2009 Nova Scotia general election

The 2009 Nova Scotia general election was held on June 9, 2009 to elect members of the 61st House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The government was defeated on a money bill on May 4, and the Nova Scotia House of Assembly was dissolved by Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis on May 5.[1] thereby triggering an election. The NDP won a majority government, forming government the first time in the province's history, and for the first time in an Atlantic Canadian province. The governing Progressive Conservatives were reduced to third place.

2009 Nova Scotia general election

June 9, 2009
52 seats of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly 27 seats were needed for a majority
Leader Darrell Dexter Stephen McNeil Rodney MacDonald Party New Democratic Liberal Progressive Conservative Leader since June 2, 2002 April 28, 2007 February 11, 2006 Leader's seat Cole Harbour Annapolis Inverness Last election 20 seats, 34.63% 9 seats, 23.44% 23 seats, 39.57% Seats won 31 11 10 Seat change 11 2 13 Popular vote 186,556 112,160 101,203 Percentage 45.24% 27.20% 24.54% Swing 10.61% 3.76% 15.03%
Popular vote by riding. As this is an FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead via results by each riding.
Premier before election Rodney MacDonald Progressive Conservative Premier after election Darrell Dexter New Democratic

Campaign

The election campaign began on May 5, 2009, after the New Democrats and Liberals voted against the Offshore Offset Revenues Expenditure Act, legislation that would have permitted the government to divert its revenues from oil and gas development in the Atlantic Ocean from debt payment, as required under current provincial law, to fund extra spending in the 2009 budget.[2] As the Progressive Conservatives won only a minority government in the 2006 election, at least one of the two opposition parties would have been required to vote in favour of (or abstain from voting on) the legislation for it to pass.

Timeline

• June 13, 2006 - Rodney MacDonald's Progressive Conservatives are elected to a minority government.[3]
• June 20, 2006 - Liberal leader Francis MacKenzie resigns.[4]
• February 20, 2007 - Cumberland North MLA Ernie Fage is suspended from the Progressive Conservative caucus after Halifax Police charge him with failing to remain at the scene of an accident, following an incident in November 2006.[5]
• March 1, 2007 - NDP MLA Kevin Deveaux resigns his seat of Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage.[6]
• April 28, 2007 - Stephen McNeil is elected leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.[7]
• October 2, 2007 - Becky Kent of the NDP is elected in the Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage byelection.[8]
• December 18, 2007 - Fage is convicted of leaving the scene of an accident, and is expelled from the Progressive Conservative caucus.[9][10]
• March 2, 2009 - Lunenburg MLA and Finance Minister Michael Baker dies.[11]
• May 4, 2009 - Government is defeated on a budget bill (Bill 240 - Offshore Offset Revenues Expenditure Act (amendments to Provincial finance Act)).[2]
• May 5, 2009 - Legislature is officially dissolved and election is called for June 9, 2009.[1]

↓

31	11	10
New Democratic	Liberal	Progressive Conservative

Results by party

Party		Party leader	# of candidates	Seats				Popular vote
				2006	Dissolution	Elected	% Change	#	%	Change
	New Democratic	Darrell Dexter	52	20	20	31	+55.0%	186,556	45.24%	+10.61%
	Liberal	Stephen McNeil	52	9	9	11	+22.2%	112,160	27.20%	+3.76%
	Progressive Conservative	Rodney MacDonald	52	23	21	10	−56.5%	101,203	24.54%	−15.03%
	Green	Ryan Watson	52	0	0	0	0.0%	9,636	2.34%	+0.01%
	Independents		4	0	1	0	0.0%	2,796	0.68%	+0.64%
	Vacant				1
Total			212	52	52	52	0.0%	411,310	100.00%	0.00%

Candidates lined up.[12]

Popular vote New Democratic   45.24% Liberal   27.20% PC   24.54% Others   3.02%

Seats summary New Democratic   59.62% Liberal   21.15% PC   19.23%

Results by region

Party name			HRM	C.B.	Valley	S. Shore	Fundy	Central	Total
Parties winning seats in the legislature
	New Democratic Party	Seats:	14	2	2	5	4	4	31
		Popular vote:	54.07%	40.16%	27.05%	43.03%	41.76%	50.10%	45.26%
	Liberal	Seats:	4	3	4	-	-	-	11
		Popular vote:	28.65%	29.57%	46.46%	18.11%	14.60%	16.84%	27.22%
	Progressive Conservative	Seats:	-	4	1	2	2	1	10
		Popular vote:	14.36%	28.34%	23.89%	36.08%	37.44%	31.32%	24.52%
Parties not winning seats in the legislature
	Green	Popular vote:	2.88%	1.78%	2.60%	1.90%	1.89%	1.74%	2.33%
	Independents	Popular vote:	0.03%	0.14%	N/A	0.88%	4.32%	N/A	0.67%
Total seats:			18	9	7	7	6	5	52

