New Democratic Party leadership conventions
Encyclopedia
New Democratic Party leadership elections, more commonly known as leadership conventions, are the process by which the Canadian
New Democratic Party
elects its leader.
Before 2003, when a modified one member, one vote (OMOV) system was adopted, every biennial New Democratic Party convention, since 1961, was a leadership convention
. However, in practice, contested elections were held only when there was a declared leadership race. The earliest example of an incumbent leader being challenged from the convention floor happened in 1973 when Douglas Campbell
unsuccessfully opposed David Lewis
' leadership. In 2001, Socialist Caucus member Marcel Hatch
challenged Alexa McDonough
from the floor of the convention; however, McDonough easily retained the leadership in the resulting vote.
When the NDP was created by the merger of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
(CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress
(CLC), Trade unions were allowed to directly affiliate to the party, and a system was unofficially arranged so that up to one-third of all delegates to NDP conventions were selected by labour and the other two-thirds by NDP riding associations. This was also the case at leadership conventions, giving the labour movement
a significant say in determining the party's leadership. Under the current system, each biennial federal convention includes a vote at which the delegates decide whether a leadership convention should be held.
, Ontario
on August 3, 1961.
First Ballot
on July 7, 1975.
As the last place finisher on the first ballot, Nystrom was dropped. However, Robinson determined that he could not win on the second ballot if Nystrom's supporters moved to McDonough, as they were expected to, thus he withdrew and McDonough was declared the winner.
The NDP held a series of regional and labour "caucus votes" prior to the national convention. A fourth candidate, Herschel Hardin
, participated in the regional caucuses but did not win sufficient delegate support to qualify for the convention. These "primaries" were OMOV.
Primaries
There were 42 spoiled ballots. If these are factored in McDonough's level of support was 78% overall.
2003 leadership election
Held in Toronto
, Ontario
on January 25, 2003.
Starting with the 2003 leadership election, the NDP instituted a modified one member one vote system in which the vote is calculated so that ballots cast by labour delegates have 25% weight in the total result, while votes cast by party members have 75%.
in Toronto.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
elects its leader.
Before 2003, when a modified one member, one vote (OMOV) system was adopted, every biennial New Democratic Party convention, since 1961, was a leadership convention
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
. However, in practice, contested elections were held only when there was a declared leadership race. The earliest example of an incumbent leader being challenged from the convention floor happened in 1973 when Douglas Campbell
Douglas Campbell (Ontario politician)
Douglas Kay Campbell is a longtime political activist in Canada. A trade union activist in his youth, Campbell has spent several years in the peace movement and has run for political office on numerous occasions...
unsuccessfully opposed David Lewis
David Lewis (politician)
David Lewis, CC was a Russian-born Canadian labour lawyer and social democratic politician. He was national secretary of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1936 to 1950, and one of the key architects of the New Democratic Party in 1961...
' leadership. In 2001, Socialist Caucus member Marcel Hatch
Marcel Hatch
Marcel Hatch, born November 4, 1954 in Spokane, Washington, is an American-born graphic designer, gay rights and Trotskyist political activist based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Hatch joined the Freedom Socialist Party while living in Seattle and subsequently launched its Canadian...
challenged Alexa McDonough
Alexa McDonough
Alexa Ann Shaw McDonough OC is a Canadian politician who became the first woman to lead a major, recognized political party in Canada, when she was elected the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party's leader in 1980...
from the floor of the convention; however, McDonough easily retained the leadership in the resulting vote.
When the NDP was created by the merger of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
(CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
(CLC), Trade unions were allowed to directly affiliate to the party, and a system was unofficially arranged so that up to one-third of all delegates to NDP conventions were selected by labour and the other two-thirds by NDP riding associations. This was also the case at leadership conventions, giving the labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
a significant say in determining the party's leadership. Under the current system, each biennial federal convention includes a vote at which the delegates decide whether a leadership convention should be held.
1961 leadership convention results
Held in OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on August 3, 1961.
