The 36th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on April 30, 1996, and held on May 28, 1996. New Democratic Party leader and provincial premier Mike Harcourt had resigned as the result of a fundraising scandal involving one of the members of his caucus. Glen Clark was chosen by the party to replace Harcourt. Clark led the party to a second majority government, defeating the Liberal Party of Gordon Campbell. Campbell had become leader of the Liberal Party after Gordon Wilson had been forced out of the position because of his relationship with another Liberal member of the legislature, Judy Tyabji . Campbell is believed to have lost the election because of a promise to privatize BC Rail.

After Wilson was defeated by Campbell in the convention to chose a new leader, he and Tyabji left the Liberal Party to establish the Progressive Democratic Alliance. Wilson was able to win re-election, but Tyabji was not, going down to defeat with all of the other candidates fielded by the new party.

Reform BC, a splinter group from the once-dominant Social Credit Party, won two seats.

Although the Liberal Party won a larger share of the popular vote, the NDP won a majority of the seats in the Legislature. The result of this election helped convince the Liberal Party to become a major advocate for electoral reform.

Election results

External links

• Elections BC 1996 Election