31st Canadian Parliament

The 31st Canadian Parliament was a briefly lived parliament in session from October 9 until December 14, 1979. The membership was set by the 1979 federal election on May 22, 1979, and it was dissolved after the minority government of Joe Clark failed to pass a Motion of Confidence on December 13, 1979. The dissolution of parliament led to the 1980 federal election.

There was only one session of the 31st Parliament: SessionStartEnd 1st October 9, 1979 December 14, 1979

Overview The 31st Parliament was controlled by a Progressive Conservative Party minority led by Prime Minister Joe Clark and the 21st Canadian Ministry. The Official Opposition was the Liberal Party, led by former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

Lasting only 66 days from first sitting to dissolution, and only nine months from election to election, the 31st was the shortest parliament in Canadian history.

Party standings

The party standings as of the election and as of dissolution were as follows: AffiliationHouse membersSenate membershttp://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Files/Parliament.aspx?Item=3f135f9f-59ca-42f9-b36f-6abfd0137c1e&Language=E&MenuID=Lists.Parliament.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parl.gc.ca%2Fparlinfo%2FLists%2FParliament.aspx&Section=PartyStandingsSEN 1979 electionresultsAt dissolutionOn electionday 1979Members of the Canadian Senate are appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and remain as senators until the age of 75, even if the House of Commons has been dissolved or an election has been called.At dissolution13613618281141147371262700651100220011Total members282282921030091Total seats282104

Major events

Canadian embassy in Israel Prior to his election, Clark promised to move Canada's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This was a contentious choice for both economic and security reasons. Following pushback from his cabinet, Clark recanted his promise.

Ministry

The 21st Canadian Ministry lasted for the entirety of the 31st Canadian Parliament.

Officeholders

Head of State OfficePhotoNameAssumed officeLeft officeSovereignElizabeth IIFebruary 6, 1952September 8, 2022Governor GeneralEdward Schreyer January 22, 1979May 14,1984

Party leadership PartyPhotoNameAssumed OfficeLeft OfficeProgressive ConservativeJoe ClarkNovember 20, 1976June 3, 1979LiberalPierre TrudeauApril 6, 1968June 16, 1984New DemocraticEd BroadbentJuly 7, 1975December 5, 1989Social CreditFabien Roy19791980

House of Commons

Presiding officer OfficeOfficerRidingFromToPartySpeaker of the House of CommonsJames JeromeSudburySeptember 30, 1974February 17, 1980Liberal

Government leadership (Liberal) OfficeOfficerRidingFromToPrime MinisterJoe ClarkMount RoyalNovember 20, 1976June 3, 1979Speaker of the House of CommonsWalter BakerGrenville—CarletonOctober 9, 197December 14, 1979WhipBill KemplingBurlington19801980

Changes to party standings

By-elections

Parliamentarians

House of Commons Members of the House of Commons in the 31st parliament arranged by province.

Key: Party leaders are italicized. Parliamentary secretaries is indicated by "". Cabinet ministers are in boldface. The Prime Minister is both. The Speaker is indicated by "()".

Newfoundland RidingMemberPolitical partyFirst elected / previously electedNo. of termsBonavista—Trinity—ConceptionDave RooneyLiberal19723rd termBurin—St. George'sDonald Jamieson Liberal19665th termRoger Simmons (1979)*Liberal19791st termGander—TwillingateGeorge BakerLiberal19742nd termGrand Falls—White Bay—LabradorBill RompkeyLiberal19723rd termHumber—Port au Port—St. BarbeFonse FaourNew Democrat19782nd termSt. John's EastJames McGrathProgressive Conservative1957, 19687th term*St. John's WestJohn CrosbieProgressive Conservative19762nd term

* Donald Jamieson resigned from parliament and was replaced by Roger Simmons in a September 19, 1979, by-election

Prince Edward Island RidingMemberPolitical partyFirst elected / previously electedNo. of termsCardiganWilbur MacDonaldProgressive Conservative19791st termEgmontDavid MacDonaldProgressive Conservative19655th termHillsboroughThomas McMillanProgressive Conservative19791st termMalpequeMelbourne GassProgressive Conservative19791st term

Nova Scotia RidingMemberPolitical partyFirst elected / previously electedNo. of termsAnnapolis Valley—HantsPat NowlanProgressive Conservative19655th termCape Breton Highlands—CansoAllan MacEachenLiberal1953, 19629th term*Cape Breton—East RichmondAndrew HoganNew Democrat19742nd termCape Breton—The SydneysRussell MacLellanLiberal19791st termCentral NovaElmer MacKayProgressive Conservative19714th termCumberland—ColchesterRobert CoatesProgressive Conservative19579th termDartmouth—Halifax EastMichael ForrestallProgressive Conservative19655th termHalifaxGeorge Cooper Progressive Conservative19791st termHalifax WestHoward CrosbyProgressive Conservative19782nd termSouth Shore Lloyd CrouseProgressive Conservative19579th termSouth Western Nova Charles HaliburtonProgressive Conservative1972, 19792nd term*