First Ballot
| Candidate | Delegate Support | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Tommy Douglas Tommy Douglas Thomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician... |
1,391 | 78.5% |
| Hazen Argue Hazen Argue Hazen Robert Argue, PC was a Canadian politician based in Saskatchewan who served in Ottawa for 43 years at various levels of Canada's federal government. He was first elected as a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Member of Parliament in 1945 and ended his career as a Liberal Party Senator... |
380 | 21.5% |
| Total | 1,771 | 100% |
1971 leadership convention results
Held in Ottawa, Ontario on April 24, 1971.| Candidate | 1st ballot | 2nd ballot | 3rd ballot | 4th ballot | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % |
| David Lewis David Lewis (politician) David Lewis, CC was a Russian-born Canadian labour lawyer and social democratic politician. He was national secretary of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1936 to 1950, and one of the key architects of the New Democratic Party in 1961... |
661 | 38.9% | 715 | 42.5% | 742 | 44.1% | 1046 | 63.1% |
| James Laxer James Laxer James Laxer is a Canadian political economist, professor and author.In 1969, Laxer, along with his father Robert Laxer and Mel Watkins, founded the Waffle, a radical left wing group influenced by the New Left, the anti-Vietnam War movement and Canadian economic nationalism, that tried to win... |
378 | 22.3% | 407 | 24.1% | 508 | 30.2% | 612 | 36.9% |
| John Paul Harney John Paul Harney John Paul Harney is a professor and former Canadian politician.Harney ran as a candidate for the New Democratic Party throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He was the Provincial Secretary for the Ontario New Democratic Party from 1966 to 1970... |
299 | 17.6% | 347 | 20.5% | 431 | 25.6% | ||
| Ed Broadbent Ed Broadbent John Edward "Ed" Broadbent, is a Canadian social democratic politician and political scientist. He was leader of the federal New Democratic Party from 1975 to 1989. In the 2004 federal election, he returned to Parliament for one additional term as the Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre.-Life... |
236 | 13.9% | 223 | 13.1% | ||||
| Frank Howard Frank Howard (politician) Frank Howard was a Canadian trade unionist and politician.Howard was born in Kimberley, British Columbia. After a career as a logger and labour union organizer, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a BC CCF MLA in 1953... |
124 | 7.3% | ||||||
| Total | 1,698 | 100.0% | 1,692 | 100.0% | 1,681 | 100.0% | 1,658 | 100.0% |
1973 leadership challenge results
Held in Vancouver, British Columbia on Friday, July 20, 1973.| Candidate | Delegate Support | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| David Lewis David Lewis (politician) David Lewis, CC was a Russian-born Canadian labour lawyer and social democratic politician. He was national secretary of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1936 to 1950, and one of the key architects of the New Democratic Party in 1961... |
719 | 90.4% |
| Douglas Campbell Douglas Campbell (Ontario politician) Douglas Kay Campbell is a longtime political activist in Canada. A trade union activist in his youth, Campbell has spent several years in the peace movement and has run for political office on numerous occasions... |
76 | 9.55% |
| Total | 795 | 100% |
1975 leadership convention results
Held in Winnipeg, ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
on July 7, 1975.
