23rd Canadian Parliament
1957–58 national legislative term
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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.
ministerJohn Diefenbaker
Jun. 21, 1957 – Apr. 22, 1963
OppositionLouis St. Laurent
June 21, 1957 – January 16, 1958
| 23rd Canadian Parliament | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Minority parliament | |||
| Oct. 14, 1957 – Feb. 1, 1958 | |||
| Parliament leaders | |||
| Prime minister | John Diefenbaker Jun. 21, 1957 – Apr. 22, 1963 | ||
| Cabinet | 18th 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 | |||
| Government | Progressive Conservative Party | ||
| Opposition | Liberal Party | ||
| Crossbench | Co-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 | ||
| Members | 265 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 | ||
| Senators | 102 senator seats List of senators | ||
| Sovereign | |||
| Monarch | Elizabeth 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 | |||
| |||

There was only one session of the 23rd Parliament:
| Session | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | October 14, 1957 | February 1, 1958 |
Overview
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.
Party standings
| Number of members
per party |
Party leader | General Election | |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 10, 1957 | |||
| Progressive Conservative | John Diefenbaker | 112 | |
| Liberal | Louis St. Laurent | 105 | |
| Co-operative Commonwealth | M.J. Coldwell | 25 | |
| Social Credit | Solon Low | 19 | |
| Other | 4 | ||
| Total Seats | 265 | ||
Major events
Parliament opened by the queen
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]
First woman appointed to cabinet
Diefenbaker appointed Ellen Fairclough, MP for Hamilton West, as Secretary of State in 1957, marking the first time a woman had been appointed to a cabinet position.[2]
Ministry
The 18th Canadian Ministry began at the beginning of the 23rd Canadian Parliament and lasted until near the end of the 25th Canadian Parliament.
Office holders
Party leadership
| Party | Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Conservative | John Diefenbaker | December 14, 1956 | September 8, 1967 |
| Liberal | Louis St. Laurent | August 7, 1948 | January 16, 1958 |
| Lester B. Pearson | January 16, 1958 | April 6, 1968 | |
| Social Credit | Solon Earl Low | April 6, 1944 | March 9, 1967 |
| CCF | M.J. Coldwell | July 29, 1942 | August 10, 1960 |
House of Commons
Presiding officer
| Office | Officer | Riding | From | To | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaker of the House of Commons | Roland Michener | St. Paul's | October 14, 1957 | September 27, 1962 | Progressive Conservative |
Government leadership (Progressive Conservative)
| Office | Officer | Riding | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | John Diefenbaker | Prince Albert | June 21, 1957 | April 22, 1963 |
| House Leader | Howard Charles Green | Vancouver South | October 14, 1957 | July 18, 1959 |
Changes to party standings
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 | ||
Parliamentarians
House of Commons
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.
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
| 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 |
New Brunswick
| 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 |
Newfoundland
| 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 |
Northwest Territories
| Electoral district | Name | Party | First elected/previously elected | No. of terms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mackenzie River | Merv Hardie | Liberal | 1953 | 2nd term |
Nova Scotia
| 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 |
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
| 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 |
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
| 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 |
Legislation and motions
Act's which received royal assent under 23rd Parliament
1st Session
Source:[3]
Public acts
| Date of Assent | Index | Title | Bill Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 24, 1957 | 1 | Appropriation Act No. 6, 1957 | 11 |
| November 7, 1957 | 2 | Advance Payments for Prairie Grain Prior to Delivery Thereof, An Act to Provide for | 14 |
| 3 | Old Age Security Act, An Act to Amend | 19 | |
| November 21, 1957 | 4 | Blind Persons Act, An Act to Amend | 21 |
| 5 | Disabled Persons Act, An Act to Amend | 23 | |
| 6 | Old Age Assistance Act, An Act to Amend | 20 | |
| 7 | War Veterans Allowance Act, An Act to Amend | 28 | |
| November 28, 1957 | 8 | Unemployment Insurance Act, An Act to Amend | 171 |
| December 5, 1957 | 9 | Appropriation Act No. 7, 1957 | 198 |
| December 20, 1957 | 10 | Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Company, An Act to Amend an Act Respecting | L6-194 |
| 11 | Canadian and British Insurance Companies Act, An Act to Amend | 169 | |
| 12 | Canadian Vessel Construction Assistance Act, An Act to Amend | I-72 | |
| 13 | Construction of a Line of Railway by Canadian National Railway Company from Optic Lake to Chisel Lake and the Purchase by Canadian National Railway Company from The International Nickel Company of Canada, Limited of a Line of Railway from Sipiwesk to a Point on Burntwood River Near Mystery Lake, All in the Province of Manitoba | 196 | |
| 14 | Excise Tax Act, An Act to Amend | 231 | |
| 15 | Export Credits Insurance Act, An Act to Amend | 199 | |
| 16 | Hamilton Harbour Commissioners, An Act Respecting | 197 | |
| 17 | Income Tax Act, An Act to Amend | 232 | |
| 18 | National Housing Act, An Act to Amend | 238 | |
| 19 | Pension Act, An Act to Amend | 35 | |
| 20 | Unemployment Assistance Act, An Act to Amend | 240 | |
| January 7, 1958 | 21 | Appropriation Act No. 1, 1958 | 242 |
| January 31, 1958 | 22 | Agricultural Stabilization Act | 237 |
| 23 | Alberta-North West Territories Act | J-26 | |
| 24 | Annual Vacations Act | 16 | |
| 25 | Atlantic Provinces Power Development Act | 244 | |
| 26 | Beechwood Power Project, An Act to Authorize a Loan to the Government of New Brunswick in Respect of | 243 | |
| 27 | Canada-Australia Income Tax Agreement Act, 1958 | 170 | |
| 28 | Criminal Code, An Act to Amend | 15 | |
| 29 | Federal-Provincial Tax-Sharing Arrangements Act, An Act to Amend | 247 | |
| 30 | Northwest Territories Act, An Act to Amend | 249 |
Local and Private Acts
| Date of Assent | Index | Title | Bill Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 7, November 21, November 28, December 5 and December 20, 1957 | 31 | St. Mary's River Bridge Company, An Act Respecting | O-5 |
| 32 | Hydro Electric Company, Limited, An Act Respecting | G-33 | |
| 33 | Brazilian Traction, Light and Power Company, Limited, An Act Respecting | H-34 | |
| 34 | Mexico Tramways Company, An Act Respecting | M-73 | |
| 35 | Rio de Janeiro Tramway, Light and Power Company, Limited, An Act Respecting | E-31 | |
| 36 | Sao Paulo Electric Company, Limited, An Act Respecting | F-32 | |
| 37 | Alaska-Yukon Pipelines Limited, An Act Respecting | XI-102 | |
| 38 | Ottawa and New York Railway Company, An Act Respecting | D-30 | |
| 39 | Bell Telephone Company of Canada, An Act Respecting | C-27 | |
| 40 | British Columbia Telephone Company, An Act Respecting | B-18 | |
| 41 | Investors Trust Company, An Act to Incorporate | K-29 |
See also
- List of Canadian electoral districts 1952–1966,for a list of the ridings in this parliament.