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

← 2006 June 9, 2009 2013 →

52 seats of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
27 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
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 Increase11 Increase2 Decrease13
Popular vote 186,556 112,160 101,203
Percentage 45.24% 27.20% 24.54%
Swing Increase10.61% Increase3.76% Decrease15.03%

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

edit

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

edit
31 11 10
New Democratic Liberal Progressive Conservative

Results by party

edit
Results
 
PartyVotes%Seats
2006DissolutionElectedChange
New Democratic186,55645.24202031+11
Liberal112,16027.209911+2
Progressive Conservative101,20324.54232110-13
Green9,6362.34000±0
Independents2,7960.68010±0
Vacant1
Total412,351100.00525252±0

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

edit
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

edit
Progressive Conservative

Nominated candidates

edit

Legend
bold denotes party leader
† denotes an incumbent who is not running for re-election or was defeated in nomination contest

Annapolis Valley

edit
Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Green Independent
Annapolis Kent Robinson
971
11.10%
Henry Spurr
1,131
12.93%
Stephen McNeil
6,446
73.70%
Jamie Spinney
198
2.26%
Stephen McNeil
Clare Jimmy Doucet
459
8.75%
Paul Comeau
1,326
25.29%
Wayne Gaudet
3,392
64.68%
Diane Doucet-Bean
67
1.28%
Wayne Gaudet
Digby-Annapolis Cindy Nesbitt
852
15.39%
Sherri Oliver
1,092
19.73%
Harold Theriault
3,514
63.48%
Namron Bean
78
1.41%
Harold Theriault
Hants West Chuck Porter
3,364
37.24%
Barbara Gallagher
2,401
26.58%
Paula Lunn
3,065
33.93%
Sheila Richardson
204
2.26%
Chuck Porter
Kings North Mark Parent
3,079
36.08%
Jim Morton
3,535
41.43%
Shirley Fisher
1,541
18.06%
Anna-Maria Galante-Ward
378
4.43%
Mark Parent
Kings South David Morse
2,759
28.14%
Ramona Jennex
4,038
41.18%
Paula Howatt
2,639
26.91%
Brendan MacNeill
369
3.76%
David Morse
Kings West Chris Palmer
1,667
20.20%
Carol Tobin
1,422
17.23%
Leo Glavine
5,015
60.77%
Nistal Prem de Boer
149
1.81%
Leo Glavine

South Shore

edit
Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Green Independent
Argyle Chris d'Entremont
3,158
67.65%
Melvin Huskins
66
1.41%
Lionel LeBlanc
913
19.56%
Barbara Lake
531
11.38%
Chris d'Entremont
Chester-St. Margaret's Judy Streatch
2,762
27.47%
Denise Peterson-Rafuse
4,835
48.09%
Jo-Ann Grant
2,122
21.11%
Ryan Cameron
335
3.33%
Judy Streatch
Lunenburg Peter Zwicker
2,399
28.30%
Pam Birdsall
4,069
48.01%
Rick Welsford
1,374
16.21%
Jason A. Remai
145
1.71%
Milton Countway
489
5.77%
Vacant
Lunenburg West Carolyn Bolivar-Getson
3,045
33.50%
Gary Ramey
3,600
39.60%
Mark Furey
2,297
25.27%
Emily Richardson
148
1.63%
Carolyn Bolivar-Getson
Queens Kerry Morash
1,936
28.87%
Vicki Conrad
4,012
59.82%
Wayne Henley
674
10.05%
Stuart Simpson
85
1.27%
Vicki Conrad
Shelburne Eddie Nickerson
1,637
23.59%
Sterling Belliveau
3,844
55.41%
Darian Huskilson
1,356
19.54%
Robin Smith
101
1.46%
Sterling Belliveau
Yarmouth Richard Hurlburt
4,537
61.34%
David Olie
1,696
22.93%
David Mooney
1,041
14.07%
Ronald Mills
123
1.66%
Richard Hurlburt

