1898 Canadian prohibition plebiscite
29 September 1898 (1898-09-29) |
Choice | Votes | % |
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![]() | 278,380 | 51.26% |
![]() | 264,693 | 48.74% |
Valid votes | 543,073 | 98.43% |
Invalid or blank votes | 8,642 | 1.57% |
Total votes | 551,715 | 100.00% |
Registered voters/turnout | 1,236,419 | 44.62% |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Canada_1898_Referendum.svg/300px-Canada_1898_Referendum.svg.png)
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A plebiscite on prohibition was held in Canada on 29 September 1898, the first national referendum in the country's history.[1] The Liberal government had made an election promise in 1896 to provide an opportunity for Canadians to register their opinions about the sale of alcohol.[2] The non-binding plebiscite saw 51.3% in favour of introducing prohibition, although turnout was only 44%.[3] A majority voted for its introduction in all provinces except Quebec, where 81.2% opposed it.
Despite the majority in favour, Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier's government chose not to introduce a federal bill on prohibition. As a result, Canadian prohibition was instead enacted through laws passed by the provinces during the first twenty years of the 20th century.
A 2012 study found that religion was by far the most important factor in determining how Canadians voted, with Evangelicals favoring prohibition, whereas Catholics and Anglicans opposed it.[4] More urbanized districts were less likely to favor prohibition.[4]
Results
Choice | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
For | 278,380 | 51.26 | |
Against | 264,693 | 48.74 | |
Total | 543,073 | 100.00 | |
Valid votes | 543,073 | 98.43 | |
Invalid/blank votes | 8,642 | 1.57 | |
Total votes | 551,715 | 100.00 | |
Registered voters/turnout | 1,236,419 | 44.62 | |
Source: Direct Democracy |
By province and territory
Jurisdiction | ![]() | No | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Votes | % | |
British Columbia | 5,731 | 54.64 | 4,756 | 45.36 |
Manitoba | 12,419 | 80.66 | 2,978 | 19.34 |
New Brunswick | 26,919 | 73.76 | 9,575 | 26.24 |
Northwest Territories | 6,238 | 68.84 | 2,824 | 31.16 |
Nova Scotia | 34,368 | 86.49 | 5,370 | 13.51 |
Ontario | 154,498 | 57.27 | 115,284 | 42.73 |
Prince Edward Island | 9,461 | 89.20 | 1,146 | 10.80 |
Quebec | 28,436 | 18.81 | 122,760 | 81.19 |
278,380 | 51.26 | 264,693 | 48.74 |
See also
References
- ^ "Referendum". The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ Harry Thurston Peck (1899). The International Year Book. Dodd, Mead. p. 153.
- ^ Alfred Emanuel Smith; Francis Walton (1898). New Outlook. Outlook publishing Company, Incorporated. p. 362.
- ^ a b Dostie, Benoit; Dupré, Ruth (2012-10-01). ""The people's will": Canadians and the 1898 referendum on alcohol prohibition". Explorations in Economic History. 49 (4): 498–515. doi:10.1016/j.eeh.2012.06.005.
Further reading
- Dostie, Benoit; Dupré, Ruth (2012). "'The people's will': Canadians and the 1898 referendum on alcohol prohibition". Explorations in Economic History. 49 (4): 498–515. doi:10.1016/j.eeh.2012.06.005.
- Smart, Reginald G.; Ogborne, Alan C. (1996). Northern Spirits : A Social History of Alcohol in Canada (2nd ed.). Ontario: Addiction Research Foundation. ISBN 978-0-88868-276-5.
- Samuel E. St. O Chapleau (1898). "Report on the prohibition plebiscite held on the 29th day of September 1898 in the Dominion of Canada". ISBN B0008D4FCS