2003 British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election

Canadian province party leader election September 2023 2003 New Democratic Party leadership British Columbia presidential no 2000 2011 2011 November 23, 2003 Final ballot First ballot Carole James 2 (32732133464).jpg f4a460 Carole James 395(50.90%) 325(41.94%) Leonard Krog (cropped).jpg f4a460 Leonard Krog 219(28.22%) 150(19.35%) f4a460 Nils Jensen 162(20.88%) 169(21.81%) Steve Orcherton.jpg f4a460 Steve Orcherton Eliminated 87(11.23%) Leader Joy MacPhail (interim) Carole James British Columbia New Democratic Party ON NDP 2003 November 23, 2003 Carole James Ujjal Dosanjh 6 2 The 2003 British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election was held on November 23, 2003, to elect a successor to Ujjal Dosanjh as leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP). The election was necessary because Dosanjh had left the BC NDP following the party's defeat in the 2001 provincial election; leaving Joy MacPhail as interim leader. Carole James won on the second ballot, defeating Leonard Krog. Background Following the 2001 provincial election, the BC NDP had been reduced from 39 to 2 seats in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Neither of the BC NDP's two MLAs, Jenny Kwan and Joy MacPhail, expressed interest in running for leadership. The candidates reflected a wide range of ideological positions within the party. Nils Jensen, a municipal councillor from Oak Bay, was a proponent of the centrist Third Way movement. Both Leonard Krog and Steve Orcherton represented more traditional elements of the party, with Orcherton being perceived as the most left-wing candidate on the ballot. James presented a relatively ideologically ambiguous position, neither as centrist as Jensen or leftist as Orcherton, but generally social democratic.Beers David 2003-11-24 Carole James Drummed into Power https://thetyee.ca/News/2003/11/24/Carole_James_Drummed_into_Power/ The Tyee 2025-03-12 2003-10-01 BC NDP – Bureaucracy maintains stranglehold; Left builds support for future battles https://www.marxist.ca/article/bc-ndp-bureaucracy-maintains-stranglehold-left-builds-support-for-future-battles marxist.ca 2025-03-12 Candidates Peter Dimitrov Dimitrov was a lawyer from Vancouver. 2003-11-21 B.C. New Democrats get major pep-talk https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/bc-new-democrats-get-major-pep-talk/article1169067/ Globe and Mail 2025-03-12 Carole James James was the chair of the Greater Victoria School Board, where she was a trustee from 1990 to 2001. She was also the BC NDP candidate for Victoria-Beacon Hill in the 2001 election, where she had lost by only 35 votes. Before entering politics, she worked as a social worker. EndorsementsMcLintock Barbara 2003-11-20 Second Chance, or Last One, for New Democrats https://thetyee.ca/News/2003/11/20/Second_Chance_or_Last_One_for_New_Democrats/ The Tyee 2025-03-12 MPs: (2) Libby Davies (Vancouver East); Svend Robinson (Burnaby—Douglas) MLAs: (1) Jenny Kwan (Vancouver-Mount Pleasant) Unions: (2) Canadian Union of Public Employees; British Columbia General Employees' Union Nils Jensen Jensen was a member of Oak Bay Municipal Council from 1996 to 2011. Before entering politics, he was a lawyer and professor at the University of Victoria.Kines Lindsay 2019-04-07 Former Oak Bay mayor Nils Jensen dead at 69 https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/former-oak-bay-mayor-nils-jensen-dead-at-69-4671671 Victoria Victoria Times Colonist 2025-03-12McLintock Barbara 2003-11-20 Second Chance, or Last One, for New Democrats https://thetyee.ca/News/2003/11/20/Second_Chance_or_Last_One_for_New_Democrats/ The Tyee 2025-03-12 Endorsements 2003-10-01 BC NDP – Bureaucracy maintains stranglehold; Left builds support for future battles https://www.marxist.ca/article/bc-ndp-bureaucracy-maintains-stranglehold-left-builds-support-for-future-battles marxist.ca 2025-03-12 Unions: (2) International Woodworkers of America; United Steelworkers Leonard Krog Krog was the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Parksville-Qualicum from 1991 to 1996. He was also the BC NDP candidate for Nanaimo in the 2001 election. Before entering politics, he worked as a lawyer. EndorsementsMcLintock Barbara 2003-11-20 Second Chance, or Last One, for New Democrats https://thetyee.ca/News/2003/11/20/Second_Chance_or_Last_One_for_New_Democrats/ The Tyee 2025-03-12 Former leaders: (1) Dave Barrett (1969–1984) Mehdi Najari Najari was a book seller from Victoria. 2003-11-21 B.C. New Democrats get major pep-talk https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/bc-new-democrats-get-major-pep-talk/article1169067/ Globe and Mail 2025-03-12 Steve Orcherton Orcherton was the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Victoria-Hillside from 1996 to 2001. Before entering politics, he was secretary-treasurer of Victoria Labour Council and a cook. 2025 MLA: Steve Orcherton https://www.leg.bc.ca/members/36th-Parliament/Orcherton-Steve leg.bc.ca Victoria Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 2025-03-12 Ballot results +First BallotCandidateVotesPercentageCarole James32541.91Nils Jensen16921.81Leonard Krog15019.35Steve Orcherton8711.23Mehdi Najari324.13Peter Dimitrov121.55Total775100.00 +Second BallotCandidateWeighted VotesPercentage+/-Carole James395 50.90 +8.96Leonard Krog219 28.22 +8.87Nils Jensen162 20.88 –0.93Total776100.00 References 30em Category:British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership elections New Democratic Party leadership election British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election Category:2003 political party leadership elections in Canada