| Candidate | 1st ballot | 2nd ballot | 3rd ballot | 4th ballot | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % |
| Ed Broadbent Ed Broadbent John Edward "Ed" Broadbent, is a Canadian social democratic politician and political scientist. He was leader of the federal New Democratic Party from 1975 to 1989. In the 2004 federal election, he returned to Parliament for one additional term as the Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre.-Life... |
536 | 33.1% | 586 | 36.1% | 694 | 43.4% | 984 | 61.5% |
| Rosemary Brown Rosemary Brown (politician) Rosemary Brown, PC, OC, OBC, née Wedderburn , was a Canadian politician.- Early years :Rosemary Brown was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1930, and moved to Canada in 1950 to study at McGill University in Montreal... |
413 | 23.5% | 397 | 24.5% | 494 | 30.9% | 658 | 41.1% |
| Lorne Nystrom Lorne Nystrom Lorne Edmund Nystrom, PC a Canadian politician, was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1993 when he lost his reelection bid. He returned to parliament in 1997 and served until 2004... |
345 | 21.3% | 342 | 21.1% | 413 | 25.8% | ||
| John Paul Harney John Paul Harney John Paul Harney is a professor and former Canadian politician.Harney ran as a candidate for the New Democratic Party throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He was the Provincial Secretary for the Ontario New Democratic Party from 1966 to 1970... |
313 | 19.4% | 299 | 18.4% | ||||
| Douglas Campbell Douglas Campbell (Ontario politician) Douglas Kay Campbell is a longtime political activist in Canada. A trade union activist in his youth, Campbell has spent several years in the peace movement and has run for political office on numerous occasions... |
11 | 0.6% | ||||||
| Total | 1,618 | 100.0% | 1,624 | 100.0% | 1,601 | 100.0% | 1,642 | 100.0% |
1989 leadership convention results
Held in Winnipeg, Manitoba on December 2, 1989.| Candidate | 1st ballot | 2nd ballot | 3rd ballot | 4th ballot | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % | Votes cast | % |
| Audrey McLaughlin Audrey McLaughlin Audrey McLaughlin, PC, OC was leader of Canada's New Democratic Party from 1989 to 1995. She was the first female leader of a political party with representation in the Canadian House of Commons, as well as the first federal political party leader to represent an electoral district in a Canadian... |
646 | 26.9% | 829 | 34.3% | 1,072 | 44.4% | 1,316 | 55.1% |
| Dave Barrett Dave Barrett David Barrett, OC , commonly known as Dave Barrett, is a retired politician and social worker in British Columbia, Canada... |
566 | 23.6% | 780 | 32.3% | 947 | 39.3% | 1,072 | 44.9% |
| Steven Langdon Steven Langdon Steven W. Langdon is a Canadian academic, politician, economist, and former parliamentarian.Born in Stratford, Ontario, Langdon graduated from the University of Trinity College in the University of Toronto in 1969... |
351 | 14.6% | 519 | 21.5% | 393 | 16.3% | ||
| Simon De Jong Simon De Jong Simon Leendert De Jong was a Canadian parliamentarian. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1979 federal election as an New Democratic Party Member of Parliament from Saskatchewan... |
315 | 13.1% | 289 | 12.0% | ||||
| Howard McCurdy Howard McCurdy Howard Douglas McCurdy is a retired Canadian politician and university professor.McCurdy studied at the University of Western Ontario, where he received a Bachelor of Arts, and later at Assumption University, where he received a Bachelor of Science. He was awarded a Master of Science and a Ph.D... |
256 | 10.7% | ||||||
| Ian Waddell Ian Waddell Ian Gardiner Waddell is a Canadian politician.Waddell was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and as a child immigrated to Canada. He graduated from the University of Toronto with bachelor of arts in history and an LLB, a teaching diploma Ontario College of Education and a master's in international law... |
213 | 8.9% | ||||||
| Roger Lagasse Roger Lagasse Roger Lagassé is a candidate in the current election of the Sunshine Coast Regional District of British Columbia, Canada. His campaign was announced in a news release in October, 2011 published on his facebook account at http://www.facebook.com/rogerlagasse... |
53 | 2.2% | ||||||
| Total | 2,400 | 100.0% | 2,417 | 100.0% | 2,412 | 100.0% | 2,388 | 100.0% |
1995 leadership convention results
Held in Ottawa, Ontario on October 14, 1995.| Candidate | Delegate Support | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Svend Robinson Svend Robinson Svend Robinson is a former Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004, representing the suburban Vancouver-area constituency of Burnaby for the New Democratic Party... |
655 | 37.8% |
| Alexa McDonough Alexa McDonough Alexa Ann Shaw McDonough OC is a Canadian politician who became the first woman to lead a major, recognized political party in Canada, when she was elected the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party's leader in 1980... |
566 | 32.6% |
| Lorne Nystrom Lorne Nystrom Lorne Edmund Nystrom, PC a Canadian politician, was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1993 when he lost his reelection bid. He returned to parliament in 1997 and served until 2004... |
545 | 31.5% |
| Total | 1,735 | 100% |
As the last place finisher on the first ballot, Nystrom was dropped. However, Robinson determined that he could not win on the second ballot if Nystrom's supporters moved to McDonough, as they were expected to, thus he withdrew and McDonough was declared the winner.
