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23rd Canadian Parliament

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23rd Canadian Parliament
Minority parliament
Oct. 14, 1957 – Feb. 1, 1958
Parliament leaders
Prime
minister
John Diefenbaker
Jun. 21, 1957 – Apr. 22, 1963
Cabinet18th Canadian Ministry
Leader of the
Opposition
Louis St. Laurent
June 21, 1957 – January 16, 1958
Lester B. Pearson
January 16, 1958 – April 22, 1963
Party caucuses
GovernmentProgressive Conservative Party
OppositionLiberal Party
CrossbenchCo-operative Commonwealth Federation
Social Credit Party
House of Commons

Seating arrangements of the House of Commons
Speaker of the
Commons
Roland Michener
October 14, 1957 – September 26, 1962
Government
House leader
Howard Charles Green
October 14, 1957 – July 18, 1959
Opposition
House leader
Lionel Chevrier
October 14, 1957 – February 5, 1963
Members265 MP seats
List of members
Senate
Speaker of the
Senate
Mark Robert Drouin
October 4, 1957 – September 23, 1962
Government
Senate leader
John Thomas Haig
October 9, 1957 − May 11, 1958
Opposition
Senate leader
William Ross Macdonald
June 21, 1957 – April 22, 1963
Senators102 senator seats
List of senators
Sovereign
MonarchElizabeth II
February 6, 1952 – September 8, 2022
Governor
general
Vincent Massey
28 February 1952 – 15 September 1959
Sessions
1st session
October 14, 1957 – February 1, 1958
← 22nd → 24th
John Diefenbaker was Prime Minister during the 23rd Canadian Parliament.

The 23rd Canadian Parliament was in session from October 14, 1957, until February 1, 1958. The membership was set by the 1957 federal election on June 10, 1957, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1958 election.

It was the first parliament opened by the Monarch of Canada, and the only parliament formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II herself, rather than her formal representative, the governor general. In 2025, King Charles III opened the 45th Canadian Parliament, marking the second time any monarch has opened parliament.[1]

It was controlled by a Progressive Conservative Party minority under Prime Minister John Diefenbaker and the 18th Canadian Ministry. The Official Opposition was the Liberal Party, led first by Louis St. Laurent, and then by Lester B. Pearson.

It was the second shortest parliament in Canadian history.

The Speaker was Roland Michener. See also List of Canadian electoral districts 1952–1966 for a list of the ridings in this parliament.

There was only one session of the 23rd Parliament.

List of members

Following is a full list of members of the twenty-third Parliament listed first by province or territory, then by electoral district.

Key:

  • Party leaders are italicized.
  • Parliamentary assistants is indicated by "‡".
  • Cabinet ministers are in boldface.
  • The Prime Minister is both.
  • The Speaker is indicated by "(†)".

Electoral districts denoted by an asterisk (*) indicates that district was represented by two members.

Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Acadia Victor Quelch Social Credit 1935 6th term
Athabaska Joseph Miville Dechene Liberal 1940 5th term
Battle River—Camrose James Alexander Smith Social Credit 1955 2nd term
Bow River Charles Edward Johnston Social Credit 1935 6th term
Calgary North Douglas Harkness Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
Calgary South Arthur Ryan Smith Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Edmonton East Ambrose Holowach Social Credit 1953 2nd term
Edmonton—Strathcona Sydney Herbert Thompson Social Credit 1957 1st term
Edmonton West Marcel Lambert Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Jasper—Edson Charles Yuill Social Credit 1953 2nd term
Lethbridge John Horne Blackmore Social Credit 1935 6th term
Macleod Ernest George Hansell Social Credit 1935 6th term
Medicine Hat Bud Olson Social Credit 1957 1st term
Peace River Solon Earl Low Social Credit 1945 4th term
Red Deer Frederick Davis Shaw Social Credit 1940 5th term
Vegreville Peter Stefura Social Credit 1957 1st term
Wetaskiwin Ray Thomas Social Credit 1949 3rd term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Burnaby—Coquitlam Erhart Regier C.C.F. 1953 2nd term
Burnaby—Richmond Thomas Irwin Social Credit 1957 1st term
Cariboo Bert Leboe Social Credit 1953 2nd term
Coast—Capilano James Sinclair Liberal 1940 5th term
Comox—Alberni Thomas Speakman Barnett C.C.F. 1953 2nd term
Esquimalt—Saanich George Pearkes Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
Fraser Valley Alexander Bell Patterson Social Credit 1953 2nd term
Kamloops Davie Fulton Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
Kootenay East Jim Byrne Liberal 1949 3rd term
Kootenay West Herbert Wilfred Herridge C.C.F. 1945 4th term
Nanaimo Colin Cameron C.C.F. 1953 2nd term
New Westminster George Hahn Social Credit 1953 2nd term
Okanagan Boundary Frank Christian Social Credit 1957 1st term
Okanagan—Revelstoke George McLeod Social Credit 1953 2nd term
Skeena Frank Howard C.C.F. 1957 1st term
Vancouver—Burrard John Russell Taylor Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Vancouver Centre Douglas Jung Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Vancouver East Harold Winch C.C.F. 1953 2nd term
Vancouver Kingsway Alexander Macdonald C.C.F. 1957 1st term
Vancouver Quadra Howard Charles Green Progressive Conservative 1935 6th term
Vancouver South Ernest James Broome Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Victoria Albert McPhillips Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Brandon—Souris Walter Dinsdale Progressive Conservative 1951 3rd term
Churchill Robert Simpson Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Dauphin Fred Zaplitny C.C.F. 1945, 1953 3rd term*
Lisgar George Muir Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Marquette Nick Mandziuk Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Portage—Neepawa George Fairfield Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Provencher Warner Jorgenson Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Selkirk William Bryce C.C.F. 1954 2nd term
Springfield Jacob Schulz C.C.F. 1957 1st term
St. Boniface Louis Deniset Liberal 1957 1st term
Winnipeg North Alistair Stewart C.C.F. 1940 5th term
Winnipeg North Centre Stanley Knowles C.C.F. 1942 5th term
Winnipeg South Gordon Chown Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Winnipeg South Centre Gordon Churchill Progressive Conservative 1951 3rd term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Charlotte A. Wesley Stuart Liberal 1945 4th term
Gloucester Hédard Robichaud Liberal 1953 2nd term
Kent Hervé Michaud Liberal 1953 2nd term
Northumberland—Miramichi George Roy McWilliam Liberal 1949 3rd term
Restigouche—Madawaska Charles Van Horne Progressive Conservative 1955 2nd term
Royal Alfred Johnson Brooks Progressive Conservative 1935 6th term
St. John—Albert Thomas Miller Bell Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
Victoria—Carleton Gage Montgomery Progressive Conservative 1952 3rd term
Westmorland Henry Murphy Liberal 1949 3rd term
York—Sunbury John Chester MacRae Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Bonavista—Twillingate Jack Pickersgill Liberal 1953 2nd term
Burin—Burgeo Chesley William Carter Liberal 1949 3rd term
Grand Falls—White Bay—Labrador Thomas G. W. Ashbourne Liberal 1949 3rd term
Humber—St. George's Herman Maxwell Batten Liberal 1953 2nd term
St. John's East James McGrath Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
St. John's West William Joseph Browne Progressive Conservative 1949, 1957 2nd term*
