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Nova Scotia Liberal Party

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Nova Scotia Liberal Party
LeaderDerek Mombourquette (interim)
PresidentMargaret Miller[1]
SecretaryDavid Mackeigan[1]
Founded1883; 141 years ago (1883)
Headquarters5151 George Street
Suite 1400
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2T3
Youth wingNova Scotia Young Liberals
IdeologyLiberalism
Political positionCentre[citation needed]
National affiliationLiberal Party of Canada
ColoursRed
Seats in House of Assembly
2 / 55
Website
Official website

The Nova Scotia Liberal Party (officially the Liberal Association of Nova Scotia[2]) is a centrist[citation needed] provincial political party in Nova Scotia, Canada and the provincial section of the Liberal Party of Canada. The party currently holds two seats in the Legislature, under the interim leadership of Derek Mombourquette. The party was in power most recently from the 2013 election until the 2021 election.[3][4]

Origins

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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.[5]

Recent history

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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.[6] 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.[7] Under McNeil, a self-described fiscal conservative, the party pushed for balanced provincial budgets and took a firm stance against public sector unions.[8]

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.[9]

In the 2013 election, the McNeil Liberals won a majority government, defeating the NDP government of Darrell Dexter.[10]

In the 2017 election, the McNeil Liberals retained a reduced majority of 27 seats in the legislature.[11]

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.[12] On February 23, 2021, Rankin became the 29th Premier of Nova Scotia, replacing McNeil, following a leadership election.[13] Rankin called a snap election for August 17, 2021, which his Liberal Party lost.[14] Rankin was personally re-elected in Timberlea-Prospect.[15] In the wake of the defeat, Rankin stepped down as leader. Yarmouth MLA Zach Churchill was elected leader of the Liberal Party in the 2022 leadership election.[16]

In the 2024 election, the Liberals suffered their worst defeat in history, winning only two seats total.[17] Leader Zach Churchill lost his own seat,[18] and resigned from his position as leader two weeks later.[19]

Current elected politicians

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Name Riding Year elected
Derek Mombourquette Sydney-Membertou 2015
Iain Rankin Timberlea-Prospect 2013

Party leaders

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Electoral performance

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Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Status
1867 William Annand 58.6
36 / 38
 Increase 21 Increase 1st Majority
1871 52.2
24 / 38
 Decrease 12 Steady 1st Majority
1874 Philip Carteret Hill 55.0
22 / 38
 Decrease 2 Steady 1st Majority
1878 45.1
6 / 38
 Decrease 16 Decrease 2nd Opposition
1882 None 51.8
24 / 38
 Increase 18 Increase 1st Majority
1886 William Stevens Fielding 54.7
28 / 38
 Increase 4 Steady 1st Majority
1890 52.2
29 / 38
 Increase 1 Steady 1st Majority
1894 51.9
25 / 38
 Decrease 4 Steady 1st Majority
1897 George Henry Murray 55.0
34 / 38
 Increase 9 Steady 1st Majority
1901 56.7
36 / 38
 Increase 2 Steady 1st Majority
1906 53.2
32 / 38
 Decrease 4 Steady 1st Majority
1911 51.1
26 / 38
 Decrease 10 Steady 1st Majority
1916 50.4
31 / 43
 Increase 5 Steady 1st Majority
1920 44.4
29 / 43
 Decrease 2 Steady 1st Majority
1925 Ernest Howard Armstrong 36.3
3 / 43
 Decrease 26 Decrease 2nd Opposition
1928 William Chisholm 47.2
18 / 43
 Increase 15 Steady 2nd Opposition
1933 Angus Lewis Macdonald 52.6
22 / 30
 Increase 4 Increase 1st Majority
1937 51.0
25 / 30
 Increase 3 Steady 1st Majority
1941 Alexander Stirling MacMillan 52.6
22 / 30
 Decrease 3 Steady 1st Majority
1945 Angus Lewis Macdonald 52.7
28 / 30
 Increase 6 Steady 1st Majority
1949 51.0
27 / 37
 Decrease 1 Steady 1st Majority
1953 49.0
22 / 37
 Decrease 5 Steady 1st Majority
1956 Henry Hicks 159,666 48.2
18 / 43
 Decrease 4 Decrease 2nd Opposition
1960 147,951 42.6
15 / 43
 Decrease 3 Steady 2nd Opposition
1963 Earl Wallace Urquhart 134,873 39.7
4 / 43
 Decrease 11 Steady 2nd Opposition
1967 Gerald Regan 142,945 41.8
6 / 46
 Increase 2 Steady 2nd Opposition
1970 174,943 46.1
23 / 46
 Increase 17 Increase 1st Minority
1974 206,648 47.9
31 / 46
 Increase 8 Steady 1st Majority
1978 175,218 39.4
17 / 52
 Decrease 14 Decrease 2nd Opposition
1981 Sandy Cameron 139,604 33.2
13 / 52
 Decrease 4 Steady 2nd Opposition
1984 129,310 31.3
6 / 52
 Decrease 7 Steady 2nd Opposition
1988 Vince MacLean 186,007 39.6
21 / 52
 Increase 15 Steady 2nd Opposition
1993 John Savage 243,298 49.7
40 / 52
 Increase 19 Increase 1st Majority
1998 Russell MacLellan 158,620 35.3
19 / 52
 Decrease 21 Steady 1st Minority
1999 128,795 29.8
11 / 52
 Decrease 8 Decrease 3rd Third party
2003 Danny Graham 128,417 31.5
12 / 52
 Increase 1 Steady 3rd Third party
2006 Francis MacKenzie 94,872 23.4
9 / 52
 Decrease 3 Steady 3rd Third party
2009 Stephen McNeil 112,160 27.2
11 / 52
 Increase 2 Increase 2nd Opposition
2013 190,112 45.7
33 / 51
 Increase 22 Increase 1st Majority
2017 157,541 39.5
27 / 51
 Decrease 6 Steady 1st Majority
2021 Iain Rankin 155,026 36.7
17 / 55
 Decrease 10 Decrease 2nd Opposition
2024 Zach Churchill 81,137 22.87
2 / 55
 Decrease 14 Decrease 3rd Third party

