The King-Byng Affair of 1926
January 17th, 2009 at 12:07 pm - by Kit Sauder
The King-Byng Affair was a Canadian constitutional crisis which occurred in 1926 between the then Prime Minister Mackenzie King and the Governor General Viscount Byng of Vimy. The Liberal government under William Lyon Mackenzie King won the election, holding a minority of 101 seats, with the Progressive Party of Canada holding 24 and the Conservative Party at 116. With the support of Progressive Robert Fork they held on to power despite the Conservatives led by Arthur Meighan winning more seats.
At the end of the year after scandals came to light involving the appointment of the Minister of Customs, Jacques Bureau, by Mackenzie King, who had been reported to have taken bribes. King fired the minister, then quickly recommended to Governor General Byng that Bureau be appointed to the Senate. This resulted in the Progressives removing support from the Liberals and after they had lost two votes of procedure and were facing a vote on corruption, King went to Governor General Byng to request an election.
Byng using his powers of reservation, refused to call an election. He believed that since a debate of censure was being held calling an election would be viewed as the crown meddling in the freedom of speech of the people of Canada. The next day, King presented him with an Order-in-Council which he refused to sign - the final time a Governor General ever refused a Prime Minister’s “advice.”
Due to the refusal, King resigned his seat as Prime Minister. Byng then invited Conservative leader Arthur Meighan to form a government. Meighan did so, making his cabinet “acting ministers”, and then was brought to a vote of confidence in the House of Commons. The Liberals and the Progressives allied to collapse the Conservative government in a vote of non-confidence. This resulted in an election wherein Meighan lost his seat and King’s Liberals won a majority.
The important long-term political implications of this election were clear; Governors General no longer oppose the wishes and advice of a Canadian Prime Minister, doing so in modern day politics would be shocking and likely entirely unaccepted. The Statute of Westminister - the Act of British Parliament which dictated how Commonwealth states were enabled to self-govern - and the way in which Parliaments within the Commonwealth interacted with their Governors General was henceforth forever changed by the crisis of King-Byng.
April 6, 2010 at 8:16 AM
Just a quick correction- the 1926 election did see King return as prime minister but it did not see the Liberals gain a majority.
Furthermore, even though the Liberals were placed in minority status with more seats than the Conservatives they in fact garnered fewer votes than the “defeated” Conservatives.
One more thing; it is not inconceivable that a GG refuse the advice of a PM in “modern day politics.” If it were, there would have been no concern that the 2008 coalition could have ever taken power.