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1968 Liberal Party of Canada leadership race

The 1968 Liberal Party of Canada leadership race saw Pierre Trudeau emerge as a surprise winner in what was one of the most important leadership races in the history of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Liberal leader and Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson had made clear that he would be leaving in 1968 and long before his departure a vigorous leadership contest had begun. At the outset the two leading candidates were believed to be Jean Marchand and Paul Martin both highly respected elder statesmen. The unofficial Liberal Party tradition was to alternate between francophone and anglophone leaders and Lester B. Pearson viewed Marchand as his ideal successor. Martin was a highly respected veteran minister who had finished second to Pearson in the 1958 race and his ambtions to try again for the top job were well known.

Marchand declined to run however, not being interested. It was seen as necessary for national unity and the health of the party to have a strong Quebec candidate. Marchand and Gérard Pelletier united behind Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau. Trudeau had little experience and was not well known nationally, but had earned some renown for his wit and charisma.

As Trudeau gained more public exposure his popularity grew to the surprise of many he became one of the prime contenders. Marchand headed Trudeau's campaign and his heft brought many supporters He received endorsements from three cabinet ministers and premier Louis Robichaud of New Brunswick. Trudeau moved solidly into the lead on the day before the convention when Finance Minister Mitchell Sharp dropped out of the race and endorsed him. Mitchell Sharp brought a number of other ministers with him into the Trudeau camp, including Jean Chrétien.

A number of potent candidates remained in the race, including much of the cabinet inner circle. National Defence minister Paul Hellyer ran one of the most skilled campaigns, that even used a computer to keep track of delegates. Bby the convention hewas widely viewed as the most likely to defeat Trudeau.

Trade minister Robert Winters entered the race late but won strong support representing the right-wing of the party by promising to privatize crown corporations if elected. The faction of the party that was deeply worried about Trudeau's insurgency hoped for one of Hellyer or Winters to drop out and support the other, but neither would compromise.

Paul Martin's campaign had fallen badly as Canada seemed in a mood to reject elder statesmen with few new ideas in favour of the fresh new faces. Martin remained in the race, however. Health Minister Allan MacEachen was also floundering and being pressured to drop out in favour of Trudeau, but he to remained. Agriculture minister John James Greene was also still in teh race despite being seen as a dark horse. Beside Trudeau the candidate to garner the most attention for his charisma and oratory was the young junior minister John Napier Turner who gathered a following but was viewed as too young and inexperienced to win.

Two minor candidates ran from outside the cabinet. Harold Lloyd Henderson had no following. Eric William Kierans had developed a small following and run a solid campaign with minimal resources but remained an outsider.

The convention, held at Ottawa's Civic Centre took place in the shadow of the assassination of Martin Luther King and the riots that followed. The opening day was spent giving tribute to Pearson, still a much respected and popular figure. The following day of speeches by the contestants were marked by strong speeches by Trudeau, Turner, and surprisingly Greene and mediocre ones from the other speakers. Especially poorly received was Hellyer's address.

The seven and a half hour convention was one filled with drama. After the first ballot Martin, MacEachen, and Kierans withdrew knowing they could not win. Henderson, who didn't get a vote, was automatically eliminated. Kierans, despite being courted, did not endorse another candidate. Martin, after speaking with advisors and his son, also did not endorse anyone and delivered an emotional withdrawal address that marked the end of his career in politics. Several of Martin's supporters including Marcel Sauve and Herb Gray did move to support Trudeau, however. MacEachen withdrew and as was expected quickly endorsed Trudeau, however this was not done in time and he remained on the second ballot.

The result was especially shocking to Hellyer who had expected to get two hundred more votes than he had. Moments later his vaunted computer crashed, erasing the months worth of work that had gone into preparing it. Winters and Greene did surprisingly well creating an unexpected four way split in the anti-Trudeau vote that also went to Turner and Hellyer.

