1993 Nova Scotia general election

1993 Nova Scotia general election
← outgoing members members →
52 seats of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly ; 27 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	75.39% 0.37 pp
	Riding map of Nova Scotia showing winning parties
Premier before election; Donald W. Cameron ; Progressive Conservative	Premier after election; John Savage ; Liberal

Last updated January 30, 2025

The 1993 Nova Scotia general election was held on May 25, 1993 to elect members of the 56th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Liberals under John Savage won a landslide victory over the unpopular Progressive Conservatives under Premier Donald Cameron, while Alexa McDonough's NDP remained a distant third, winning three seats.

Campaign

The Progressive Conservatives, led by Donald Cameron, campaigned on his record of making 152 reforms since assuming office in 1991. Cameron slashed government spending, cutting out free coffee and rented plants in government offices.^[1] John Buchanan (served 1978 to 1990) suffered allegations of patronage which Cameron could not overcome during the election campaign. Cameron vowed to end patronage and balance the budget within three years or he would resign. However, Cameron made a controversial move by appointing two unelected women to his cabinet immediately prior to the election campaign.^[2]

Liberal leader John Savage promised to end pork-barrel politics and introduce a new style of governing focusing on job creation.^[1]

Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firm	Last day of survey	Source	LANS	PCNS	NSNDP	Other	ME	Sample
Polling firm	Last day of survey	Source					ME	Sample
Election 1993	May 25, 1993		48.96	31.09	17.72	1.53
Omnifacts	January 1992	^[3]	54	28	16	2	3.9	645
Omnifacts	December 1992	^[4]	50	27	23	—	—	550^[5]
Corporate Research Associates	December 1992	^[5]	42	31	23	—	—	—
Omnifacts	January 1992	^[6]	32	33	35	—	4.0	550
Election 1988	September 6, 1988		39.37	43.21	15.67	1.19

Results

Results by party

↓
40	9	3
Liberal	Progressive Conservative	New Democratic

Official results ^[7]
Party		Party leader	# of candidates	Seats				Popular vote
Party		Party leader	# of candidates	1988	Dissolution	Elected	Change	#	%	Change (pp)
	Liberal	John Savage	52	21	21	40	+19	237,493	48.96%	+9.59%
	Progressive Conservative	Donald Cameron	52	28	24	9	−19	150,862	31.09%	-12.12%
	New Democratic	Alexa McDonough	52	2	3	3	+1	85,946	17.72%	+2.05%
	Natural Law		12	0	0	0	0	1,647	0.34%	–
	Independent		12	1	2	0	-1	5,758	1.19%	0.00%
	Vacant				2
Total valid votes								481,706	99.30%	-0.15%

Blank and invalid ballots								3,410	0.70%	+0.15%
Total			180	52	52	52	–	485,116	100.00%	–
Registered voters / turnout								654,280	75.39%	-0.37%

Popular vote

Liberal			48.96%
PC			31.09%
New Democratic			17.72%
Independent			1.19%
Natural Law			0.34%

Seats summary

Liberal			76.92%
PC			17.31%
New Democratic			5.77%

Results by region

Party name			HRM	C.B.	Valley	S. Shore	Fundy	Central	Total
Parties winning seats in the legislature:
	Liberal	Seats:	13	10	4	6	5	2	40
	Liberal	Popular vote:	40.99%	65.94%	46.70%	52.22%	50.20%	48.93%	49.67%
	Progressive Conservative	Seats:	1	-	3	1	1	3	9
	Progressive Conservative	Popular vote:	29.83%	19.74%	36.43%	29.00%	37.21%	39.90%	31.11%
	New Democratic Party	Seats:	3	-	-	-	-	-	3
	New Democratic Party	Popular vote:	27.77%	13.72%	12.81%	11.91%	13.40%	10.47%	17.55%
Parties not winning seats in the legislature:
	Natural Law	Popular vote:	0.52%	N/A	0.43%	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.34%
	Independents	Popular vote:	0.89%	0.60%	3.62%	2.24%	0.27%	0.69%	1.18%
Total seats:			17	10	7	7	6	5	52

Retiring incumbents

Liberal

Progressive Conservative

Nominated candidates

Legend
bold denotes party leader
† denotes an incumbent who is not running for re-election or was defeated in nomination contest

