Liberal Party of Canada leadership election, 2003

Liberal leadership election, 2003
Date	November 14, 2003
Convention	Air Canada Centre,; Toronto, Ontario
Resigning leader	Jean Chrétien
Won by	Paul Martin
Ballots	1
Candidates	2
Entrance Fee	$75,000
Spending limit	$4 million
	Liberal leadership elections ; 1919 · 1948 · 1958 · 1968 · 1980 · 1984 · 1990 · 2003 · 2006 · 2009 · 2013

Last updated April 17, 2019

The 2003 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election ended on November 14, 2003, electing former Finance Minister Paul Martin as the party's new leader, replacing outgoing Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

The Liberal Party of Canada is the oldest and longest-serving governing political party in Canada. The Liberals form the current government, elected in 2015. The party has dominated federal politics for much of Canada's history, holding power for almost 69 years in the 20th century—more than any other party in a developed country—and as a result, it is sometimes referred to as Canada's "natural governing party".

In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.

The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget. It is one of the most important positions in the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and Canada's head of government. The current, and 23rd, Prime Minister of Canada is the Liberal Party's Justin Trudeau, following the 2015 Canadian federal election. Canadian prime ministers are styled as The Right Honourable, a privilege maintained for life.

Paul Martin spent the entire race as the front runner, as his supporters had secured a lock on the party executives of the federal and most provincial sections of the party. Because of Martin's apparent strength, several prominent candidates, such as Allan Rock, and Brian Tobin, did not go beyond the formative stages.

Allan Michael Rock, is a Canadian lawyer, former politician, diplomat and university administrator. He was Canada's ambassador to the United Nations (2004–2006) and had previously served in the Cabinet of Jean Chrétien, most notably as Justice Minister (1993–1997) and Health Minister (1997–2002).

Brian Vincent Tobin, is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.

Martin's sole serious challengers were John Manley and Sheila Copps, the former of whom withdrew before delegate selection began. Martin easily captured the leadership with 93.8% of the delegates.

John Paul Manley is a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician. He served as Liberal Member of Parliament for Ottawa South from 1988 to 2004, and was deputy prime minister between 2002 and 2003. From January 2010 until October 2018 he was President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada.

Sheila Maureen Copps, is a former Canadian politician who also served as deputy prime minister of Canada from November 4, 1993, to April 30, 1996, and June 19, 1996, to June 11, 1997. Her father, Victor Copps was once mayor of Hamilton, Ontario.

The party would be beset by significant infighting afterwards, as he and his supporters moved to remove Chrétien supporters from cabinet and even from Parliament. Martin's initial tactics to secure the leadership were generally seen, in retrospect, as weakening his eventual tenure as prime minister.^[1]

The period between Paul Martin's assumption of the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada and the announcement of the 2004 federal election which saw a considerable amount of infighting within the party. The divisions in the Liberal Party, the party's embroilment in the Sponsorship Scandal, and a united Conservative opposition, all combined to end 12 continuous years of Liberal rule.

Candidates

Sheila Copps

Background

MP for Hamilton East, Ontario (1984–2004)
Deputy Prime Minister (1993–1996, 1996–1997)
Minister of the Environment (1993–1996)
Minister of the Multiculturalism and Citizenship (1996)
Minister of the Communications (1996)
Minister of Canadian Heritage (1996–2003)
Minister of Amateur Sport (1996–1999)
Copps, 50, was a candidate during the 1990 leadership election, finishing in third.

Hamilton East was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1904 to 2004. It consisted of the eastern part of the city of Hamilton, Ontario. It is considered a working class district.

Deputy Prime Minister of Canada is an honorary position in the Cabinet, conferred at the discretion of the prime minister. Since 2006, there has been no deputy prime minister.

The Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship was an office in the Cabinet of Canada from 1991 to 1996 and from 2013 and 2015. It was superseded in 1996 and again in 2015 by the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Prior to 1991, citizenship was within the portfolio of the Secretary of State for Canada.

Date campaign launched: February 13, 2003

Paul Martin

Background

MP for LaSalle—Émard, Quebec (1988–2008)
Minister of Finance (1993–2002)
Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec (1993–1996)
Martin, 55, was a candidate during the 1990 leadership election, finishing in second.
Martin's loss during the 1990 leadership election result and Jean Chrétien's slim win during the 1997 election led to a period of infighting within the party, with Martin leaving cabinet in June 2002, and Chrétien, in the face of a leadership review, announcing his intention to step down February 2004.

Date campaign launched: March 7, 2003

Withdrawn candidates

John Manley

Background

MP for Ottawa South, Ontario (1988–2004)
Deputy Prime Minister (2002–2003)
Minister of Industry, Science and Technology (1993–1995)
Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs (1993–1995)
Minister of Industry (1995–2000)
Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000–2002)
Minister of Finance (2002–2003)
Manley, 53, withdrew from the race on July 22, 2003 and endorsed Martin.

Date campaign launched: March 17, 2003

Date campaign ended: July 22, 2003

Declined to run

Don Boudria, MP for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Martin Cauchon, MP for Outremont and Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Herb Dhaliwal, MP for Vancouver South—Burnaby and Minister of Natural Resources
Frank McKenna, former Premier of New Brunswick
Allan Rock, MP for Etobicoke Centre and Minister of Industry
Brian Tobin, former Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

Results

First Ballot
Candidate		Delegate Support	Percentage
	MARTIN, Paul Edgar Philippe	3,242	93.8%
	COPPS, Sheila Maureen	211	6.1%
Spoiled ballots		2	0.1%
Total		3,455	100%

Timeline

2002

June 2 - Paul Martin resigns as Finance Minister of Canada. John Manley is named to replace him.
August 21 - Prime Minister Jean Chrétien tells Canadians he will step down in February 2004.

2003

February 13 - Sheila Copps announces she is going to run for leadership.
March 7 - Martin announces he is going to run for leadership.
March 17 - Manley announces he is going to run for leadership.
July 22 - Manley drops out of the race.
September 21 - Paul Martin's victory becomes a certainty when he secures 92% of the party delegates from across the country.
November 14 - Martin officially becomes leader of the Liberal Party of Canada winning 3242 of 3455 votes against Copps.
November 28 - Manley announces his retirement from politics.
December 12 - Martin is sworn in as Canada's Prime Minister, along with his cabinet.

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References

↑ Mickleburgh, Rob (25 September 2011). "Topp's NDP campaign tactics border on bullying, professor warns". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 24 November 2011.

External links

CBC report from the Convention, Video

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[1] Mickleburgh, Rob (25 September 2011). "Topp's NDP campaign tactics border on bullying, professor warns". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 24 November 2011.