# Lawrence MacAulay

Lawrence A. MacAulay PC MP (born September 9, 1946) is a Canadian politician, who has represented the riding of Cardigan, Prince Edward Island in the House of Commons since 1988.
On June 11, 1997, he joined the cabinet of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien as Minister of Labour and Minister responsible for Prince Edward Island. In 1998, he was appointed Solicitor General of Canada and served in that role until his resignation from Cabinet on October 21, 2002, during a conflict of interest inquiry. MacAuley served as a Liberal backbench member of Parliament (MP) through the rest of the Liberal years in power and as an opposition member during the Conservative government led by Stephen Harper (2006–2015). He is the former Secretary of State (Veterans) and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency). He was also the Official Opposition Critic for Seniors.
On March 20, 2014, MacAulay became the longest-serving MP in the history of Prince Edward Island, surpassing the record previously set by Angus MacLean.
On November 4, 2015, he was appointed the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by the new prime minister Justin Trudeau. On March 1, 2019, Trudeau shuffled his cabinet, appointing MacAulay as Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence. On July 26, 2023, Trudeau shuffled his cabinet, appointing MacAulay as Minister of Agriculture for the second time.
On March 1, 2025, MacAulay announced that he won't be seeking re-election in 2025 for Cardigan.
MacAulay lives in Prince Edward Island with his wife, Frances.

## Controversy

In December 2022, MacAulay was confronted in parliament by other MPs on multiple reports of Veterans Affairs Canada offering medical assistance in dying (MAID) to veterans seeking medical care. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the incidents as "absolutely unacceptable".

## Electoral record

vte2021 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 11,175 | 50.58 | +1.23 | $47,596.44 |
| | Conservative | Wayne Phelan | 6,817 | 30.85 | +1.80 | $38,354.38 |
| | New Democratic | Lynne Thiele | 2,168 | 9.81 | +3.13 | $3,739.79 |
| | Green | Michael MacLean | 1,064 | 4.82 | -9.02 | $5,906.70 |
| | People's | Kevin Hardy | 725 | 3.28 | – | $1,431.55 |
| | Christian Heritage | Fred MacLeod | 145 | 0.66 | -0.42 | $627.12 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 21,994 | 98.66 | – | $90,511.54 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 199 | 0.89 | -0.15 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,293 | 72.71 | -2.28 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 30,659 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -0.24 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 10,939 | 49.35 | −15.68 | $42,720.95 |
| | Conservative | Wayne Phelan | 6,439 | 29.05 | +12.89 | none listed |
| | Green | Glen Beaton | 3,068 | 13.84 | +7.46 | $13,490.35 |
| | New Democratic | Lynne Thiele | 1,481 | 6.68 | −4.45 | $0.00 |
| | Christian Heritage | Christene Squires | 240 | 1.08 | −0.23 | $278.30 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 22,167 | 98.96 | | $85,990.53 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 232 | 1.04 | +0.61 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,399 | 74.99 | −3.17 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 29,869 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | −14.29 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2015 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 14,621 | 65.03 | +15.40 | $57,014.46 |
| | Conservative | Julius Patkai | 3,632 | 16.15 | –22.22 | $36,428.35 |
| | New Democratic | Billy Cann | 2,503 | 11.13 | +0.84 | $13,760.96 |
| | Green | Teresa Doyle | 1,434 | 6.38 | +4.61 | $7,232.74 |
| | Christian Heritage | Christene Squires | 295 | 1.31 | – | $2,681.69 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 22,485 | 99.57 | | $170,761.91 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 96 | 0.43 | –0.08 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,581 | 78.16 | -0.13 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 28,889 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +18.81 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2011 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 10,486 | 49.63 | -3.18 | $40,566.83 |
| | Conservative | Michael Currie | 8,107 | 38.37 | +8.48 | $60,502.86 |
| | New Democratic | Lorne Cudmore | 2,164 | 10.24 | +2.11 | $1,837.23 |
| | Green | Leslie Stewart | 373 | 1.77 | -1.96 | $1,714.72 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 21,130 | 100.0 | – | $69,835.73 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 108 | 0.51 | -0.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,238 | 78.29 | +8.03 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 27,127 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -5.83 |
| Sources: |||||||
vte2008 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 10,105 | 52.81 | -3.35 | $35,000.12 |
| | Conservative | Sid McMullin | 5,661 | 29.59 | -4.09 | $29,907.51 |
| | New Democratic | Mike Avery | 1,556 | 8.13 | +0.66 | $1,316.84 |
| | Independent | Larry McGuire | 1,101 | 5.75 | – | none listed |
| | Green | Emma Daughton | 710 | 3.71 | +1.02 | $2,546.13 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 19,133 | 100.0 | – | $67,487 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 101 | 0.53 | -0.03 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,234 | 70.26 | -5.07 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 27,374 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +0.37 |
vte2006 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 11,542 | 56.16 | +2.78 | $38,353.41 |
| | Conservative | Don Gillis | 6,923 | 33.68 | +0.44 | $62,756.67 |
| | New Democratic | Edith Perry | 1,535 | 7.47 | -2.68 | $1,532.80 |
| | Green | Haida Arsenault-Antolick | 553 | 2.69 | -0.54 | $679.02 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 20,533 | 100.0 | – | $63,115 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 116 | 0.56 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,649 | 75.33 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 27,411 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +1.17 |
vte2004 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 11,064 | 53.38 | +6.56 | $54,157.07 |
| | Conservative | Peter McQuaid | 6,889 | 33.24 | -14.78 | $59,824.10 |
| | New Democratic | Dave MacKinnon | 2,103 | 10.15 | +5.09 | $20,929.08 |
| | Green | Jeremy Stiles | 670 | 3.23 | – | $1,315.34 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 20,726 | 100.0 | – | $61,091 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 137 | 0.66 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,863 | 76.2 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 27,656 |
| | Liberal notional hold | Liberal notional hold | Swing | Swing | +10.67 |
| Changes from 2000 are based on redistributed results. Change for the Conservatives is based on the combined totals of the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance. |||||||
vte2000 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 8,545 | 48.06 | +3.01 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Kevin MacAdam | 8,269 | 46.51 | +2.05 |
| | Alliance | Darrell Hickox | 500 | 2.81 | |
| | New Democratic | Deborah Kelly Hawkes | 465 | 2.62 | -7.88 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 17,779 | 100.00 |
vte1997 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 7,555 | 45.05 | -16.59 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Dan Hughes | 7,456 | 44.46 | +11.79 |
| | New Democratic | Larry Duchesne | 1,761 | 10.50 | +4.81 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 16,772 | 100.00 |
vte1993 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 10,115 | 61.64 | +10.02 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Wilbur MacDonald | 5,360 | 32.67 | -11.26 |
| | New Democratic | Reg Phelan | 934 | 5.69 | +1.23 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 16,409 | 100.00 |
vte1988 Canadian federal election: Cardigan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Lawrence MacAulay | 9,325 | 51.62 | +9.48 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Pat Binns | 7,936 | 43.93 | -9.43 |
| | New Democratic | Gertrude Partridge | 805 | 4.46 | -0.04 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 18,066 | 100.00 |