Note On the British Columbia Election in June 1952

• Published date: 01 December 1952
• DOI: 10.1177/106591295200500403
• Author: H.F. Angus
• Date: 01 December 1952
• Subject Matter: Articles

NOTE ON THE BRITISH COLUMBIA ELECTION
IN JUNE 1952
H. F. ANGUS
University of British Columbia
N
JUNE 12, 1952, a provincial election was held in British Columbia
to replace the Legislative Assembly of f orty-eight members. If this
~~
election is of interest outside the Province it is because of the efforts
to avoid the creation of a socialist’ majority consisting of supporters of the
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (C. C. F.), a party comparable to
the British Labour party. At the preceding election in 1949 the C. C. F. had
won only seven seats but it had received 35 per cent of the votes. It had
been held in check because Liberals and Conservatives had not then op-
posed each other’s candidates. A coalition of twenty-six liberals and thir-
teen Conservatives had formed a government. When this coalition was dis-
solved, largely because of personal incompatibilities, the Conservatives
became the official opposition. The Liberal majority was so slender that an
election was unavoidable. The two parties which posed as champions of
free enterprise realized that their prot6g6 would be in great danger in a
three-cornered contest in which the C. C. F., with a very slight increase
in voting strength, might easily win a majority of the seats.
It was not a pleasant prospect that a party with a majority in the
Assembly would form a government and could, if it chose, remain in
office for four years. The Assembly is the only elective organ of the
provincial government. Within the limits of provincial (as contrasted with
federal) powers it is supreme: there is no second chamber. The legislature
can amend the provincial constitution.2
2
There are no constitutionally
guaranteed rights and, in practice, the lieutenant-governor has no veto.3
It follows that a determined socialist majority in the Assembly could,
within the wide limits of provincial powers, enact whatever legislation it
chose and could make changes in the economic structure of the Province
which would be irreversible in fact, though not, of course, in law.4
4
1
The writer understands that the terms "socialist" and "socialism" may be misunderstood in the United
States where they are said to be regarded with abhorrence. He must explain, therefore, that they
are used in this paper without any emotional overtones, whether of glamor or detestation. They
merely indicate a tendency to expand very considerably the sector of the economy in which state
enterprise replaces private enterprise based on the profit-motive. Whatever one may think of this
tendency there can be relatively good and relatively bad socialist parties just as there are relatively
good and relatively bad free enterprise parties. A party whose avowed purpose is socialism in our
time, therefore, can be an acceptable party of discontent for voters who are not themselves socialist
provided that they expect it to remain in opposition.
2
B.N.A. Act, Sec. 92, p. 1 "Except as regards the office of the Lieutenant-Governor."
3
Legally the lieutenant-governor may withhold assent from an act or may reserve it for the signification
of the pleasure of the governor general. The governor general may disallow a measure. These
powers are used to protect federal policies or to prevent a statute becoming operative before the
courts pass on its validity.
4
As the British Labour Party did when it came to power in 1945.
585

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586
The C. C. F. was aware of its opportunities. It had caused the anti-
socialist parties to unite. By becoming the only alternative government
the C. C. F. seemed certain to supersede them as soon as they became
unpopular. The coalition, as the election was to show, had become
very unpopular. That it should break down and initiate a three-cornered
contest seemed too good to be true.
It was in preparation for the contest that the provincial Elections Act
was amended5 to substitute alternative voting for the time-honored election
by plurality. Instead of casting a vote for only one of the candidates
whose names appeared on the ballot, the voter might, if he chosen place
the figure 1 opposite the name of his first choice; the figure 2 opposite the
name of his second choice; and so on &dquo;in the order of the candidates he
would prefer if the candidate of his prior choice cannot be elected.&dquo; 7
A
candidate who obtained an absolute majority of the first choices would
be...