Fundy-Northeast

edit
Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Green Independent
Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley Steve Streatch
2,265
29.07%
Gary Burrill
3,697
47.45%
Willie Versteeg
1,649
21.16%
Margaret Whitney
181
2.32%
Brooke Taylor
Colchester North Karen Casey
3,811
50.25%
Arthur Hartlen
2,362
31.14%
Lorenda Ebbett
1,250
16.48%
Judy Davis
161
2.12%
Karen Casey
Cumberland North Keith Hunter
1,359
17.23%
Brian Skabar
3,170
40.19%
Brent Noiles
1,073
13.60%
Aviva Silburt
127
1.61%
Ernest Fage
2,159
27.37%
Ernest Fage
Cumberland South Murray Scott
4,334
67.66%
Don Tabor
1,659
25.90%
Joseph Archibald
325
5.07%
Danny Melvin
88
1.37%
Murray Scott
Hants East Todd Williams
1,567
16.82%
John MacDonell
6,052
64.96%
Maurice Rees
1,467
15.75%
Emerich Winkler
231
2.48%
John MacDonell
Truro-Bible Hill Hughie MacIsaac
2,544
30.23%
Lenore Zann
4,070
48.37%
Bob Hagell
1,643
19.52%
Kaleigh Brinkhurst
158
1.88%
Jamie Muir

Central Halifax

edit
Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Green Independent
Halifax Chebucto David Atchison
544
6.91%
Howard Epstein
4,446
56.47%
Jane Spurr
2,535
32.20%
Chris Hanlon
348
4.42%
Howard Epstein
Halifax Citadel Ted Larsen
1,000
12.99%
Leonard Preyra
3,785
49.17%
Gerry Walsh
2,584
33.57%
Ryan Watson
329
4.27%
Leonard Preyra
Halifax Clayton Park Debbie Hum
1,084
10.56%
Linda Power
3,924
38.24%
Diana Whalen
5,030
49.02%
Amanda Hester
172
1.68%
Jonathan Dean
51
0.50%
Diana Whalen
Halifax Fairview Paul Henderson
893
12.16%
Graham Steele
4,680
63.71%
Brad Armitage
1,544
21.02%
Jane Hester
229
3.12%
Graham Steele
Halifax Needham Jason Cameron
536
6.76%
Maureen MacDonald
5,336
67.30%
Graham Estabrooks
1,690
21.31%
Kris MacLellan
367
4.63%
Maureen MacDonald

Suburban Halifax

edit
Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Green Independent
Bedford-Birch Cove Len Goucher
2,268
20.75%
Brian Mosher
3,552
32.50%
Kelly Regan
4,861
44.48%
Neil Green
248
2.27%
Len Goucher
Halifax Atlantic Brian Phillips
965
11.22%
Michèle Raymond
5,253
61.09%
Jim Hoskins
2,003
23.29%
Anthony Rosborough
378
4.40%
Michele Raymond
Hammonds Plains-Upper Sackville Barry Barnet
2,218
23.05%
Mat Whynott
4,815
50.03%
Patrick Doyle
2,381
24.74%
Shawn Redmond
210
2.18%
Barry Barnet
Sackville-Cobequid Jessica Alexander
976
12.46%
Dave Wilson
5,120
65.34%
Scott Hemming
1,548
19.75%
Ian Charles
192
2.45%
Dave Wilson
Timberlea-Prospect Gina Byrne
795
9.10%
Bill Estabrooks
6,174
70.70%
Lisa Mullin
1,535
17.58%
Thomas Trappenberg
229
2.62%
Bill Estabrooks
Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank Gary Hines
1,696
18.45%
Percy Paris
5,007
54.47%
Bill Horne
2,290
24.91%
Damon Loomer
199
2.16%
Percy Paris

Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore

edit
Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Green Independent
Cole Harbour Mike Josey
939
11.05%
Darrell Dexter
5,849
68.82%
Tony Ince
1,509
17.76%
Donna Toews
202
2.38%
Darrell Dexter
Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage Lloyd Jackson
1,074
15.90%
Becky Kent
4,402
65.17%
Orest Ulan
1,054
15.60%
Denise Ménard
225
3.33%
Becky Kent
Dartmouth East Bert Thompson
873
9.60%
Joan Massey
3,908
42.95%
Andrew Younger
4,133
45.43%
Anna Mukpo
184
2.02%
Joan Massey
Dartmouth North David Losey
568
7.95%
Trevor Zinck
4,053
56.75%
Jim Smith
2,316
32.43%
Alex Donaldson
205
2.87%
Trevor Zinck
Dartmouth South-Portland Valley George Jordan
1,389
13.58%
Marilyn More
5,583
54.59%
Colin Hebb
2,946
28.80%
David Croft
310
3.03%
Marilyn More
Eastern Shore Bill Dooks
2,557
34.69%
Sid Prest
3,628
49.22%
Loretta Day Halleran
992
13.46%
Michael Marshall
194
2.63%
Bill Dooks
Preston Dwayne Provo
1,076
24.83%
Janet Sutcliffe
1,314
30.33%
Keith Colwell
1,888
43.57%
Sarah Densmore
55
1.27%
Keith Colwell

Central Nova

edit
Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Green Independent
Antigonish Angus MacIsaac
3,613
38.08%
Maurice Smith
3,338
35.18%
Miles Tompkins
2,378
25.06%
Rebecca Mosher
160
1.69%
Angus MacIsaac
Guysborough-Sheet Harbour Ron Chisholm
1,750
24.96%
Jim Boudreau
3,621
51.64%
Lloyd Hines
1,558
22.22%
Amy Florian
83
1.18%
Ron Chisholm
Pictou Centre Pat Dunn
3,519
44.64%
Ross Landry
3,650
46.30%
Neil MacIsaac
567
7.19%
Jim Lindsey
147
1.86%
Pat Dunn
Pictou East J. Ed MacDonald
1,984
25.94%
Clarrie MacKinnon
4,893
63.98%
Francois Rochon
642
8.39%
Robbie Loftus White
129
1.69%
Clarrie MacKinnon
Pictou West Leonard Fraser
1,466
19.99%
Charlie Parker
4,226
57.63%
Paul Landry
1,471
20.06%
Chelsea Richardson
170
2.32%
Charlie Parker

Cape Breton

edit
Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Green Independent
Cape Breton Centre Chris Ryan
479
7.53%
Frank Corbett
5,096
80.14%
Joe MacPherson
685
10.77%
Chris Alders
99
1.56%
Frank Corbett
Cape Breton North Cecil Clarke
3,477
44.47%
Russell MacDonald
3,312
42.36%
Ken Jardine
921
11.78%
Chris Milburn
108
1.38%
Cecil Clarke
Cape Breton Nova Cory Hann
276
4.14%
Gordie Gosse
4,735
71.07%
Donnie Morrison
1,549
23.25%
Michael P. Milburn
102
1.53%
Gordie Gosse
Cape Breton South Steve Tobin
1,387
15.12%
Wayne McKay
3,332
36.33%
Manning MacDonald
4,278
46.65%
Cathy Theriault
174
1.90%
Manning MacDonald
Cape Breton West Alfie MacLeod
3,962
43.47%
Delton MacDonald
2,797
30.69%
Josephine Kennedy
2,212
24.27%
Michael Parsons
143
1.57%
Alfie MacLeod
Glace Bay Tom MacPherson
810
11.41%
Myrtle Campbell
2,829
39.84%
Dave Wilson
3,380
47.60%
Todd Pettigrew
82
1.15%
Dave Wilson
Inverness Rodney MacDonald
8,714
98.54%
Michael MacIsaac
1,971
20.49%
Shaun Bennett
1,905
19.81%
Nathalie Arsenault
339
3.53%
Rodney MacDonald
Richmond John Greene
1,045
17.92%
Clair Rankin
1,477
25.33%
Michel Samson
3,228
55.36%
John Percy
81
1.39%
Michel Samson
Victoria-The Lakes Keith Bain
2,417
38.68%
Fraser Patterson
1,680
26.88%
Gerald Sampson
1,912
30.60%
James V. O'Brien
143
2.29%
Stemer MacLeod
97
1.55%
Keith Bain

Opinion polls

edit
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

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

Bibliography

edit

Further reading

edit
edit