Valley

Electoral district	Candidates										Incumbent
Electoral district	PC		Liberal		NDP		Natural Law		Independent		Incumbent
Annapolis		Greg Kerr 3,388 30.34%		Earl Rayfuse 7,022 62.89%		Margaret Wolfe 756 6.77%						New riding
Clare		Guy LeBlanc 2,854 42.87%		Wayne Gaudet 3,461 51.99%		Christian Collin 342 5.14%						Guy LeBlanc
Digby—Annapolis		Walter MacAlpine 1,521 18.72%		Joseph H. Casey 5,805 71.46%		Susan Jamieson 797 9.81%						Joseph H. Casey Digby
Hants West		Ron Russell 4,152 40.41%		Mike Doyle 4,106 39.96%		Dana Harvey 1,881 18.31%				Donald L. McKay 136 1.32%		Ron Russell
Kings North		George Archibald 4,137 42.62%		Jennifer Foster 3,980 41.01%		Cameron Jess 1,505 15.51%		Anne Dow 84 0.87%				George Archibald
Kings South		Harry How 2,941 28.24%		Robbie Harrison 3,069 29.46%		Steve Mattson 2,064 19.82%		Peter Cameron 102 0.98%		Derrick Kimball 2,240 21.51%		Derrick Kimball
Kings West		George Moody 4,895 53.08%		Baden Thurber 3,178 34.46%		Jacquie DeMestral 1,055 11.44%		Christopher MacLean 94 1.02%				George Moody

South Shore

Electoral district	Candidates										Incumbent
Electoral district	PC		Liberal		NDP		Natural Law		Independent		Incumbent
Argyle		Neil LeBlanc 2,633 44.28%		Allister Surette 3,091 51.98%		Dee Dee Daigle 222 3.73%						Neil LeBlanc
Chester—St. Margaret's		Aileen Heisler 2,867 29.49%		Jim Barkhouse 5,025 51.69%		Jack Ross 1,644 16.91%				Malcolm Callaway 185 1.90%		Jim Barkhouse Lunenburg East
Lunenburg		Al Mosher 3,709 38.26%		Lila O'Connor 3,982 41.07%		Wade Vernon Garrison 1,487 15.34%		Walton Cook 517 5.33%				Al Mosher Lunenburg Centre
Lunenburg West		Marie Dechman 2,910 28.09%		Don Downe 6,276 60.59%		Karen Reinhardt 1,172 11.31%						Marie Dechman
Queens		John Leefe 3,529 47.11%		Marilyn Large 3,266 43.60%		Anne Corbin 696 9.29%						John Leefe
Shelburne		Mary E. Rose 2,002 22.71%		Clifford Huskilson 5,438 61.70%		Kathleen K. Tudor 692 7.85%				Kent A. Blades 507 5.75% James M. Harding 175 1.99%		Harold Huskilson †
Yarmouth		Leroy Legere 3,138 32.08%		Richie Hubbard 5,197 53.13%		Ian MacPherson 1,447 14.79%						Leroy Legere

Fundy-Northeast

Electoral district	Candidates									Incumbent
Electoral district	PC		Liberal		NDP		Natural Law	Independent		Incumbent
Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley		Ken Streatch 4,221 45.74%		John David Tilley 3,463 37.52%		Roger J. Hunka 1,545 16.74%					R. Colin Stewart† Colchester South
Colchester North		Tom Taggart 3,306 35.02%		Ed Lorraine 5,123 54.27%		Patsy Forrest 1,010 10.70%					Ed Lorraine
Cumberland North		Ernie Fage 4,354 40.63%		Ross Bragg 5,605 52.31%		Curtis Leland Bird 756 7.06%					Ross Bragg Cumberland West
Cumberland South		Mac Bennett 1,570 17.69%		Guy Brown 6,713 75.63%		Douglas Meekins 431 4.86%			Philip T. Donkin 162 1.83%		Guy Brown Cumberland Centre
Hants East		Stephen MacKeil 3,657 37.43%		Bob Carruthers 4,295 43.97%		Terry MacLean 1,817 18.60%					Jack Hawkins †
Truro—Bible Hill		Jack Coupar 4,134 38.36%		Eleanor Norrie 4,321 40.10%		Rick Bowden 2,321 21.54%					Ron Giffin †

