1978 Saskatchewan general election

1978 Saskatchewan general election

October 18, 1978 (1978-10-18)
61 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan 32 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   PC Leader Allan Blakeney Richard Collver Ted Malone Party New Democratic Progressive Conservative Liberal Leader since July 4, 1970 March 18, 1973 December 11, 1976 Leader's seat Regina Elphinstone Nipawin Regina Lakeview (lost re-election) Last election 39 7 15 Seats before 39 11 11 Seats won 44 17 0 Seat change 5 6 11 Popular vote 228,791 181,045 65,498 Percentage 48.12% 38.08% 13.78% Swing 8.05pp 10.46pp 17.89pp
Premier before election Allan Blakeney New Democratic Premier after election Allan Blakeney New Democratic

The 1978 Saskatchewan general election was held on October 18, 1978, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

The New Democratic government of Premier Allan Blakeney was returned for a third consecutive term with an increased majority in the legislature, and a larger share of the popular vote.

The Progressive Conservative Party of Richard Collver continued to increase its share of the popular vote in this election. They were the only other party to win seats and became the official opposition to the Blakeney government.

Fierce political infighting in the Liberal Party after the resignation of leader David Steuart led to electoral disaster in 1978. The Liberals had lost two of the 15 seats they won in 1975 to by-elections and two more Grits crossed the floor to the Tories prior to the 1978 election. Under the disputed leadership of Ted Malone, the Liberals lost all of the 11 seats they still held in the legislature and more than half the votes it had won in the 1975 election.

Results

Party		Party Leader	# of candidates	Seats				Popular Vote
				1975	Dissol.	Elected	% Change	#	%	% Change
	New Democratic	Allan Blakeney	61	39	39	44	+12.8%	228,791	48.12%	+8.05%
	Progressive Conservative	Richard Collver	61	7	11	17	+54.5%	181,045	38.08%	+10.46%
	Liberal	Ted Malone	61	15	11	–	-100%	65,498	13.78%	-17.89%
	Independent		2	–	–	–	–	81	0.02%	-0.62%
Total			185	61	61	61	–	475,415	100%
Source: Elections Saskatchewan

Percentages

Popular vote New Democratic   48.12% PC   38.08% Liberal   13.78% Others   0.02%

Seats summary New Democratic   72.13% PC   27.87%

Ranking

Party		Seats	Second	Third	Fourth
	New Democratic	44	17	0	0
	Progressive Conservative	17	41	3	0
	Liberal	0	3	58	0
	Independents	0	0	0	2

Riding results

Names in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " indicates MLAs who are not running again.

Northwest Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	NDP		PC		Liberal		Other
Athabasca		Frederick John Thompson 2,340		Frank Petit 1,180		Henry Coupland 498				Frederick John Thompson
Cut Knife-Lloydminster		Bob Long 3,828		Bob Kent 3,213		Bill Taylor 259				Miro Kwasnica**
Meadow Lake		Gord McNeill 2,789		George McLeod 3,016		Colin Campbell 537				Gordon James McNeill
Redberry		Dennis Banda 3,325		John Gerich 2,916		Peter Bomok 491				Dennis George Banda
Rosthern		Howard Lucas 3,162		Ralph Katzman 4,708		Bill Patrick 964				Ralph Katzman
The Battlefords		Eiling Kramer 4,589		Rod McKenzie 2,175		Mervin Zulyniuk 1,427				Eiling Kramer
Turtleford		Lloyd Johnson 2,983		Charlie Wells 2,188		Pauline H. Cadrain 620				Lloyd Emmett Johnson

November 26, 1980 By-election: The Battlefords

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	NDP	David Miner	3,432	48.59%	-7.44
	Prog. Conservative	Harry Zamonsky	2,143	30.34%	+3.79
	Liberal	Thomas Bidart	1,488	21.07%	+3.65
Total			7,063	100.00