First ballot results

Trudeau	752
Hellyer	330
Winters	293
Martin	277
Turner	277
Greene	169
MacEachen	163
Kierans	103
Henderson	0
Spoiled Ballots	24
total votes cast	2390

The second ballot saw Trudeau's vote increase. The greatest surprise was Winters who seemed to be drawing the largest share of the stop-Trudeau votes, with Hellyer surprisingly falling into third place. While great pressure was exerted on Hellyer, and Turner and Greene, to unite behind Winters. Famously cabinet minister Judy LaMarsh was caught on tape telling Hellyer that "you've got to go to Winters. Don't let that bastard win it, Paul - he isn't even a Liberal." Only eight votes behind and still hoping for a chance of victory Hellyer refused to quit. Turner also stayed unexpectedly as he resolutely refused to deal with any one else. Greene was saved from elimination by MacEachen remaining on the ballot, but he promised to endorse Trudeau after the next ballot.

Belatedly Hellyer and Winters agreed that whomever finished third on the next ballot would withdraw and back the other against Trudeau, but most observers felt the time to block Trudeau had passed.

Second Ballot results

Trudeau	964
Winters	473
Hellyer	465
Turner	347
Greene	104
MacEachen	11
Spoiled Ballots	15
total votes cast	2379

The third ballot was a close repeat of the second, but the Trudeau and Winters began to draw off a substantial number of votes from the candidates who no longer were seen to have had a chance. After the ballot Hellyer and Greene withdrew, but to the surprise of all Turner insisted on remaining on the ballot.

Third ballot results

Trudeau	1051
Winters	621
Hellyer	377
Turner	279
Greene	29
Spoiled Ballots	19
Total votes cast	2376

The fourth and final ballot saw Trudeau emerge victorious and all the remaining candidates endorsed him. Subsequently Trudeau victory party would swell to massive proportions as over 5000 revelers attended.

Fourth ballot results

Trudeau	1203
Winters	954
Turner	195
Spoiled Ballots	13
Total votes cast	2365

After his victory Trudeau remained leader of the Liberal party, and Prime Minister until 1984, except for a brief interlude from 1979 to 1980. While Winters announced his support for Trudeau at the convention he quit politics in disgust soon afterward returning to the private sector, he died only a year later.

Hellyer would briefly become a cabinet minister in Trudeau government before leaving in 1969 eventually to form his own fringe party. Turner served in Trudeau's cabinet until 1975, becoming one of the most powerful MPs until quitting in 1975. He would eventually succeed Trudeau in the 1984 Liberal Party of Canada leadership race. Green and MacEachen both served Trudeau ably as ministers, before being elevated to the Canadian Senate.

It can be argued that the 1968 leadership convention did more than choose a single leader of the Liberal party but did a great deal to set the history of the party, and Canada for the next four decades. Four future Prime Ministers were at the convention. Pierre Trudeau would govern until 1984. His replacement by Turner in 1884 was largely a product of Turner's showing at the 1968 convention. After the death of Winter's Turner third place showing made him the leading runner up. Turner's political and organizational skills were much lauded in 1968 establishing him as one of the highest profile Liberals.

Turner was himself succeeded by Jean Chrétien in 1990. Chrétien had originally backed his mentor, Mitchell Sharp's, leadership bid but with Sharp's decision to drop out in favour of Trudeau Chrétien joined the other team wholeheartedly. At the convention itself Chrétien became one of the Trudeau team's leading figures playing a crucial role in recruiting a number of other cabinet ministers to the Trudeau fold. Chrétien would continue to be Trudeau loyal deputy until Trudeau retirement allowing Chrétien to win the Liberal leadership in 1990, in part by claiming to be the heir to Trudeau vision and policies.

Canada's current Prime Minister Paul Martin Jr. was also at the convention, not as a Liberal operative but as a close advisor to his father Paul Martin Sr. His father's poor showing, permanently ending his long dream of becoming Prime Minister, biographers have long cited this as the source of the ceaseless ambition by Martin Jr. to win Canada's top job.