2015 New Democratic Party of Manitoba leadership election

Last updated

2015 New Democratic Party of Manitoba leadership election
DateMarch 6–8, 2015
Convention Canad Inns Polo Park
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Resigning leader Greg Selinger
Won by Greg Selinger
Ballots2
Candidates3
Entrance Fee$2,000 [1]
Spending limit$71,945.55 [2]
New Democratic Party of Manitoba leadership elections
1961 · 1968 · 1969 · 1979 · 1988 · 2009 · 2015 · 2017

The New Democratic Party of Manitoba leadership election of 2015 was called at the request of Premier Greg Selinger following the resignation of five members of his cabinet in protest of his leadership of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba. Selinger ran in the election, facing two challengers, but prevailed on the second ballot.

Contents

Rules

Candidates must pay an entry fee of $2,000 and submit a nomination form signed by at least 50 members of the party. The election is being conducted as a traditional delegated leadership convention with delegates being selected by each electoral district and affiliated trade union who will then attend the convention and vote in ballots until one candidate wins 50% + 1 of the vote. [2] [3] Union delegates are required to be members of the NDP and be a member of the local they represent. [4]

Delegates

There are approximately 2,217 delegate spots. Manitoba's 57 NDP constituency associations may send up to 1,242 delegates chosen at constituency meetings. [5] Trade unions are entitled to send up to 691 delegates. [4] Another 200 delegates are automatic delegates, two each from each riding association with the rest being NDP MLAs, Members of Parliament and other party dignitaries. [6]

Union affiliates were having difficulty finding enough delegates to fill their delegations and were reportedly only able to fill 361 of 691 positions. Unions were allotted one delegate for every 100 members of the union. Each delegate must be a member of the NDP and of the local they were representing. [4]

Timeline

Declared candidates

Steve Ashton

Background

MLA for Thompson (1981–present), Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation (2009–2014), Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (2006–2009), Minister of Water Stewardship (2003–2006), Minister of Labour and Immigration (2003), Minister of Conservation (2002–2003), Minister of Transportation and Government Services (2001–2002), Minister of Highways and Government Services (1999–2001). Runner-up in the 2009 leadership election.

Date candidacy declared: December 23, 2014 [17]
Supporters
Support from caucus members: Jim Rondeau (Assiniboia), former cabinet minister (2003–2013); [21] Dave Gaudreau (St. Norbert); Tom Nevakshonoff (Interlake); Jim Maloway (Elmwood); [22] Bidhu Jha (Radisson); Christine Melnick (Riel) [23]
Support from federal caucus members:
Support from former provincial caucus members:
Support from affiliates: United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, United Steel Workers of America [24]
Other prominent supporters:
Policies: Ashton is promising to hold a referendum on the government's previous increase in the provincial sales tax [25] Says campaign based on four fundamentals: reconnecting the government with Manitobans, rebuilding the NDP, respecting social democratic principles and refocusing government policies and programs on serving Manitobans throughout the province. [26]
Campaign website: steveforleader.ca

Theresa Oswald

Background

MLA for Seine River (2003–2016), Minister of Jobs and the Economy (2013–2014), Minister of Health (2006–2013), Minister of Healthy Living (2004–2006) [14]

Date candidacy declared: December 21, 2014 [27]
Supporters
Support from caucus members: Tourism minister Ron Lemieux (Dawson Trail); Nancy Allan (St. Vital), former education minister; [27] Jennifer Howard (Fort Rouge), former minister of finance; Stan Struthers (Dauphin), former minister of municipal government; Andrew Swan (Minto), former minister of justice; Erin Selby (Southdale), former minister of health; [16] Clarence Pettersen (Flin Flon) [23]
Support from federal caucus members:
Support from former provincial caucus members: Eugene Kostyra, MLA for Seven Oaks (1981–1987), former finance minister [28]
Support from affiliates: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 2085 [24]
Other prominent supporters: Michael Balagus, former chief of staff to premiers Gary Doer and Selinger; [21] Alissa Brandt, director of the premier's secretariat under Selinger; [29] Brandon city councillors Jan Chaboyer and Lonnie Patterson; [30] Anna Rothney, secretary of the planning and priorities committee of cabinet in the Selinger government; [29] former NDP presidents Lorraine Sigurdson and Carmen Neufeld [16]
Policies:
Campaign website: theresaformanitoba.ca

Greg Selinger

Background

MLA for St. Boniface (1999–present), Premier of Manitoba and party leader (2009–2016), Minister of Finance (1999–2009).