Trinity—Conception Leonard Stick Liberal 1949 3rd term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Mackenzie River Merv Hardie Liberal 1953 2nd term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Antigonish—Guysborough Angus Ronald Macdonald Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Cape Breton North and Victoria Robert Muir Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Cape Breton South Donald MacInnis Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Colchester—Hants Cyril Kennedy Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Cumberland Robert Coates Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Digby—Annapolis—Kings George Nowlan Progressive Conservative 1948, 1950 4th term*
Halifax* Robert McCleave Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Edmund L. Morris Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Inverness—Richmond Allan MacEachen Liberal 1953 2nd term
Pictou Russell MacEwan Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Queens—Lunenburg Lloyd Crouse Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Shelburne—Yarmouth—Clare Thomas Kirk Liberal 1949 3rd term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Algoma East Lester B. Pearson Liberal 1948 4th term
Algoma West George E. Nixon Liberal 1940 5th term
Brantford Jack Wratten Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Brant—Haldimand John A. Charlton Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
Broadview George Hees Progressive Conservative 1950 3rd term
Bruce Andrew E. Robinson Progressive Conservative 1945, 1953 3rd term*
Carleton Dick Bell Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Cochrane Joseph-Anaclet Habel Liberal 1953 2nd term
Danforth Robert Small Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
Davenport Douglas Morton Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Dufferin—Simcoe William Earl Rowe Progressive Conservative 1925 9th term
Durham Percy Vivian Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Eglinton Donald Fleming Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
Elgin James Alexander McBain Progressive Conservative 1954 2nd term
Essex East Paul Martin Sr. Liberal 1935 6th term
Essex South Richard Thrasher Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Essex West Donald Ferguson Brown Liberal 1945 4th term
Fort William Daniel McIvor Liberal 1935 6th term
Glengarry—Prescott Osie Villeneuve Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Greenwood James Macdonnell Progressive Conservative 1945,[a] 1949 4th term*
Grenville—Dundas Arza Clair Casselman Progressive Conservative 1921, 1925 10th term*
Grey—Bruce Eric Winkler Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Grey North Percy Verner Noble Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Halton Charles Best Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Hamilton East Quinto Martini Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Hamilton South Bob McDonald Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Hamilton West Ellen Fairclough Progressive Conservative 1950 3rd term
Hastings—Frontenac George Stanley White (until 20 August 1957 Senate appointment) Progressive Conservative 1940 5th term
Sidney Smith (by-election of 1957-11-04) Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Hastings South Lee Grills Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
High Park John Kucherepa Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Huron Elston Cardiff Progressive Conservative 1940 5th term
Kenora—Rainy River William Moore Benidickson Liberal-Labour 1945 4th term
Kent Blake Huffman Liberal 1949 3rd term
Kingston William James Henderson Liberal 1949 3rd term
Lambton—Kent Ernest Campbell Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Lambton West Joseph Warner Murphy Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
Lanark William Gourlay Blair (died 16 June 1957) Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
George Doucett (by-election of 1957-08-26) Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Leeds Hayden Stanton Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
Lincoln John Smith Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
London Ernest Halpenny Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Middlesex East Harry Oliver White Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
Middlesex West William Howell Arthur Thomas Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Niagara Falls William Houck Liberal 1953 2nd term
Nickel Belt Léo Gauthier Liberal 1945 4th term
Nipissing Jack Garland Liberal 1949 3rd term
