,367
Norfolk South
Con
Con
1,490
52.04%
117
4.09%
92.48%
1,490
1,373
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,863
Northumberland East
Con
Con
2,582
56.30%
578
12.60%
82.12%
2,582
2,004
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,586
Northumberland West
Lib
Lib
1,591
53.44%
205
6.89%
92.38%
1,386
1,591
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,977
Ontario North
Con
Con
2,230
55.62%
451
11.25%
85.39%
2,230
1,779
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,009
Ontario South
Con
Con
2,773
52.90%
304
5.80%
85.46%
2,773
2,469
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,242
Ottawa East
New
Lib
2,798
54.54%
466
9.08%
78.11%
2,332
2,798
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,130
Ottawa West
New
Con
4,806
55.04%
880
10.08%
71.86%
4,806
3,926
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
8,732
Oxford North
Lib
Lib
2,893
54.03%
432
8.07%
81.25%
2,461
2,893
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,354
Oxford South
Con
Lib
2,671
50.42%
44
0.83%
88.55%
2,627
2,671
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,298
Parry Sound
Con
Con
2,879
62.05%
1,263
27.22%
53.88%
2,879
1,616
–
–
–
–
–
–
145
4,640
Peel
Lib
Con
2,852
54.78%
498
9.57%
87.79%
2,852
2,354
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,206
Perth North
Con
Con
3,688
51.87%
266
3.74%
88.65%
3,688
3,422
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
7,110
Perth South
Con
Lib
2,453
50.58%
56
1.15%
93.18%
2,397
2,453
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,850
Peterborough East
Lib
Con
1,978
61.14%
721
22.29%
78.99%
1,978
1,257
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,235
Peterborough West
Con
Con
2,561
54.56%
428
9.12%
76.14%
2,561
2,133
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,694
Port Arthur
New
Con
1,241
55.16%
380
16.89%
71.64%
1,241
–
–
861
–
148
–
–
–
2,250
Prescott
Lib
Con
1,944
50.09%
7
0.18%
66.02%
1,944
1,937
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,881
Prince Edward
Lib
Con
2,221
51.53%
132
3.06%
86.70%
2,221
–
–
2,089
–
–
–
–
–
4,310
Rainy River
New
Con
944
54.95%
170
9.90%
78.65%
944
774
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,718
Renfrew North
Con
Lib
2,274
52.28%
198
4.55%
86.47%
2,076
2,274
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,350
Renfrew South
Con
Con
2,623
52.39%
239
4.77%
77.82%
2,623
2,384
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,007
Russell
Lib
Lib
2,642
58.72%
785
17.45%
59.61%
1,857
2,642
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,499
Sault Ste. Marie
Lib
Con
1,406
54.69%
241
9.37%
61.43%
1,406
1,165
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,571
Simcoe Centre
Con
Con
1,972
55.08%
364
10.17%
75.97%
1,972
1,608
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,580
Simcoe East
Lib
Lib
3,105
51.49%
180
2.99%
75.37%
2,925
3,105
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
6,030
Simcoe South
Con
Con
acclaimed
Simcoe West
Con
Con
1,921
65.38%
904
30.77%
61.18%
1,921
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,017
–
2,938
Stormont
Con
Lib
2,327
50.09%
8
0.17%
70.96%
2,319
2,327
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,646
Sturgeon Falls
New
Con
959
52.92%
106
5.85%
82.42%
959
853
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,812
Sudbury
New
Con
1,492
62.69%
604
25.38%
64.29%
1,492
888
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,380
Timiskaming
New
Con
1,649
55.00%
549
18.31%
48.21%
1,649
1,100
–
–
–
249
–
–
–
2,998
Toronto East - A
Con
Con
4,393
76.51%
1,988
34.62%
48.59%
4,393
–
1,003
–
–
346
–
–
–
5,742
Toronto East – B
New
Con
2,695
43.03%
290
4.63%
53.00%
2,695
975
–
–
–
188
–
–
2,405
6,263
Toronto North - A
Con
Con
6,789
88.44%
2,919
38.03%
53.92%
6,789
–
544
–
–
343
–
–
–
7,676
Toronto North – B
New
Con
4,502
52.40%
632
7.36%
60.40%
4,502
3,870
–
–
–
220
–
–
–
8,592
Toronto South - A
Con
Con
5,202
74.69%
3,103
44.55%
47.61%
5,202
–
1,473
–
–
290
–
–
