Nova Scotia Liberal Party

Last updated
Nova Scotia Liberal Party
Active provincial party
Leader Zach Churchill
PresidentDr. Paul Doucette
Secretary Sandy Schembri
Founded1883;141 years ago (1883)
Headquarters5151 George Street
Suite 1400
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2T3
Youth wing Nova Scotia Young Liberals
Ideology Liberalism
Political position Centre
National affiliation Liberal Party of Canada
Colours Red
Seats in House of Assembly
15 / 55
Website
Official website

The Nova Scotia Liberal Party (officially the Liberal Association of Nova Scotia [1] ) is a centrist provincial political party in Nova Scotia, Canada and the provincial section of the Liberal Party of Canada. The party currently forms the Official Opposition in Nova Scotia, under the leadership of Zach Churchill. The party was in power most recently from the 2013 election until the 2021 election. [2] [3]

Contents

Origins

The party is descended from the pre-Confederation Reformers in Nova Scotia who coalesced around Joseph Howe demanding the institution of responsible government. The Liberals (Reformers) formed several governments in the colony between 1848 and 1867.

The party split during the debate on Confederation, with Howe and most other Liberals forming an Anti-Confederation Party, while supporters of confederation joined Tory Charles Tupper's Confederation Party. Howe, himself, initially opposed Confederation, but accepted it as a reality after initial attempts to scuttle it failed.

In 1868, Howe joined the pro-Confederation forces, serving for a time in the federal Cabinet of Sir John A. Macdonald.

The Anti-Confederation Party took most of Nova Scotia's seats in the House of Commons of Canada in 1867, as well as forming the government of the new province under William Annand. The new, post-1867 Liberal Party was organised by Annand and his anti-Confederate forces, while the Conservative Party was organised by Tupper and supporters of Sir John A. Macdonald's coalition in the province.

Prior to 1956, the Nova Scotia Liberal Party had ruled the province for 76 of its 89 years, most of that time with fewer than five opposition members. It had also ruled prior to confederation, and was responsible for bringing the first responsible government to North America. From 1882 to 1925, the Liberals held power for an unbroken 43 years, the second longest serving political dynasty in Canadian history, behind the Alberta PCs. [4]

The party in recent years

From 1956, the Tories gained significant ground with Robert Stanfield's reformation of the "Progressive Conservatives", and have successfully challenged the Liberals for control of the government. The Liberals faltered in the province at the beginning of the 21st century, and for a time were the third-largest party in the House of Assembly, behind the Tories and the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party. After the Nova Scotia Liberal Party's dismal performance in the 2006 election (and failing to win his own seat), leader Francis MacKenzie announced his resignation. [5] He was succeeded by Stephen McNeil. In the 2009 election, the Liberals moved out of third-party status and formed the official opposition once again. In the 2013 election, the Liberals won a majority government, their first since the 1993 election under John Savage, and took office for the first time in 14 years. [6] Under McNeil, a self-described fiscal conservative, the party pushed for balanced provincial budgets and took a firm stance against public sector unions. [7]

The Nova Scotia Liberals are the provincial section of the federal Liberal Party of Canada. The two parties have a shared membership, and Liberal Members of Parliament often become Liberal Members of the Legislative Assembly, and vice versa. Gerald Regan, for instance, became leader of the provincial party after serving as a Liberal MP. He joined the federal Liberal government after serving as premier of Nova Scotia. Angus L. Macdonald, the province's most storied Liberal premier, split his term into two by spending five years as a federal Liberal cabinet minister in the wartime government of William Lyon Mackenzie King.

In the 2009 election, Stephen McNeil led the Liberals to Official Opposition status, winning 11 seats. [8]

In the 2013 election, the McNeil Liberals won a majority government, defeating the NDP government of Darrell Dexter. [9]

In the 2017 election, the McNeil Liberals retained a reduced majority of 27 seats in the legislature. [10]

On August 6, 2020, McNeil announced he will step down as party leader and that he will continue to act as premier and as the party's leader until the a replacement is found. [11] On February 23, 2021, Rankin became the 29th Premier of Nova Scotia, replacing McNeil. [12] Rankin called a snap election for August 17, 2021, which his Liberal Party lost. [13] Rankin was personally re-elected in Timberlea-Prospect. [14]

Current elected member

NameRidingYear elected
Zach Churchill Yarmouth 2010
Patricia Arab Fairview-Clayton Park 2013
Braedon Clark Bedford South 2021
Rafah DiCostanzo Clayton Park West 2017
Ali Duale Halifax Armdale 2021
Tony Ince Cole Harbour 2013
Keith Irving Kings South 2013
Ben Jessome Hammonds Plains-Lucasville 2013
Carman Kerr Annapolis 2021
Ronnie LeBlanc Clare 2021
Derek Mombourquette Sydney-Membertou 2015
Lorelei Nicoll Cole Harbour-Dartmouth 2021
Iain Rankin Timberlea-Prospect 2013
Kelly Regan Bedford Basin 2009
Fred Tilley Northside-Westmount 2021