Northeast Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	NDP		PC		Liberal		Other
Cumberland		Norm MacAuley 2,586		George L. Horne 1,254		Leon E. McAuley 526				Norman H. MacAuley
Kelsey-Tisdale		John R. Messer 4,031		Neil Hardy 3,461		P. Hudson Foga 527				John Rissler Messer
Kinistino		Don Cody 4,042		Louis A. Domotor 2,661		Robert G. Michayluk 706				Arthur Thibault**
Melfort		Norm Vickar 3,102		Bill Warner 3,749		John W. Calderwood 605				Norman Vickar
Nipawin		Irvin G. Perkins 3,262		Richard Collver 3,733		Ron J. Wassill 568				Richard Lee Collver
Prince Albert		Mike Feschuk 4,472		Richard E. Spencer 3,514		Helga Reydon 286				Mike Feschuk
Prince Albert-Duck Lake		Jerome Hammersmith 3,618		Norm Wipf 3,569		Colonel J. Archibald 660				Norm Wipf
Shellbrook		George Bowerman 3,835		John P. Meagher 3,029		Manley R. McLachlan 511				George Bowerman

November 26, 1980 By-election: Kelsey-Tisdale

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Prog. Conservative	Neil Hardy	3,334	48.39%	+5.23
	NDP	Lars Bracken	3,232	46.91%	-3.36
	Liberal	Jim Russell	324	4.70%	-1.87
Total			6,890	100.00

West Central Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	NDP		PC		Liberal		Other
Arm River		Donald Leonard Faris 3,308		Gerald Muirhead 3,501		Greg Wensel 1,101				Donald Leonard Faris
Biggar		Elwood L. Cowley 4,787		Roy Norris 3,270		Lynn Tokle 552				Elwood Lorrie Cowley
Humboldt		Edwin Tchorzewski 4,272		John Bajbula 2,439		Peter Cline 1,065				Edwin Tchorzewski
Kindersley		David G. Thomson 2,461		Bob Andrew 2,774		Allan McMillan 1,937				Allan Neil McMillan
Rosetown-Elrose		Jim Mills 3,056		Herbert Swan 3,587		Calvin W. Fensom 1,011				Roy Bailey**
Wilkie		Ray Heather 2,371		Jim Garner 2,865		Linda Clifford 1,975				Linda Clifford

East Central Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	NDP		PC		Liberal		Other
Canora		Al Matsalla 4,258		Eugene Teslia 2,647		Joseph F. Matsalla 730				Al Matsalla
Kelvington-Wadena		Neil Byers 4,165		Ray Meiklejohn 3,366		A. Ben Ferrie 521				Neil Erland Byers
Last Mountain-Touchwood		Gordon MacMurchy 4,150		Arnold Tusa 3,795		Gill Fontaine 385				Gordon S. MacMurchy
Melville		John Kowalchuk 4,072		Glenn Miller 3,465		Cecil Headrick 901				John Russell Kowalchuk
Pelly		Norm Lusney 3,739		Donald F. Boyd 2,130		Rudolph Els 760				Norm Lusney
Quill Lakes		Murray Koskie 3,662		W. Brian Wildeman 2,251		Mervyn T. Warner 919				Murray James Koskie
Saltcoats		Ed Kaeding 3,354		Walter R. Johnson 3,265		Gabriel R. Neumeier 680				Ed Kaeding
Yorkton		Randy Nelson 4,128		Ray S. Malinowski 3,637		Irene Konkin 1,036				Randall Neil Nelson

Southwest Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	NDP		PC		Liberal		Other
Assiniboia-Gravelbourg		Allan Engel 3,126		Wilf Lethbridge 2,331		Roy Nelson 2,662				Roy Nelson
Maple Creek		Norman Arndt 2,327		Joan Duncan 3,496		W.V. "Fred" Deis 1,341				Bill Stodalka**
Moose Jaw North		John Skoberg 4,483		Kerry R. Chow 3,579		Gene Chura 1,003				John Leroy Skoberg
Moose Jaw South		Gordon Snyder 4,512		Arthur "Bud" Smith 2,408		Terry W. Ocrane 716				Gordon Taylor Snyder
Morse		Reg Gross 2,587		Art Martens 2,203		Jack Wiebe 2,024				John Edward Niel Wiebe
Shaunavon		Dwain Lingenfelter 2,778		Jim Lacey 2,145		Eiliv "Sonny" Anderson 2,385				Eiliv "Sonny" Anderson
Swift Current		Spencer Wooff 3,288		Dennis Ham 3,620		Stew Tasche 936				Dennis Ham
Thunder Creek		D. Hicks 2,424		Colin Thatcher 3,359		Ron Gleim 1,270				Wilbert Colin Thatcher