Norfolk Evans Knowles Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Northumberland Ben Thompson Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Ontario Michael Starr Progressive Conservative 1952 3rd term
Ottawa East Jean-Thomas Richard Liberal 1945 4th term
Ottawa West George McIlraith Liberal 1940 5th term
Oxford Wally Nesbitt Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
Parkdale Arthur Maloney Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Parry Sound-Muskoka Gordon Aiken Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Peel John Pallett Progressive Conservative 1954 2nd term
Perth J. Waldo Monteith Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
Peterborough Gordon Fraser Progressive Conservative 1940 5th term
Port Arthur Doug Fisher C.C.F. 1957 1st term
Prince Edward—Lennox Clarence Milligan Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Renfrew North James Forgie Liberal 1953 2nd term
Renfrew South James William Baskin Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Rosedale David James Walker Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Russell Joseph-Omer Gour Liberal 1945 4th term
St. Paul's Roland Michener (†) Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
Simcoe East Philip Bernard Rynard Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Simcoe North Heber Smith Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Spadina Charles Edward Rea Progressive Conservative 1955 2nd term
Stormont Albert Lavigne Liberal 1954 2nd term
Sudbury Rodger Mitchell Liberal 1953 2nd term
Timiskaming Arnold Peters C.C.F. 1957 1st term
Timmins Murdo Martin C.C.F. 1957 1st term
Trinity Stanley Haidasz Liberal 1957 1st term
Victoria Clayton Hodgson Progressive Conservative 1945 4th term
Waterloo North Norman Schneider Liberal 1952 3rd term
Waterloo South William Anderson Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Welland William Hector McMillan Liberal 1950 3rd term
Wellington—Huron Marvin Howe Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
Wellington South Alfred Hales Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Wentworth Frank Lennard Progressive Conservative 1935, 1945 5th term*
York Centre Fred C. Stinson Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
York East Robert Henry McGregor Progressive Conservative 1926 8th term
York—Humber Margaret Aitken Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
York North Cecil Cathers Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
York—Scarborough Frank Charles McGee Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
York South William George Beech Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
York West John Borden Hamilton Progressive Conservative 1954 2nd term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
King's John Augustine Macdonald Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Prince Orville Howard Phillips Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Queen's* Angus MacLean Progressive Conservative 1951 3rd term
Heath MacQuarrie Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Argenteuil—Deux-Montagnes Philippe Valois Liberal 1949 3rd term
Beauce Raoul Poulin Independent 1949 3rd term
Beauharnois—Salaberry Robert Cauchon Liberal 1949 3rd term
Bellechasse Ovide Laflamme Liberal 1955 2nd term
Berthier—Maskinongé—Delanaudière Joseph Langlois Liberal 1949 3rd term
Bonaventure Nérée Arsenault Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Brome—Missisquoi Joseph-Léon Deslières Liberal 1952 3rd term
Cartier Leon Crestohl Liberal 1950 3rd term
Chambly—Rouville Yvon L'Heureux Liberal 1957 1st term
Champlain Joseph Irenée Rochefort Liberal 1949 3rd term
Chapleau Charles-Noël Barbès Liberal 1957 1st term
Charlevoix Auguste Maltais Liberal 1949 3rd term
Châteauguay—Huntingdon—Laprairie Jean Boucher Liberal 1953 2nd term
Chicoutimi Rosaire Gauthier Liberal 1957 1st term
Compton—Frontenac Joseph-Adéodat Blanchette Liberal 1935 6th term
Dollard Guy Rouleau Liberal 1953 2nd term
Dorchester Joseph-Armand Landry Liberal 1957 1st term
Drummond—Arthabaska Samuel Boulanger Independent Liberal 1957 1st term
Gaspé Roland English Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Gatineau Rodolphe Leduc Liberal 1936, 1954 4th term*
Hochelaga Raymond Eudes Liberal 1940 5th term
Hull Alexis Caron Liberal 1953 2nd term
Îles-de-la-Madeleine Charles Cannon Liberal 1949 3rd term
Jacques-Cartier—Lasalle Robert John Pratt Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Joliette—l'Assomption—Montcalm Maurice Breton Liberal 1950 3rd term
Kamouraska Benoît Chabot Independent 1957 1st term
Labelle Henri Courtemanche Independent Progressive Conservative 1949, 1957 2nd term*