Party leaders

Election results

ElectionLeaderVotes %Seats+/–PositionGovernment
1867 William Annand 58.6
36 / 38
Increase2.svg 21Increase2.svg 1stMajority
1871 52.2
24 / 38
Decrease2.svg 12Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1874 Philip Carteret Hill 55.0
22 / 38
Decrease2.svg 2Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1878 45.1
6 / 38
Decrease2.svg 16Decrease2.svg 2ndOpposition
1882 None51.8
24 / 38
Increase2.svg 18Increase2.svg 1stMajority
1886 William Stevens Fielding 54.7
28 / 38
Increase2.svg 4Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1890 52.2
29 / 38
Increase2.svg 1Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1894 51.9
25 / 38
Decrease2.svg 4Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1897 George Henry Murray 55.0
34 / 38
Increase2.svg 9Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1901 56.7
36 / 38
Increase2.svg 2Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1906 53.2
32 / 38
Decrease2.svg 4Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1911 51.1
26 / 38
Decrease2.svg 10Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1916 50.4
31 / 43
Increase2.svg 5Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1920 44.4
29 / 43
Decrease2.svg 2Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1925 Ernest Howard Armstrong 36.3
3 / 43
Decrease2.svg 26Decrease2.svg 2ndOpposition
1928 William Chisholm 47.2
18 / 43
Increase2.svg 15Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
1933 Angus Lewis Macdonald 52.6
22 / 30
Increase2.svg 4Increase2.svg 1stMajority
1937 51.0
25 / 30
Increase2.svg 3Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1941 Alexander Stirling MacMillan 52.6
22 / 30
Decrease2.svg 3Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1945 Angus Lewis Macdonald 52.7
28 / 30
Increase2.svg 6Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1949 51.0
27 / 37
Decrease2.svg 1Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1953 49.0
22 / 37
Decrease2.svg 5Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1956 Henry Hicks 159,66648.2
18 / 43
Decrease2.svg 4Decrease2.svg 2ndOpposition
1960 147,95142.6
15 / 43
Decrease2.svg 3Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
1963 Earl Wallace Urquhart 134,87339.7
4 / 43
Decrease2.svg 11Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
1967 Gerald Regan 142,94541.8
6 / 46
Increase2.svg 2Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
1970 174,94346.1
23 / 46
Increase2.svg 17Increase2.svg 1stMinority
1974 206,64847.9
31 / 46
Increase2.svg 8Steady2.svg 1stMajority
1978 175,21839.4
17 / 52
Decrease2.svg 14Decrease2.svg 2ndOpposition
1981 Sandy Cameron 139,60433.2
13 / 52
Decrease2.svg 4Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
1984 129,31031.3
6 / 52
Decrease2.svg 7Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
1988 Vince MacLean 186,00739.6
21 / 52
Increase2.svg 15Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
1993 John Savage 243,29849.7
40 / 52
Increase2.svg 19Increase2.svg 1stMajority
1998 Russell MacLellan 158,62035.3
19 / 52
Decrease2.svg 21Steady2.svg 1stMinority
1999 128,79529.8
11 / 52
Decrease2.svg 8Decrease2.svg 3rdThird party
2003 Danny Graham 128,41731.5
12 / 52
Increase2.svg 1Steady2.svg 3rdThird party
2006 Francis MacKenzie 94,87223.4
9 / 52
Decrease2.svg 3Steady2.svg 3rdThird party
2009 Stephen McNeil 112,16027.2
11 / 52
Increase2.svg 2Increase2.svg 2ndOpposition
2013 190,11245.7
33 / 51
Increase2.svg 22Increase2.svg 1stMajority
2017 157,54139.5
27 / 51
Decrease2.svg 6Steady2.svg 1stMajority
2021 Iain Rankin 155,02636.67
17 / 55
Decrease2.svg 10Decrease2.svg 2ndOpposition

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. "By-laws of the Liberal Association of Nova Scotia" (PDF). September 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  2. "Liberal Leader Iain Rankin concedes election result | CBC.ca".
  3. "Progressive Conservatives surge to surprise majority win in Nova Scotia election | CBC News".
  4. "Alberta keeps Tories". The Chronicle Herald. April 24, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
  5. "MacKenzie steps down as Liberal leader". CBC News. June 20, 2006. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  6. "Stephen McNeil leads Liberals to majority in Nova Scotia". CBC News. October 8, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  7. "Liberal Premier Stephen McNeil: Nova Scotia's soft-spoken fiscal hawk". The Chronicle Herald. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017.
  8. "Liberals see gains, form Nova Scotia's Official Opposition". CBC News. June 9, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  9. "4 changes Stephen McNeil is promising for Nova Scotia". CBC News. October 9, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  10. Gorman, Michael. "Liberals score back-to-back majorities in Nova Scotia nail-biter". CBC News. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  11. Grant, Taryn. "Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil to step down after 17 years in politics". CBC News. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  12. Doucette, Keith (23 February 2021). "Premier Iain Rankin, new Nova Scotia cabinet sworn in by lieutenant-governor". Atlantic. Bell Media. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  13. "Bad campaign, leader who didn't connect with voters led to N.S. Liberal loss: Experts". 18 August 2021.
  14. "Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Iain Rankin wins Timberlea-Prospect riding | The Star". The Toronto Star. 17 August 2021.
  15. Rankin, Iain (2021-02-06). "Premier-designate Iain Rankin delivers his first speech as Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party". Twitter.
  16. Churchill, Zach [@zachchurchill] (July 9, 2022). "Today is a new day for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. Members from across our Province put their confidence in me to revive our Party and win back the trust of Nova Scotians. I'm excited to move forward, united, as one Party, with one goal: moving Nova Scotia forward. #nspoli" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 July 2022 via Twitter.