Southeast Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	NDP		PC		Liberal		Other
Bengough-Milestone		Jim Liggett 3,069		Bob Pickering 3,118		Rod MacDonald 1,018				David Lange**
Estevan		Norman Blondeau 2,703		Bob Larter 4,376		Paul Bachorcik 948				Robert Austin Larter
Indian Head-Wolseley		Pat Connolley 2,400		Doug Taylor 2,893		Cyril MacDonald 1,943				Cyril Pius MacDonald
Moosomin		Fred A. Easton 2,614		Larry Birkbeck 3,353		J. Sinclair Harrison 1,964				Larry Birkbeck
Qu'Appelle		Greg Willows 6,844		John Gary Lane 7,231		J. Don McCullough 1,541				John Gary Lane
Souris-Cannington		Dean Fraser 2,019		Eric Berntson 3,739		Gerard Belisle 1,170				Eric Arthur Berntson
Weyburn		Jim Pepper 3,517		Glen Dods 3,449		Ron Chapdelaine 981				James Auburn Pepper

November 26, 1980 By-election: Estevan

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	NDP	John Chapman	2,918	36.79%	+3.12
	Prog. Conservative	Grant Devine	2,858	36.03%	-18.49
	Liberal	Ralph Goodale	2,156	27.18%	+15.37
Total			7,932	100.00

Saskatoon

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	NDP		PC		Liberal		Other
Saskatoon Buena Vista		Herman Rolfes 3,786		Reg Schafer 2,343		Doris Serne 1,272				Herman Harold Rolfes
Saskatoon Centre		Paul Mostoway 5,246		Harry Baker 2,743		Jean Korchin 1,453				Paul Peter Mostoway
Saskatoon Eastview		Bernie Poniatowski 4,018		Kimberly Young 3,322		Marie Eaton 1,257				Glen Penner**
Saskatoon Mayfair		Beverly Dyck 4,328		Donna L. Birkmaier 2,394		Dick Reed 1,104				Beverly Dyck
Saskatoon Nutana		Wes Robbins 4,739		Grant Devine 2,466		John A. Shanks 1,080				W. Albert Robbins
Saskatoon Riversdale		Roy Romanow 5,225		Mary Cherneskey 2,205		Nestor W. Romaniuk 640				Roy Romanow
Saskatoon Sutherland		Peter Prebble 5,007		Bill Lane 4,722		Douglas R. Knott 1,845				Harold William Lane
Saskatoon Westmount		John Edward Brockelbank 5,651		Peter Shinkaruk 2,427		Peter Sydney Groves 909				John Edward Brockelbank

Regina

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	NDP		PC		Liberal		Other
Regina Centre		Ned Shillington 3,767		Keith Jeal 1,451		George Exner 935		William C. Beeching (Ind.) 45		Edward Shillington
Regina Elphinstone		Allan Blakeney 4,390		Christine Whitaker 1,250		R. Lawson Wilde 596				Allan Blakeney
Regina Lakeview		Doug McArthur 3,351		Ian McPherson 1,684		Ted Malone 2,366				Edward Cyril Malone
Regina North East		Walt Smishek 4,831		F. Warren Denzin 2,248		Del Miller 805		Roger D. Annis (Ind.) 36		Walter Smishek
Regina North West		Ed Whelan 5,575		Philip Lundeen 3,142		J. Culliton Poston 1,443				Edward Charles Whelan
Regina Rosemont		Bill Allen 4,524		Florian Vanderlinde 2,154		Gerry Bassendowski 766				William J. G. Allen
Regina South		John Hettema 3,114		Paul Rousseau 3,325		Philip M. Desjardine 1,688				Stuart Cameron**
Regina Victoria		Henry Baker 3,729		Andrew G. Shepherd 1,594		Glenn Caleval 820				Henry Harold Peter Baker
Regina Wascana		Clint White 3,993		Allan W. Wagar 2,945		J. Duane Koch 1,859				Anthony Merchant**

October 17, 1979 By-election: Regina North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	NDP	John Solomon	3,354	47.75%	-7.12
	Liberal	Ted Malone	2,211	31.47%	+17.27
	Prog. Conservative	Philip Lundeen	1,460	20.78%	-10.15
Total			7,025	100.00

See also

• List of political parties in Saskatchewan
• List of Saskatchewan provincial electoral districts

References

• Saskatchewan Archives Board - Election Results By Electoral Division
• Elections Saskatchewan: Provincial Vote Summaries