Date candidacy declared: January 2, 2015 [31]
Supporters
Support from caucus members: James Allum, Minister of Justice and Attorney General; Peter Bjornson, Minister of Education and Advanced Learning; Sharon Blady, Minister of Health; Drew Caldwell, Minister of Municipal Government; Kevin Chief, Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities; Deanne Crothers, Minister of Healthy Living and Seniors; Greg Dewar, Minister of Finance; Eric Robinson, Deputy Premier; Mohinder Saran (The Maples); Melanie Wight, Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities; Kerri Irvin-Ross, Minister of Family Services; Flor Marcelino, Minister of Multiculturalism and Literacy; Ted Marcelino (Tyndall Park); [23] Ron Kostyshyn, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and Infrastructure and Transportation [32]
Support from federal caucus members: Federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair [33]
Support from former provincial caucus members:
Support from affiliates: CUPE Manitoba, UFCW Local 0832 [24]
Other prominent supporters:
Policies:
Campaign website: gregselinger2015.ca

Declined

Delegate selection meetings

RidingDateWinnerDelegatesCaucus Member (Supporting)
Assiniboia Feb. 6Ashton9 [35] RONDEAU, Jim (Ashton)
Kirkfield Park Feb. 6Oswald9 [35] BLADY, Sharon (Selinger)
Emerson Feb. 6Ashton5 [35]
Elmwood Feb. 7Ashton61 [36] MALOWAY, Jim (Ashton)
Riel Feb. 7Oswald17 [36] MELNICK, Christine (Ashton)
Southdale Feb. 7Oswald16 [36] SELBY, Erin (Oswald)
St. Vital Feb. 7Oswald15 [36] ALLAN, Nancy (Oswald)
Seine River Feb. 7Oswald15 [36] OSWALD, Theresa (Oswald)
Rossmere Feb. 7Ashton30 [36] BRAUN, Erna
Minto Feb. 8Oswald19 [36] SWAN, Andrew (Oswald)
St. James Feb. 8Oswald13 [36] CROTHERS, Deanne (Selinger)
Point Douglas Feb. 8Selinger34 [36] CHIEF, Kevin (Selinger)
Interlake Feb. 9Ashton [36] 14NEVAKSHONOFF, Thomas (Ashton)
Morden-Winkler Feb. 9Ashton [36] 5
Charleswood Feb. 10Oswald [36] 6
Tuxedo Feb. 10Ashton [36] 13
Gimli Feb. 10Selinger [36] 15BJORNSON, Peter (Selinger)
Lakeside Feb. 10Oswald [36] 5
Arthur-Virden Feb. 11Selinger & Oswald (tie) [36] 6
Spruce Woods Feb. 11Oswald [36] 5
Dawson Trail Feb. 11Oswald [36] 6LEMIEUX, Ron (Oswald)
Steinbach Feb. 11Ashton [36] 5
La Verendrye Feb. 11Oswald [36] 5
Fort Richmond Feb. 12Ashton [36] 18IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri (Selinger)
Kildonan Feb. 12Selinger [36] 21CHOMIAK, Dave
Brandon East Feb. 13Selinger13CALDWELL, Drew (Selinger)
Brandon West Feb. 13Selinger9
St. Johns Feb. 13Selinger20MACKINTOSH, Gord
Logan Feb. 14Selinger28MARCELINO, Florfina (Selinger)
Radisson Feb. 14Ashton18JHA, Bidhu (Ashton)
Transcona Feb. 14Oswald22REID, Daryl (Neutral)
The Maples Feb. 15Selinger117SARAN, Mohinder (Selinger)
Wolseley Feb. 15Oswald [37] 48ALTEMEYER, Rob
Dauphin Feb. 17Oswald17STRUTHERS, Stan (Oswald)
Riding Mountain Feb. 17Selinger5
Agassiz Feb. 18Oswald5
Portage la Prairie Feb. 18Oswald5
Fort Whyte Feb. 19Ashton25
Selkirk Feb. 19Selinger11DEWAR, Greg (Selinger)
Fort Garry-Riverview Feb. 20Selinger25ALLUM, James (Selinger)
River East Feb. 20Selinger11
St. Paul Feb. 20Ashton10
Burrows Feb. 21Selinger27WIGHT, Melanie (Selinger)
Tyndall Park Feb. 21Selinger25MARCELINO, Ted (Selinger)
Concordia Feb. 21Ashton46WIEBE, Matt (Neutral)
Fort Rouge Feb. 22Oswald23HOWARD, Jennifer (Oswald)
River Heights Feb. 22Oswald16
St. Norbert Feb. 22Ashton44GAUDREAU, Dave (Ashton)
Lac du Bonnet Feb. 23Oswald6
Morris Feb. 23Oswald6
Midland Feb. 24Selinger14
St. Boniface Feb. 25Selinger23SELINGER, Gregory F. (Selinger)
Flin Flon Mail-inOswald22PETTERSEN, Clarence (Oswald)
Kewatinook Mail-inSelinger5ROBINSON, Eric (Selinger)
Swan River Mail-inSelinger22KOSTYSHYN, Ron (Selinger)
The Pas Mail-inAshton145
Thompson Mail-inAshton61ASHTON, Steve (Ashton)
Young New Democrats Mail-inOswald92

Results

First ballot

CandidateVotes%
Greg Selinger 61236.02
Theresa Oswald 57533.84
Steve Ashton 50229.54
Total Valid Votes1,699100.00

Ashton eliminated. Releases his delegates, did not publicly endorse another candidate [38]

Second ballot

CandidateVotes [20] %
Greg Selinger 75950.93
Theresa Oswald 72648.72
Total Valid Votes1,490100.00

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