The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party is a social-democratic, progressive provincial party in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the provincial entity of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP). It was founded as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in 1932, and became the New Democratic Party in 1961. It became the governing party of Nova Scotia following the 2009 Nova Scotia election, winning 31 seats in the Legislature, under the leadership of Premier Darrell Dexter. It is the first New Democratic Party in Atlantic Canada to form a government, and the second to form a government in a province east of Manitoba. The party lost government at the 2013 election, losing 24 seats, including Dexter's seat. Gary Burrill, the party’s leader from 2016 to 2022, is credited with bringing the party back to its left-wing roots. The party currently holds 6 seats in the Legislature and has been led by Claudia Chender since June 2022.
Darrell Elvin Dexter is a Canadian lawyer, journalist and former naval officer who served as the 27th premier of Nova Scotia from 2009 to 2013. A member of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party, he served as party leader from 2001 to 2013. He became Premier in 2009 after his party defeated the governing Progressive Conservative Party, leading the first NDP government in Atlantic Canada and the second east of Manitoba. His government was defeated in the 2013 election, becoming the first Nova Scotia government in 131 years to be denied a second mandate; Dexter himself was defeated in his constituency by 21 votes. Dexter now serves as a lobbyist for the cannabis industry.
Robert Lawrence Chisholm is a former trade unionist and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented the Halifax Atlantic riding in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1991 to 2003. He succeeded Alexa McDonough as leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party (NDP) in 1996. He served as the leader of the Official Opposition in the Nova Scotia Legislature from 1998 to 1999. He subsequently founded a consulting firm, was co-chair of the 2010–11 United Way of Halifax Region campaign, and sat on the Board of Governors of Dalhousie University. On May 2, 2011, Chisholm was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Dartmouth—Cole Harbour riding in Nova Scotia. As a member of the Official Opposition, he served as the Critic for Fisheries and Oceans and Deputy Critic for Employment Insurance until his defeat in the 2015 election.
David "Dave" Allan Wilson is a Canadian politician and member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, representing the riding of Sackville-Cobequid for the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party. He was first elected in the 2003 election when veteran MLA John Holm did not re-offer. Wilson was re-elected in the 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017 elections.
Marilyn More is a Canadian retired educator and politician from Nova Scotia.
Maureen MacDonald is a Canadian academic and politician. She represented the riding of Halifax Needham in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1998 to 2016. She served as the interim leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party from November 23, 2013 to February 27, 2016.
Lenore Zann is a Canadian actress and former politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Cumberland—Colchester in the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the Liberal Party. Before entering federal politics, she represented the electoral district of Truro-Bible Hill in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 2009 until 2019 as a member of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party and from June 9, 2019, until September 12, 2019, as an independent.
The 2007 Nova Scotia Liberal Party leadership election was held on April 27, 2007 at the Dartmouth Sportsplex, following the resignation of Francis MacKenzie, shortly after failing to win a seat in the 2006 election. This was the third leadership convention for the Liberals since 2002. In addition to the leadership convention, the party will hold its Annual General Meeting including the election of officers, adoption of policies, and potential constitutional amendments. It was won by Annapolis MLA Stephen McNeil.
Helen MacDonald is a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Cape Breton The Lakes in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1997 to 1999. She was a member of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.
Mathew Whynott is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2009 provincial election. From 2009 to 2013, he represented the electoral district of Hammonds Plains-Upper Sackville as a member of the New Democratic Party. He is the youngest person ever elected as MLA in Nova Scotia, having entered office one day before his 24th birthday. Whynott is majoring in political science at St. Mary's University. He lives in Lower Sackville and has three children Morgan, Andrew and Nathan
Gary Clayton Burrill is a Canadian politician and was the leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party from 2016 until 2022. He served as leader during two Nova Scotia general elections in 2017 and 2021. He announced he'd be stepping down as leader after the 2021 election and was succeeded by Claudia Chender on June 25, 2022.
The 2013 Nova Scotia general election was held on October 8, 2013, to elect members to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
The 2012 New Democratic Party leadership election (NDP), was held March 24, 2012, in order to elect a permanent successor to Jack Layton who had died the previous summer.
This page lists the results of leadership elections held by the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party. Though the party came into existence in 1961 with the merger of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and the Canadian Labour Congress, the position of party leader was not officially created until the 1966 convention. Outgoing CCF leader Michael James MacDonald led the party in the legislature until 1963. The party was led into the 1963 provincial election by party president 1963 until 1966 James H. Aitchison who served as de facto leader until 1966 when he was officially elected to the position of leader.
The 2017 Nova Scotia general election was held on May 30, 2017, to elect members to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
The 2021 Nova Scotia general election was held on August 17, 2021, to elect members to the 64th General Assembly of Nova Scotia.
Claudia Chender is a Canadian politician, and leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party since June 25, 2022. She was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2017 general election, and re-elected in the 2021 general election. She represents the electoral district of Dartmouth South.
The 2021 Nova Scotia Liberal Party leadership election took place on February 6 to elect a leader to replace Premier Stephen McNeil, who on August 6, 2020, announced his pending resignation after leading the party since 2007 and returning the party to government in 2013 after being out of power for fourteen years.
The 2022 Nova Scotia New Democratic Party leadership election took place on June 25, 2022 to elect a leader to replace Gary Burrill, who announced his intention to resign on November 9, 2021 after leading the party since 2016 and following the party's defeat in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election.