The NDP held a series of regional and labour "caucus votes" prior to the national convention. A fourth candidate, Herschel Hardin
Herschel Hardin
Herschel Hardin is a British Columbia-based writer, playwright, commentator and political activist and consultant best known for having contested the leadership of the New Democratic Party of Canada in 1995....
, participated in the regional caucuses but did not win sufficient delegate support to qualify for the convention. These "primaries" were OMOV.
Primaries
| Candidate | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Lorne Nystrom Lorne Nystrom Lorne Edmund Nystrom, PC a Canadian politician, was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1993 when he lost his reelection bid. He returned to parliament in 1997 and served until 2004... |
44.69% |
| Svend Robinson Svend Robinson Svend Robinson is a former Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004, representing the suburban Vancouver-area constituency of Burnaby for the New Democratic Party... |
32.06% |
| Alexa McDonough Alexa McDonough Alexa Ann Shaw McDonough OC is a Canadian politician who became the first woman to lead a major, recognized political party in Canada, when she was elected the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party's leader in 1980... |
18.47% |
| Herschel Hardin Herschel Hardin Herschel Hardin is a British Columbia-based writer, playwright, commentator and political activist and consultant best known for having contested the leadership of the New Democratic Party of Canada in 1995.... |
4.78% |
| Total | 100% |
2001 leadership challenge results
Held in Winnipeg, Manitoba on Sunday, November 25, 2001.| Candidate | Delegate Support | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Alexa McDonough Alexa McDonough Alexa Ann Shaw McDonough OC is a Canadian politician who became the first woman to lead a major, recognized political party in Canada, when she was elected the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party's leader in 1980... |
645 | 82.2% |
| Marcel Hatch Marcel Hatch Marcel Hatch, born November 4, 1954 in Spokane, Washington, is an American-born graphic designer, gay rights and Trotskyist political activist based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Hatch joined the Freedom Socialist Party while living in Seattle and subsequently launched its Canadian... |
120 | 15.3% |
| Total | 785 | 100% |
There were 42 spoiled ballots. If these are factored in McDonough's level of support was 78% overall.
2003 leadership electionNew Democratic Party leadership election, 2003The New Democratic Party leadership election of 2003 was held to replace New Democratic Party of Canada leader Alexa McDonough, after her retirement...
results
Held in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on January 25, 2003.
| Candidate | Votes (adjusted) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Layton Jack Layton John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of... |
31,150 | 53.5% |
| Bill Blaikie Bill Blaikie William Alexander "Bill" Blaikie, PC is a Canadian politician. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba since April 2009, representing the Winnipeg division of Elmwood as a member of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba, and Minister of Conservation and Government House Leader... |
14,365 | 24.7% |
| Lorne Nystrom Lorne Nystrom Lorne Edmund Nystrom, PC a Canadian politician, was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1993 when he lost his reelection bid. He returned to parliament in 1997 and served until 2004... |
5,397 | 9.3% |
| Joe Comartin | 4,490 | 7.7% |
| Pierre Ducasse Pierre Ducasse Pierre Ducasse , a Canadian politician, is a prominent New Democratic Party activist.He grew up in Sept-Îles, Quebec, and studied at Université Laval... |
2,155 | 3.7% |
| Bev Meslo Bev Meslo Beverley "Bev" Meslo is a Canadian democratic socialist, a New Democratic Party member, and a political activist based in Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada.... |
645 | 1.1% |
| Total | 58,202 | 100% |
Starting with the 2003 leadership election, the NDP instituted a modified one member one vote system in which the vote is calculated so that ballots cast by labour delegates have 25% weight in the total result, while votes cast by party members have 75%.
2012 leadership election
A leadership election will be held on March 24, 2012, to choose a permanent successor for Jack Layton, who died August 22, 2011. The convention at which the results will be announced will be held at Exhibition PlaceExhibition Place
Exhibition Place is a mixed-use district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, by the shoreline of Lake Ontario, just west of downtown. The 197–acre area includes expo, trade, and banquet centres, theatre and music buildings, monuments, parkland, sports facilities, and a number of civic, provincial,...
in Toronto.