The 1937 British Columbia general election was the nineteenth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 14, 1937, and held on June 1, 1937. The new legislature met for the first time on October 26, 1937.
The governing Liberal Party, despite winning only 37% of the popular vote, benefited from the split in the opposition vote between the Conservative Party and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. Liberals won a solid majority of the seats in the legislature with barely more than a third of the votes cast.
The rift in the Conservative Party that led to its decision not to nominate candidates in the 1933 election had been resolved, and the party was able to form the official opposition.
The Conservatives and CCF each won about 29% of the vote, and only 8 seats and 7 seats, respectively (they were each due about 14 based on their vote share). Two other seats were won by an Independent and a Labour party candidate.
Health insurance plebiscite
In 1936, the Legislature passed an Act providing for the creation of a health insurance plan for the Province.[1] This was 26 years ahead of its introduction in Saskatchewan in 1962. The medical profession resisted its implementation to such a degree that a plebiscite was held on the same day as the election.
The question asked was, "Are you in favour of a comprehensive Health Insurance plan progressively applied?" The results were as follows:
Despite the majority in favour, the legislation was never brought into force,[2] but it would not be repealed until 1973.[3] Medicare was finally introduced after the 1967 passage of the Medical Services Act.[4]
^Result for the Unionist Party of British Columbia.
^ abCompared to the Unionist Party of British Columbia.
^Joseph Bentley Leyland, Reeve of West Vancouver and a driving force behind the construction of the Lions Gate Bridge, came in second with 2,386 votes.[8]
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