1995 New Democratic Party leadership election

Party election in Canada September 2023 1995 New Democratic Party leadership election Canada presidential no 1989 New Democratic Party leadership election 1989 2003 New Democratic Party leadership election 2003 October 12 – 15, 1995 Second ballot vote First ballot vote x150px CA NDP nohash Alexa McDonough Acclaimed 566(32.62%) x150px CA NDP nohash Svend Robinson Withdrew 655(37.75%) x150px CA NDP nohash Lorne Nystrom Eliminated 545(31.41%) Leader Elected leader Audrey McLaughlin Alexa McDonough New Democratic Party CA NDP 1995 NDP-NPD Canada.svg October 12 – 15, 1995 Ottawa Congress Centre, Ottawa, Ontario Alexa McDonough Audrey McLaughlin 1 1 From October 12–15, 1995, the New Democratic Party held a leadership election to elect a successor to Audrey McLaughlin. Although Svend Robinson led on the first ballot, he conceded the leadership to Alexa McDonough, who was appointed by a motion put forward by Robinson. This was the last NDP leadership convention that was decided solely by delegates attending and voting at the convention. Background As the fortunes of the Nova Scotia NDP were slowly rising during the mid-1990s, the same could not be said of its federal counterpart as the 1993 Canadian federal election was an unmitigated disaster for the NDP. Globe Editorial Retooling the New Democrats The Globe and Mail Toronto A26 CTVglobemedia 1993-10-28 Under Audrey McLaughlin's leadership, the party suffered its worst defeat since the late 1950s in terms of seats, and the worst showing for a federal social-democratic party in the 20th century, with just seven percent of the vote. The party had nine seats, three short of the twelve seats needed to have official party status in the House of Commons, and all the extra funding, research, office space and Question Period privileges that status accords. In the aftermath of the 1993 election, the party set about reforming its policies and purpose, with McLaughlin announcing on April 18, 1994 that she would step down as leader by 1996. Delacourt Susan NDP plans to redesign the left: McLaughlin to give up helm The Globe and Mail Toronto A1, A6 CTVglobemedia 1994-04-19 McLaughlin, faced with internal squabbles like the ones that occurred in the Nova Scotia party back in 1980, advanced her departure from the end of 1996 to the end of 1995. Howard Ross NDP sets new style for leadership race The Globe and Mail Toronto A1, A2 CTVglobemedia 1995-01-23 With an internal party atmosphere that could best be described as toxic, Alexa McDonough, Lorne Nystrom, and Svend Robinson, entered the leadership campaign in the spring of 1995. McCarthy Shawn McDonough best choice to rebuild federal NDP The Toronto Star Toronto A4 Torstar 1995-10-15 The conditions were similar to the ones that McDonough faced during her first leadership campaign in Nova Scotia during 1980: a divided party that was self-immolating. Primaries thumb|right|200px|Results of the primaries To make it on the convention ballot, a leadership candidate had to win one of the primaries held throughout the country ahead of the convention. A candidate could also make it on the ballot if a 25% national vote threshold was reached. Herschel Hardin was the only candidate who failed to win a primary and he was thus excluded from the convention ballot. Nystrom won the primary, with 44%, well ahead of Robinson and McDonough. Quebec Primary Robinson easy winner in Quebec region vote Peter O'Neil The Vancouver Sun Vancouver A8 1995-09-12 Candidate Percentage Svend Robinson 44.94% Lorne Nystrom 34.82% Alexa McDonough 10.12% Herschel Hardin 10.12% Total243 Atlantic Primary McDonough wins spot on NDP ballot The Montreal Gazette Montreal A11 1995-09-19 Candidate Votes Percentage Alexa McDonough 870 68.50% Svend Robinson 268 21.10% Lorne Nystrom 92 7.24% Herschel Hardin 40 3.15% Total 1270100% Ontario Primary McCarthy Shawn Robinson wins Ontario NDP primary The Toronto Star Toronto A12 Torstar 1995-09-26 Candidate Percentage Svend Robinson 43.67% Lorne Nystrom 26.17% Alexa McDonough 22.87% Herschel Hardin 7.29% Total Votes4,592 BC/North Primary Sarti Robert Robinson scoops up win in B.C. The Vancouver Sun Vancouver A1 1995-10-03 Candidate Votes Percentage Svend Robinson 2640 50.80% Lorne Nystrom1524 29.32% Alexa McDonough625 12.03% Herschel Hardin408 7.85% Total5,197100% Prairies Primary Candidate Percentage Lorne Nystrom 71.86% Svend Robinson 18.07% Alexa McDonough 5.60% Herschel Hardin 4.47% Total100% Labour Primary Candidate Percentage Lorne Nystrom 38.02% Svend Robinson 32.32% Alexa McDonough 28.46% Herschel Hardin 1.20% Total100% Primaries - Total Candidate Percentage Lorne Nystrom 44.69% Svend Robinson 32.06% Alexa McDonough 18.47% Herschel Hardin 4.78% Total100% Leadership ballot First Ballot Candidate Delegate Count Percentage Svend Robinson 655 37.8% Alexa McDonough 566 32.6% Lorne Nystrom 545 31.5%Total1,735100% Prior to the NDP leadership convention on October 14, 1995, McDonough was widely viewed as an also-ran behind the leading contenders, Svend Robinson and Lorne Nystrom. Second fiddle leads NDP: McDonough wins, Robinson gives in Hugh Windsor The Globe and Mail CTVglobemedia Toronto 1995-10-16 A1, A5 McDonough surprised many media pundits at the convention by placing second, with 566 votes on the first ballot, ahead of Nystrom who received 514 votes. Harper Tim McDonough 'natural leader' from teens The Toronto Star Toronto A5 Torstar 1995-10-15 Although Robinson had placed first on that ballot, with 655 votes, Nystrom supporters seemed likely to support a tacit "anyone but Svend" sentiment and to shift to McDonough. Robinson's political position was seen as considerably more on the activist left side of the party than Nystrom's or McDonough's. McCarthy Shawn New Democrats pick McDonough The Toronto Star Toronto A1, A5 Torstar 1995-10-15 He sensed that most of Nystrom's supporters would go to McDonough on the second ballot, giving her the victory. Comprehending that McDonough would pick up enough Nystrom supporters to make his odds of winning practically non-existent, Robinson conceded to McDonough before a second ballot could be held, and moved a motion to formally acclaim her as the new leader. Aftermath Robinson's move helped to unify the party and shake his image as a lone wolf. After the vote, Robinson met with about 200 of his supporters, who were shocked, and in some cases, outraged at what he did. In the 1997 election, McDonough's first as leader, the party won 21 seats, including a historic breakthrough in the Atlantic provinces. McDonough was elected as the Member of Parliament for the federal riding of Halifax, the same riding in which she ran unsuccessfully in 1979 and 1980. She would win Halifax three more times until she retired from politics in 2008, and the party did not lose official party status during her leadership. Notes 30em New Democratic Party 1995 New Democratic Party leadership election Category:October 1995 in Canada Category:1990s in Ottawa