Retiring incumbents

Progressive Conservative

• Brooke Taylor, Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley
• Jamie Muir, Truro-Bible Hill

Nominated candidates

Annapolis Valley

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Independent
Annapolis		Kent Robinson		Henry Spurr		Stephen McNeil		Jamie Spinney				Stephen McNeil
Clare		Jimmy Doucet		Paul Comeau		Wayne Gaudet		Diane Bean				Wayne Gaudet
Digby-Annapolis		Cindy Nesbitt		Sherri Oliver		Harold Theriault		Namron Bean				Harold Theriault
Hants West		Chuck Porter		Barbara Gallagher		Paula Lunn		Sheila Richardson				Chuck Porter
Kings North		Mark Parent		Jim Morton		Shirley Fisher		Anna-Maria Galante-Ward				Mark Parent
Kings South		David Morse		Ramona Jennex		Paula Howatt		Brendan MacNeill				David Morse
Kings West		Chris Palmer		Carol Tobin		Leo Glavine		Nistal Prem de Boer				Leo Glavine

South Shore

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Independent
Argyle		Chris d'Entremont		Melvin Huskins		Lionel LeBlanc		Barbara Lake				Chris d'Entremont
Chester-St. Margaret's		Judy Streatch		Denise Peterson-Rafuse		Jo-Ann Grant		Ryan Cameron				Judy Streatch
Lunenburg		Peter Zwicker		Pam Birdsall		Rick Welsford		Jason Remai		Milton Countway		Vacant
Lunenburg West		Carolyn Bolivar-Getson		Gary Ramey		Mark Furey		Emily Richardson				Carolyn Bolivar-Getson
Queens		Kerry Morash		Vicki Conrad		Wayne Henley		Stuart Simpson				Vicki Conrad
Shelburne		Eddie Nickerson		Sterling Belliveau		Darian Huskilson		Robin Smith				Sterling Belliveau
Yarmouth		Richard Hurlburt		David Olie		David Mooney		Ronald Mills				Richard Hurlburt

Fundy-Northeast

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Independent
Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley		Steve Streatch		Gary Burrill		Willie Versteeg		Margaret Whitney				Brooke Taylor†
Colchester North		Karen Casey		Arthur Hartlen		Lorenda Ebbett		Judy Davis				Karen Casey
Cumberland North		Keith Hunter		Brian Skabar		Brent Noiles		Aviva Silburt		Ernest Fage		Ernest Fage
Cumberland South		Murray Scott		Don Tabor		Joseph Archibald		Danny Melvin				Murray Scott
Hants East		Todd Williams		John MacDonell		Maurice Rees		Emerich Winkler				John MacDonell
Truro-Bible Hill		Hughie MacIsaac		Lenore Zann		Bob Hagell		Kaleigh Brinkhurst				Jamie Muir†

Central Halifax

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Independent
Halifax Chebucto		David Atchison		Howard Epstein		Jane Spurr		Chris Hanlon				Howard Epstein
Halifax Citadel		Ted Larsen		Leonard Preyra		Gerry Walsh		Ryan Watson				Leonard Preyra
Halifax Clayton Park		Debbie Hum		Linda Power		Diana Whalen		Amanda Hester		Jonathan Dean		Diana Whalen
Halifax Fairview		Paul Henderson		Graham Steele		Brad Armitage		Jane Hester				Graham Steele
Halifax Needham		Jason Cameron		Maureen MacDonald		Graham Estabrooks		Kris MacLellan				Maureen MacDonald

Suburban Halifax

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Independent
Bedford-Birch Cove		Len Goucher		Brian Mosher		Kelly Regan		Neil Green				Len Goucher
Halifax Atlantic		Brian Phillips		Michèle Raymond		Jim Hoskins		Anthony Rosborough				Michele Raymond
Hammonds Plains-Upper Sackville		Barry Barnet		Mat Whynott		Patrick Doyle		Shawn Redmond				Barry Barnet
Sackville-Cobequid		Jessica Alexander		Dave Wilson		Scott Hemming		Ian Charles				Dave Wilson
Timberlea-Prospect		Gina Byrne		Bill Estabrooks		Lisa Mullin		Thomas Trappenberg				Bill Estabrooks
Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank		Gary Hines		Percy Paris		Bill Horne		Damon Loomer				Percy Paris

Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Independent
Cole Harbour		Mike Josey		Darrell Dexter		Tony Ince		Donna Toews				Darrell Dexter
Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage		Lloyd Jackson		Becky Kent		Orest Ulan		Denise Menard				Becky Kent
Dartmouth East		Bert Thompson		Joan Massey		Andrew Younger		Anna Mukpo				Joan Massey
Dartmouth North		David Losey		Trevor Zinck		Jim Smith		Alex Donaldson				Trevor Zinck
Dartmouth South-Portland Valley		George Jordan		Marilyn More		Colin Hebb		David Croft				Marilyn More
Eastern Shore		Bill Dooks		Sid Prest		Loretta Halleran		Michael Marshall				Bill Dooks
Preston		Dwayne Provo		Janet Sutcliffe		Keith Colwell		Sarah Densmore				Keith Colwell

Central Nova

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Independent
Antigonish		Angus MacIsaac		Maurice Smith		Miles Tompkins		Rebecca Mosher				Angus MacIsaac
Guysborough-Sheet Harbour		Ron Chisholm		Jim Boudreau		Lloyd Hines		Amy Florian				Ron Chisholm
Pictou Centre		Pat Dunn		Ross Landry		Neil MacIsaac		Jim Lindsey				Pat Dunn
Pictou East		J. Ed. MacDonald		Clarrie MacKinnon		Francois Rochon		Robbie White				Clarrie MacKinnon
Pictou West		Leonard Fraser		Charlie Parker		Paul Landry		Chelsea Richardson				Charlie Parker

Cape Breton

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Independent
Cape Breton Centre		Chris Ryan		Frank Corbett		Joe MacPherson		Chris Alders				Frank Corbett
Cape Breton North		Cecil Clarke		Russell MacDonald		Ken Jardine		Chris Milburn				Cecil Clarke
Cape Breton Nova		Cory Hann		Gordie Gosse		Donnie Morrison		Michael Milburn				Gordie Gosse
Cape Breton South		Steve Tobin		Wayne McKay		Manning MacDonald		Cathy Theriault				Manning MacDonald
Cape Breton West		Alfie MacLeod		Delton MacDonald		Josephine Kennedy		Michael Parsons				Alfie MacLeod
Glace Bay		Tom MacPherson		Myrtle Campbell		David Wilson		Todd Pettigrew				David Wilson
Inverness		Rodney MacDonald		Michael MacIsaac		Shaun Bennett		Nathalie Arsenault				Rodney MacDonald
Richmond		John Greene		Clair Rankin		Michel Samson		John Percy				Michel Samson
Victoria-The Lakes		Keith Bain		Fraser Patterson		Gerald Sampson		James V. O'Brien		Stemer MacLeod		Keith Bain

Opinion polls

Date	Source	PC	NDP	Liberal	Green
4 Jun 2009	Angus Reid Strategies	23	47	26	3
1 Jun 2009	Corporate Research Associates	26	44	28	2
7–16 May 2009	Corporate Research Associates	28	37	31	3
Feb 2009	Corporate Research Associates	30	36	31	3
Nov 2008	Corporate Research Associates	33	37	27	3
Aug 2008	Corporate Research Associates	33	36	28	3
May 2008	Corporate Research Associates	27	38	30	4
Feb 2008	Corporate Research Associates	32	37	28	3
Nov 2007	Corporate Research Associates	32	39	25	3
Aug 2007	Corporate Research Associates	32	35	28	5
May 2007	Corporate Research Associates	29	37	26	7
Feb 2007	Corporate Research Associates	35	36	25	3
Nov 2006	Corporate Research Associates	32	37	26	4
Aug 2006	Corporate Research Associates	33	35	24	8
13 Jun 2006	Election	39.6	34.6	23.4	2.3

References

1. "Nova Scotia goes to the polls June 9". The Globe and Mail. May 5, 2009. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
2. "Ready to vote? Nova Scotia's minority Tory government falls". CBC News. May 4, 2009. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
3. "Nova Scotia Tories win minority". CBC News. June 13, 2006. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
4. "MacKenzie steps down as Liberal leader". CBC News. June 20, 2006. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
5. "Fage charged, suspended from Tory caucus". CBC News. February 20, 2007. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
6. "NDP's Deveaux quits politics for UN post". CBC News. January 25, 2007. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
7. "McNeil new N.S. Liberal leader". CBC News. April 28, 2007. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
8. "NDP holds seat in Halifax-area byelection". CBC News. October 2, 2007. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
9. "Fage tossed from N.S. caucus after conviction". CBC News. December 18, 2007. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
10. "N.S. politician convicted, booted from caucus". CTV News. December 18, 2007. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
11. "Nova Scotia's finance minister dies of cancer". CBC News. March 3, 2009. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
12. , additional text.

• 2009 Nova Scotia Provincial General Election - Official Results

Bibliography

• Government of Nova Scotia. "Summary Results from 1867 to 2011" (PDF). Elections Statistics. Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2013-09-30.

External links

• Elections Nova Scotia
• CBC: Nova Scotia Votes 2009