Lac-Saint-Jean André Gauthier Liberal 1949 3rd term
Lafontaine J.-Georges Ratelle Liberal 1949 3rd term
Lapointe Augustin Brassard Liberal 1957 1st term
Laurier Lionel Chevrier Liberal 1935,[b] 1957 6th term*
Laval Léopold Demers Liberal 1948 4th term
Lévis Maurice Bourget Liberal 1940 5th term
Longueuil Auguste Vincent Liberal 1953 2nd term
Lotbinière Raymond O'Hurley Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Maisonneuve—Rosemont Jean-Paul Deschatelets Liberal 1953 2nd term
Matapédia—Matane Léandre Thibault Liberal 1953 2nd term
Mégantic Joseph Lafontaine Liberal 1940 5th term
Mercier Marcel Monette Liberal 1949 3rd term
Montmagny—L'Islet Jean Lesage Liberal 1945 4th term
Mount Royal Alan Macnaughton Liberal 1949 3rd term
Nicolet—Yamaska Paul Comtois Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce William McLean Hamilton Progressive Conservative 1953 2nd term
Outremont—St-Jean Romuald Bourque Liberal 1952 3rd term
Papineau Adrien Meunier Liberal 1953 2nd term
Pontiac—Témiscamingue John Hugh Proudfoot Liberal 1949 3rd term
Portneuf Pierre Gauthier Liberal 1936 6th term
Québec—Montmorency Wilfrid Lacroix Liberal 1935 6th term
Quebec East Louis St. Laurent Liberal 1942 5th term
Quebec South Francis (Frank) Gavan Power Liberal 1955 2nd term
Quebec West René Bégin Liberal 1957 1st term
Richelieu—Verchères Lucien Cardin Liberal 1952 3rd term
Richmond—Wolfe Ernest-Omer Gingras Liberal 1949 3rd term
Rimouski Gérard Légaré Liberal 1953 2nd term
Roberval Georges Villeneuve Liberal 1953 2nd term
Saguenay Lomer Brisson Liberal 1949 3rd term
St. Ann Gérard Loiselle Independent Liberal 1957 1st term
Saint-Antoine—Westmount George Carlyle Marler Liberal 1954 2nd term
Saint-Denis Azellus Denis Liberal 1935 6th term
Saint-Henri Joseph-Arsène Bonnier Liberal 1938 6th term
Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot Théogène Ricard Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Saint-Jacques Roland Beaudry Liberal 1945 4th term
Saint-Jean—Iberville—Napierville J.-Armand Ménard Liberal 1955 2nd term
St. Lawrence—St. George Claude Richardson Liberal 1954 2nd term
Sainte-Marie Hector Dupuis Liberal 1953 2nd term
Saint-Maurice—Laflèche Joseph-Adolphe Richard Liberal 1949 3rd term
Shefford Marcel Boivin Liberal 1945 4th term
Sherbrooke Maurice Gingues Liberal 1940 5th term
Stanstead Louis-Édouard Roberge Liberal 1949 3rd term
Témiscouata Jean-Paul St. Laurent Liberal 1955 2nd term
Terrebonne Raymond Raymond Liberal 1957 1st term
Trois-Rivières Léon Balcer Progressive Conservative 1949 3rd term
Vaudreuil—Soulanges Louis-René Beaudoin Liberal 1945 4th term
Verdun Yves Leduc Liberal 1954 2nd term
Villeneuve Armand Dumas Liberal 1949 3rd term
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Assiniboia Hazen Argue C.C.F. 1945 4th term
Humboldt—Melfort Hugh Alexander Bryson C.C.F. 1953 2nd term
Kindersley Merv Johnson C.C.F. 1953 2nd term
Mackenzie Alexander Malcolm Nicholson C.C.F. 1940, 1953 4th term*
Meadow Lake John Harrison Liberal 1949 3rd term
Melville James Garfield Gardiner Liberal 1936 6th term
Moose Jaw—Lake Centre Scoop Lewry C.C.F. 1957 1st term
Moose Mountain Edward McCullough C.C.F. 1945,[c] 1953 3rd term*
Prince Albert John Diefenbaker Progressive Conservative 1940 5th term
Qu'Appelle Alvin Hamilton Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Regina City Claude Ellis C.C.F. 1953 2nd term
Rosetown—Biggar Major James Coldwell C.C.F. 1935 6th term
Rosthern Walter Tucker Liberal 1935, 1953 5th term*
Saskatoon Henry Frank Jones Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term
Swift Current—Maple Creek Irvin Studer Liberal 1949 3rd term
The Battlefords Max Campbell C.C.F. 1945, 1953 3rd term*
Yorkton George Hugh Castleden C.C.F. 1940, 1953 4th term*
Electoral district Name Party First elected/previously elected No. of terms
Yukon James Aubrey Simmons Liberal 1949 3rd term
Erik Nielsen (by-election of 1957-12-16) Progressive Conservative 1957 1st term

By-elections

By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party Cause Retained
Yukon December 16, 1957 James Aubrey Simmons      Liberal Erik Nielsen      Progressive Conservative Election declared void No
Hastings—Frontenac November 4, 1957 George Stanley White      Progressive Conservative Sidney Earle Smith      Progressive Conservative Called to the Senate Yes
Lanark August 26, 1957 William G. Blair      Progressive Conservative George Doucett      Progressive Conservative Death Yes


Notes

References

  1. ^ Burack, Emily (May 27, 2025). "King Charles Makes History as He Delivers Throne Speech in Canada". Yahoo News. Retrieved May 27, 2025.