1993 Canadian election

The 1993 Canadian federal election was one of the most eventful in Canadian history. While Canada's traditional ruling party, the Liberals, was returned to power, the equally old Progressive Conservative Party was all but annihilated. The election also saw these rise of two new parties: the Bloc Québécois, which became the official opposition, and the Reform Party, which also won many seats.

The campaign was called by Conservative leader Kim Campbell, who had been prime minister for only a few months. She had replaced Brian Mulroney, who was considered one of the most unpopular prime ministers in history after his failed constitutional reforms and the poor state of the Canadian economy. While she was expected to lose the election, she was forced to call one as the Tories' five-year mandate had almost expired.

From the start of the campaign it seemed that Jean Chrétien's Liberals would inevitably form the next government. Of more interest was how the opposition parties would be divided. Two new parties were fighting in this election. The West produced the Reform Party, a right-wing populist party lead by Preston Manning. In Quebec the Bloc Québécois, a separatist party, rose to the fore under the leadership of ex–Tory cabinet minister Lucien Bouchard. Both parties did very well in the election. Reform swept Alberta and won much of British Columbia and many seats in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The Bloc dominated Quebec, winning enough seats to form the official opposition as the second-largest party in Parliament.

Two older parties did not fare so well. The governing Tories were devastated. A poorly run campaign only exacerbated their problems. Most memorable was a advertisement that attacked Chrétien's paralysed face. In the election the Tories were reduced to two seats, their worst showing ever. Kim Campbell, who lost her own Vancouver riding, resigned as leader of the party after the fiasco.

The other national party, the New Democratic Party also did poorly, falling to nine seats, losing ground in the West to Reform and in Ontario to the Liberals.

Another new party, the National Party, founded by Mel Hurtig failed to make a significant impression and disbanded after the election.

The Liberals won all but one riding in Ontario and significant support in the Maritimes and on the Prairies. They also won a fair number of seats in Quebec and British Columbia. This gave them a substantial majority in parliament.

Election Results

	Popular Vote	Seats
Liberals	41.3%	177
Reform	18.7%	52
Bloc	13.5%	54
PC	16.0%	2
NDP	6.9%	9
Other	3.6%	1

Preceded by: 1988 Canadian election

Canadian federal elections

Followed by: 1997 Canadian election