New Brunswick RidingMemberPolitical partyFirst elected / previously electedNo. of termsCarleton—CharlotteFred McCainProgressive Conservative19723rd termFundy—RoyalRobert CorbettProgressive Conservative19782nd termGloucesterHerb BreauLiberal19684th termMadawaska—VictoriaEymard CorbinLiberal19684th termMonctonGary McCauleyLiberal19791st termNorthumberland—MiramichiMaurice DionneLiberal19742nd termRestigoucheMaurice HarquailLiberal19752nd termSaint JohnEric FergusonProgressive Conservative19791st termWestmorland—KentRoméo LeBlancLiberal19723rd termYork—SunburyJ. Robert HowieProgressive Conservative19723rd term

Quebec RidingMemberPolitical partyFirst elected / previously electedNo. of termsAbitibiArmand CaouetteSocial Credit19742nd termArgenteuilRobert GourdLiberal19791st termBeauceFabien RoySocial Credit19791st termBeauharnois—SalaberryGérald LanielLiberal19627th termBellechasseJoseph LambertSocial Credit19684th termBerthier—MaskinongéAntonio YanakisLiberal19655th termBlainville—Deux-MontagnesFrancis FoxLiberal19723rd termBonaventure—Îles-de-la-MadeleineRémi BujoldLiberal19791st termBourassaCarlo RossiLiberal19791st termChamblyRaymond DupontLiberal19723rd termChamplainMichel VeilletteLiberal19791st termCharlesbourgPierre BussièresLiberal19742nd termCharlevoixCharles LapointeLiberal19742nd termChâteauguayIan WatsonLiberal19636th termChicoutimiMarcel DionneLiberal19791st termDollardLouis DesmaraisLiberal19791st termDrummondYvon PinardLiberal19742nd termDuvernayYves DemersLiberal19723rd termFrontenacLéopold CorriveauLiberal19704th termGamelinArthur PortelanceLiberal19684th termGaspéAlexandre CyrLiberal1963, 19685th term*GatineauRené CousineauLiberal19791st termHochelaga—MaisonneuveSerge JoyalLiberal19742nd termHullGaston IsabelleLiberal19655th termJolietteRoch La SalleProgressive Conservative19684th termJonquièreGilles MarceauLiberal19684th termKamouraska—Rivière-du-LoupRosaire GendronLiberal19636th termLabelleMaurice DuprasLiberal19704th termLac-Saint-JeanMarcel LessardLiberal1962, 19686th term*LachineRoderick BlakerLiberal19723rd termLangelierGilles LamontagneLiberal19772nd termLa PrairiePierre DenigerLiberal19791st termLasalleJohn CampbellLiberal19723rd termLaurierDavid BergerLiberal19791st termLavalMarcel-Claude RoyLiberal19684th termLaval-des-RapidesJeanne SauvéLiberal19723rd termLévisRaynald GuayLiberal19636th termLongueuilJacques OlivierLiberal19723rd termLotbiniereRichard Janelle *Social Credit19782nd termIndependentProgressive ConservativeLouis-HébertDennis DawsonLiberal19772nd termManicouaganAndré MaltaisLiberal19791st termMatapédia—MatanePierre de BanéLiberal19684th termMégantic—Compton—StansteadClaude TessierLiberal19742nd termMercierCéline Hervieux-PayetteLiberal19791st termMissisquoiHeward GraffteyProgressive Conservative1958, 19727th term*MontmorencyLouis DuclosLiberal19742nd termMount RoyalPierre TrudeauLiberal19655th termNotre-Dame-de-GrâceWarren AllmandLiberal19655th termOutremontMarc LalondeLiberal19723rd termPapineauAndré OuelletLiberal19675th termPontiac—Gatineau—LabelleThomas LefebvreLiberal19655th termPortneufRolland DionLiberal19791st termQuébec-EstGérard DuquetLiberal19655th termRichelieuJean-Louis LeducLiberal19791st termRichmondAlain TardifLiberal19791st termRimouskiEudore AllardSocial Credit19723rd termRobervalCharles-Arthur GauthierSocial Credit19627th termRosemontClaude-André LachanceLiberal19742nd termSaint-DenisMarcel Prud'hommeLiberal19646th termSaint-Henri—WestmountDonald JohnstonLiberal19782nd termSaint-HyacintheMarcel OstiguyLiberal19782nd termSaint-JacquesJacques GuilbaultLiberal19684th termSaint-JeanPaul-André MasséLiberal19791st termSaint-Léonard—AnjouMonique BéginLiberal19723rd termSaint-MauriceJean ChrétienLiberal19636th termSaint-MichelMarie Thérèse KillensLiberal19791st termSainte-MarieJean-Claude MalépartLiberal19791st termSheffordJean LapierreLiberal19791st termSherbrookeIrénée PelletierLiberal19723rd termTémiscamingueHenri TousignantLiberal19791st termTerrebonneJoseph-Roland ComtoisLiberal19655th termTrois-RivièresClaude LajoieLiberal19714th termVaudreuilHal HerbertLiberal19723rd termVerchèresBernard LoiselleLiberal19742nd termVerdunPierre SavardLiberal19772nd term * Richard Janelle left Social Credit Party sat as an independent MP from September 22, 1979 until he joined the Progressive Conservative caucus on October 9 of that year

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