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liberal Party of Nova Scotia.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Board of Directors". Nova Scotia Liberal Party. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  2. ^ "By-laws of the Liberal Association of Nova Scotia" (PDF). September 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Liberal Leader Iain Rankin concedes election result | CBC.ca".
  4. ^ "Progressive Conservatives surge to surprise majority win in Nova Scotia election | CBC News".
  5. ^ "Alberta keeps Tories". The Chronicle Herald. April 24, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
  6. ^ "MacKenzie steps down as Liberal leader". CBC News. June 20, 2006. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  7. ^ "Stephen McNeil leads Liberals to majority in Nova Scotia". CBC News. October 8, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "Liberals see gains, form Nova Scotia's Official Opposition". CBC News. June 9, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  10. ^ "4 changes Stephen McNeil is promising for Nova Scotia". CBC News. October 9, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  11. ^ Gorman, Michael. "Liberals score back-to-back majorities in Nova Scotia nail-biter". CBC News. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  12. ^ Grant, Taryn. "Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil to step down after 17 years in politics". CBC News. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  13. ^ Doucette, Keith (23 February 2021). "Premier Iain Rankin, new Nova Scotia cabinet sworn in by lieutenant-governor". Atlantic. Bell Media. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Bad campaign, leader who didn't connect with voters led to N.S. Liberal loss: Experts". 18 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Iain Rankin wins Timberlea-Prospect riding | The Star". The Toronto Star. 17 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Nova Scotia Liberals elect new leader Zach Churchill to replace ex-premier Iain Rankin". Atlantic. 2022-07-09. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  17. ^ "N.S. Liberals lose official opposition status amid several electoral defeats". CTV News. 2024-11-26. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  18. ^ "N.S. Liberal Leader loses seat to PC candidate, trails just 14 votes". Atlantic. 2024-11-27. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  19. ^ "Zach Churchill stepping down as leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  20. ^ Rankin, Iain (2021-02-06). "Premier-designate Iain Rankin delivers his first speech as Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party". Twitter.
  21. ^ Churchill, Zach [@zachchurchill] (9 July 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.
  22. ^ "Zach Churchill stepping down as leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party". CTV News. The Canadian Press. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
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