2008 Canadian Federal Election

Canada held a snap parliamentary election on January 23, 2006. All 308 seats in the House of Commons were up for election, and a party needed at least 155 seats to secure a majority government.

The Liberal Party had held power since 1993, winning three elections (1993, 1997, and 2000) under Jean Chrétien, and a fourth (2004) under Paul Martin.

The election took place against the background of the sponsorship scandal. The federal government launched an awareness project following the 1995 Quebec independence referendum to serve as a counterweight to separatism. Multiple investigations found this program was rife with corruption and other illegal activities.

Amid the fallout from the sponsorship scandal, the opposition parties passed a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberals. This triggered a snap election.

Bolstered by a splintered centre-left vote and anti-incumbent sentiments, Stephen Harper led his Conservative Party to form a minority government that fell 31 seats short of a majority. Most of the Conservatives' gains came at the expense of the Liberals in Ontario, as well as the Bloc Québécois in Quebec.