Central Halifax

Electoral district	Candidates										Incumbent
Electoral district	PC		Liberal		NDP		Natural Law		Independent		Incumbent
Halifax Bedford Basin		Joel Matheson 4,270 37.63%		Gerry Fogarty 4,676 41.21%		Clarrie MacKinnon 2,323 20.47%		Pulkesh Lakhanpal 77 0.68%				Joel Matheson
Halifax Chebucto		J. Clair Callaghan 2,903 27.07%		Jay Abbass 3,906 36.42%		Eileen O'Connell 3,800 35.43%		Christopher Collrin 116 1.08%				Alexa McDonough
Halifax Citadel		Terry Donahoe 4,584 39.23%		Liz Crocker 4,505 38.55%		Mary Sparling 2,433 20.82%		Gilles Bigras 78 0.67%		Jan Morrison 85 0.73%		Art Donahoe †
Halifax Fairview		Rosanna Liberatore 2,078 19.75%		Art Flynn 3,558 33.82%		Alexa McDonough 4,789 45.52%		Mark Hawkins 96 0.91%				New riding
Halifax Needham		Ron Walter Milsom 1,852 18.48%		Gerry O'Malley 4,527 45.18%		Innis MacDonald 3,555 35.48%		Ian Temple 85 0.85%				Gerry O'Malley

Suburban Halifax

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
Electoral district	PC		Liberal		NDP		Natural Law	Independent	Incumbent
Bedford—Fall River		Peter J. Kelly 4,401 40.57%		Francene Cosman 4,794 44.19%		Ryan Kidney 1,653 15.24%				Ken Streatch Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley
Halifax Atlantic		Kevin Umlah 2,731 25.16%		Randy Ball 4,053 37.34%		Robert Chisholm 4,071 37.50%				Robert Chisholm
Sackville—Beaver Bank		Stephen Taylor 2,353 26.93%		Bill MacDonald 3,620 41.43%		Frank Sutherland 2,764 31.64%				New riding
Sackville—Cobequid		George Mansfield 2,313 22.00%		Don Boutilier 3,159 30.04%		John Holm 5,044 47.97%				John Holm Sackville
Timberlea—Prospect		Debi Forsyth-Smith 2,744 30.54%		Bruce Holland 3,470 38.62%		Bill Estabrooks 2,772 30.85%				Jerry Lawrence † Halifax-St. Margaret's

Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore

Electoral district	Candidates										Incumbent
Electoral district	PC		Liberal		NDP		Natural Law		Independent		Incumbent
Cole Harbour—Eastern Passage		John Gold 3,409 34.89%		Dennis Richards 4,702 48.13%		Ash Shaikh 1,501 15.36%		Helen Creighton 158 1.62%				New riding
Dartmouth—Cole Harbour		Michael L. MacDonald 2,905 31.31%		Alan Mitchell 4,079 43.97%		Gail Cann 2,293 24.72%						David Nantes † Cole Harbour
Dartmouth East		Gwen Haliburton 2,429 27.46%		Jim Smith 4,912 55.53%		Owen Hertzman 1,504 17.00%						Jim Smith
Dartmouth North		Mike Brownlow 2,327 27.11%		Sandy Jolly 3,301 38.46%		Jerry Pye 2,878 33.53%		Monique Poudrette 77 0.90%				Sandy Jolly
Dartmouth South		Colin May 3,091 31.47%		John Savage 4,346 44.25%		Don Chard 2,221 22.61%		Alexander J. Gillis 163 1.66%				Roland J. Thornhill †
Eastern Shore		Tom McInnis 3,523 40.72%		Keith Colwell 3,760 43.46%		Gary Moore 1,369 15.82%						Tom McInnis Halifax Eastern Shore
Preston		Darryl Gray 1,016 20.94%		Wayne Adams 1,872 38.57%		Yvonne Atwell 584 12.03%				David Hendsbee 1,381 28.46%		New riding

Central Nova

Electoral district	Candidates									Incumbent
Electoral district	PC		Liberal		NDP		Natural Law	Independent		Incumbent
Antigonish		Liz Chisholm 3,196 28.26%		Bill Gillis 7,292 64.48%		Marion MacDonald 821 7.26%					Bill Gillis
Guysborough—Port Hawkesbury		Chuck MacNeil 4,242 43.20%		Ray White 5,487 56.55%		Frank X. Fraser 982 10.12%					Chuck MacNeil Guysborough
Pictou Centre		John Hamm 4,840 47.40%		Mary Daley 4,364 42.73%		Cecil MacNeil 1,008 9.87%					Jack MacIsaac †
Pictou East		Donald Cameron 4,446 47.05%		Wayne Fraser 3,729 39.46%		Dave Peters 1,275 13.49%					Donald Cameron
Pictou West		Donald P. McInnes 4,032 45.72%		Rob McDowell 3,347 37.95%		Sonny Campbell 1,097 12.44%			Edward MacMaster 343 3.89%		Donald P. McInnes

