Pearson called an early election seeking a majority and missed it by two seats, prompting Tommy Douglas's quip that the country had spent sixty million dollars to buy the same Parliament. It was Diefenbaker's last campaign as leader.
Prime Minister before
Lester B. Pearson
Liberal
Prime Minister (continued)
Lester B. Pearson
Liberal
Government formed
Liberal
minority government
Turnout
74.8%
The result
Liberal
Lester B. Pearson · +3 seats · 40.2%
131
seats
Progressive Conservative
John Diefenbaker · +2 seats · 32.4%
97
seats
New Democratic
Tommy Douglas · +4 seats · 17.9%
21
seats
Ralliement créditiste
Réal Caouette · -10 seats · 4.7%
9
seats
Social Credit
Robert N. Thompson · +1 seats · 3.7%
5
seats
Share of House
Liberal
Lester B. Pearson
131
+3
3,099,521
40.2%
-1.3
Progressive Conservative
John Diefenbaker
97
+2
2,500,113
32.4%
-0.3
New Democratic
Tommy Douglas
21
+4
1,381,658
17.9%
+4.7
Ralliement créditiste
Réal Caouette
9
-10
359,258
4.7%
—
Social Credit
Robert N. Thompson
5
+1
282,454
3.7%
-8.3
2 further seats went to parties and independents outside the main contenders listed above.
The result by province & territory
Seats won and vote share in each province and territory. Blank cells mean the party did not contest the province; the results table splits allied labels (Liberal-Conservatives, farmers' candidates, independents) that the headline figures group together.