–
6,965
Toronto South – B
New
Con
4,947
67.67%
2,848
38.95%
49.94%
4,947
2,099
–
–
–
265
–
–
–
7,311
Toronto West - A
Con
Con
6,190
70.58%
3,975
45.32%
47.86%
6,190
1,877
56
–
301
297
–
–
49
8,770
Toronto West – B
New
Con
4,160
47.41%
1,945
22.17%
47.88%
4,160
2,215
380
1,870
–
150
–
–
–
8,775
Victoria East
Con
Con
acclaimed
Victoria West
Con
Con
2,061
50.50%
98
2.40%
94.00%
2,061
1,963
–
–
–
57
–
–
–
4,081
Waterloo North
Con
Con
3,063
49.42%
332
5.36%
76.73%
3,063
2,731
–
–
–
404
–
–
–
6,198
Waterloo South
Con
Con
2,353
63.49%
1,000
26.98%
54.01%
2,353
–
1,353
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,706
Welland
Con
Con
3,729
56.57%
866
13.14%
77.32%
3,729
2,863
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
6,592
Wellington East
Con
Con
1,898
53.06%
219
6.12%
82.09%
1,898
1,679
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,577
Wellington South
Con
Con
2,787
52.12%
399
7.46%
78.67%
2,787
2,388
–
–
–
172
–
–
–
5,347
Wellington West
Con
Lib
1,665
50.53%
35
1.06%
83.14%
1,630
1,665
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
3,295
Wentworth North
Lib
Con
1,600
50.60%
119
3.76%
90.98%
1,600
1,481
–
81
–
–
–
–
–
3,162
Wentworth South
Lib
Lib
1,582
53.72%
219
7.44%
85.19%
1,363
1,582
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,945
York East
Con
Con
2,998
56.84%
722
13.69%
65.47%
2,998
2,276
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,274
York North
Con
Con
2,918
54.00%
432
7.99%
92.95%
2,918
2,486
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,404
York West
Con
Con
3,241
61.80%
1,453
27.71%
54.81%
3,241
1,788
–
–
–
–
–
–
215
5,244
^ order is as given in EO reports
= open seat
= turnout is above provincial average
= winning candidate was in previous Legislature
= incumbent had switched allegiance
= previously incumbent in another riding
= not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
= incumbency arose from byelection gain
= incumbency arose from prior election result being overturned by the court
= other incumbents renominated
= previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
= multiple candidates
Analysis
Party candidates in 2nd place[ 1] [ a 1]
Party in 1st place
Party in 2nd place
Total
Accl
Con
Lib
Lab
I-Con
I-Lib
Ind
L-Tmp
Proh
Conservative
6
69
4
4
1
1
1
86
Liberal
18
1
19
Labour
1
1
Total
6
19
69
4
4
1
1
1
1
106
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[ 1]
Parties
Accl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
█ Conservative
6
80
19
█ Liberal
19
69
2
█ Labour
1
4
1
1
1
█ Independent Conservative
4
2
█ Independent
1
3
1
█ Independent Liberal
1
1
█ Prohibitionist
1
█ Liberal-Temperance
1
█ Socialist
10
2
1
Resulting composition of the 10th Legislative Assembly of Ontario[ 1]
Source
Party
Con
Lib
Lab
Total
Seats retained
Incumbents returned
49
7
56
Acclamations
6
6
Open seats held
2
3
5
Seats changing hands
Incumbents defeated
6
6
12
Open seats gained
9
2
11
Byelection gains held
1
1
2
New seats
New MLAs
9
9
Previously incumbent in the Legislature
4
1
5
Total
86
19
1
106
MLAs elected by region and riding
Party designations are as follows:
Conservative
Liberal
Labour
Northern Ontario
Ottawa Valley
Saint Lawrence Valley
Central Ontario
Georgian Bay
Wentworth/Halton/Niagara
Midwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario
Peel/York/Ontario
Toronto
Division and reorganization of ridings
The newly created ridings returned the following MLAs:
Seats that changed hands
Elections to the 12th Parliament of Ontario – unaltered seats won/lost by party, 1905–1908
Party
1905
Gain from (loss to)
1908
Con
Lib
I-Lib
Lab
Conservative
62
14
(8)
1
(1)
68
Liberal
23
8
(14)
17
Independent-Liberal
1
(1)
–
Labour
–
1
1
Total
86
9
(15)
14
(8)
1
–
–
(1)
86
Of the unaltered seats, there were 24 that changed allegiance in the election:
Liberal to Conservative
Independent-Liberal to Conservative
Conservative to Liberal
Conservative to Labour
See also
Notes and references
Notes
References
Further reading