Cape Breton

Electoral district	Candidates									Incumbent
Electoral district	PC		Liberal		NDP		Natural Law	Independent		Incumbent
Cape Breton Centre		Julien Frison 1,012 10.99%		Russell MacNeil 5,644 61.28%		Victor Tomiczek 2,554 27.73%					Russell MacNeil
Cape Breton East		Greg Hicks 1,069 10.38%		John MacEachern 7,566 73.50%		Terry McVarish 1,659 16.12%					John MacEachern
Cape Breton North		Brian Young 3,911 36.43%		Ron Stewart 5,459 50.85%		Archie MacKinnon 1,289 12.01%			Ron Laffin 76 0.71%		Brian Young
Cape Breton Nova		Joe Currie 443 5.34%		Paul MacEwan 6,816 82.22%		Blair Riley 1,031 12.44%					Paul MacEwan
Cape Breton South		Norm Ferguson 2,015 20.59%		Manning MacDonald 5,629 57.52%		Peter Mancini 2,143 21.90%					Vince MacLean †
Cape Breton—The Lakes		Lauchie G. Leslie 1,264 13.79%		Bernie Boudreau 6,591 71.90%		Helen MacDonald 1,312 14.31%					Bernie Boudreau
Cape Breton West		Victor Hanham 2,055 19.56%		Russell MacKinnon 7,355 70.01%		Daniel O'Connor 777 7.40%			Wendy MacKenzie 318 3.03%		Russell MacKinnon
Inverness		Frank Crowdis 2,944 30.51%		Charles MacArthur 5,804 60.15%		Mary T. Goodwin 902 9.35%					Charles MacArthur Inverness North
Richmond		Chuck Boudreau 1,587 21.70%		Richie Mann 5,440 74.40%		Wilf Cude 285 3.90%					Richie Mann
Victoria		Walter S. Brett 1,488 28.78%		Kennie MacAskill 3,119 60.32%		Gerald Yetman 414 8.01%			Stemer MacLeod 150 2.90%		Kennie MacAskill

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References

1 2 Nova Scotia Elections: A Savage sweep (Video) CBC Archives
↑ A Savage sweep in Nova Scotia (Article) CBC Archives
↑ "Many Nova Scotians undecided". The Gazette. May 18, 1993. p. B1.
↑ "Survey favours N.S. Grits". The Globe and Mail. December 30, 1992. p. A4.
1 2 Cox, Kevin (January 6, 1993). "N,S. awaits election call: Polls differ on Tories' chances". The Globe and Mail. p. A7.
↑ Flaherty, Elaine (February 3, 1992). "Tide turns for Nova Scotia Tories: Premier Don Cameron's party finally catches up to opposition in polls". The Ottawa Citizen. p. A2.
↑ "Election Returns 1993" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved November 10, 2021.

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[Archives-1] 1 2 Nova Scotia Elections: A Savage sweep (Video) CBC Archives

[2] A Savage sweep in Nova Scotia (Article) CBC Archives

[3] "Many Nova Scotians undecided". The Gazette. May 18, 1993. p. B1.

[4] "Survey favours N.S. Grits". The Globe and Mail. December 30, 1992. p. A4.

[January93-5] 1 2 Cox, Kevin (January 6, 1993). "N,S. awaits election call: Polls differ on Tories' chances". The Globe and Mail. p. A7.

[6] Flaherty, Elaine (February 3, 1992). "Tide turns for Nova Scotia Tories: Premier Don Cameron's party finally catches up to opposition in polls". The Ottawa Citizen. p. A2.

[7] "Election Returns 1993" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved November 10, 2021.

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v t e Elections and referendums in Nova Scotia
General elections	1867 1871 1874 1878 1882 1886 1890 1894 1897 1901 1906 1911 1916 1920 1925 1928 1933 1937 1941 1945 1949 1953 1956 1960 1963 1967 1970 1974 1978 1981 1984 1988 1993 1998 1999 2003 2006 2009 2013 2017 2021 2024
Municipal elections	1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Referendums	1929 2004
See also: List of Nova Scotia by-elections