New Brunswick New Democratic Party leadership election, 2005
Encyclopedia
The New Brunswick New Democratic Party
, a social democratic
political party in the Canadian
province of New Brunswick
, held a leadership election
in 2005, following the resignation of previous leader Elizabeth Weir
on October 8, 2004. The convention was held in Fredericton from September 23-25, 2005 with the vote for leader to held on September 25, though all members were eligible to vote by mail.
of votes, had no candidate won an absolute majority on the first round of voting, the second preferences
of the third placed candidated would have been counted to determine a leader. This was not necessary however as Allison Brewer won on the first round of balloting.
The New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal reported on May 25 that the following individuals were considering a run. Neither of them ever denied this publicly, but the deadline to enter the race passed without their entry.
New Brunswick New Democratic Party
The New Brunswick New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial political party in New Brunswick, Canada linked with the federal New Democratic Party .-Origins and early history:...
, a social democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
political party in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, held a leadership election
Leadership convention
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.- Overview :...
in 2005, following the resignation of previous leader Elizabeth Weir
Elizabeth Weir
Elizabeth Jane Weir is a lawyer and politician in New Brunswick, Canada. She was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of New Brunswick in 1988 and became an opposition voice to the Liberal government, which held all 58 seats in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.Born in Belfast,...
on October 8, 2004. The convention was held in Fredericton from September 23-25, 2005 with the vote for leader to held on September 25, though all members were eligible to vote by mail.
Candidates
The particulars for the convention were determined on January 15, and the original deadline for candidates to enter the race was June 23, 2005. However, on July 4 the party announced the deadline had been extended to July 12.- Allison BrewerAllison BrewerAllison Brewer is a Canadian social activist and politician, and the former leader of the New Brunswick New Democratic Party. She has been particularly active in areas of lesbian and gay rights and access to abortion.-Biography:...
, a social activist and former director of the MorgentalerHenry MorgentalerHenry Morgentaler, CM is a Canadian physician and prominent pro-choice advocate who has fought numerous legal battles for that cause.-Early life:...
abortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
clinic in Fredericton makes her candidacy known on May 14. She officially launched her campaign on May 24.
- Pam Coates, national anti-povertyPovertyPoverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
activist and provincial NDP candidate in Saint John Portland in 1999New Brunswick general election, 1999The 34th New Brunswick general election was held on June 7, 1999, to elect 55 members to the 54th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It marked the debut of both Camille Thériault and Bernard Lord as leaders of the Liberals and...
taking third place and 13% of the vote. She announced her candidacy on July 12.
- Oscar Doucet, provincial NDP candidate in Rogersville-KouchibouguacRogersville-KouchibouguacRogersville-Kouchibouguac is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, Canada.-MLAs:*Conrad Landry, Liberal *Ken Johnson, Liberal *Rose-May Poirier, Progressive Conservative...
in 2003New Brunswick general election, 2003The 35th New Brunswick general election was held on June 9, 2003, to elect 55 members to the 55th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada...
taking third place and 6% of the vote. He announced his candidacy on July 11.
Results
A candidate was required to win a majorityMajority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
of votes, had no candidate won an absolute majority on the first round of voting, the second preferences
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
of the third placed candidated would have been counted to determine a leader. This was not necessary however as Allison Brewer won on the first round of balloting.
| Candidate | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| # | % | |
| Allison Brewer | 248 | 62.5% |
| Oscar Doucet | 96 | 24.2% |
| Pam Coates | 47 | 11.8% |
| Spoiled ballots | 6 | 1.5% |
| Total | 397 | 100.0% |
Non-candidates
The following potential candidates, widely suggested by media following Weir's resignation, announced that they would not run for the leadership:- Yvon GodinYvon GodinYvon Godin is a Canadian politician.Godin is currently a New Democratic Party Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Acadie—Bathurst since 1997. Previously, Godin was a labour representative for the United Steelworkers...
, NDPNew Democratic PartyThe New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
Member of ParliamentCanadian House of CommonsThe House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
for Acadie-Bathurst - Gilles Halley, provincial NDP candidate in NepisiguitNepisiguit (electoral district)Nepisiguit is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, Canada. It was known as Nepisiguit-Chaleur from 1974 to 1995.-MLAs:*Frank Branch, Liberal *Alban Landry, Liberal...
in 1999New Brunswick general election, 1999The 34th New Brunswick general election was held on June 7, 1999, to elect 55 members to the 54th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It marked the debut of both Camille Thériault and Bernard Lord as leaders of the Liberals and...
taking third place and 28% of the vote, announced that he could run "maybe next time" but could not run at this time due to ongoing business ventures - Tom Mann, president of the New Brunswick Public Employees Union
The New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal reported on May 25 that the following individuals were considering a run. Neither of them ever denied this publicly, but the deadline to enter the race passed without their entry.
- Dennis Atchison, provincial NDP candidate in Fredericton NorthFredericton NorthFredericton North was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, Canada from 1973 to 2006. It was split between the new ridings of Fredericton-Nashwaaksis and Fredericton-Fort Nashwaak.- External links :*...
in 2003New Brunswick general election, 2003The 35th New Brunswick general election was held on June 9, 2003, to elect 55 members to the 55th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada...
taking third place and 16% of the vote. - John Carty, federal NDP candidate in FrederictonFredericton (electoral district)Fredericton is a federal electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988. Its population in 2001 was 82,782...
in 2004Canadian federal election, 2004The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
taking third place and 17% of the vote.
Timeline
- October 8, 2004 - Elizabeth WeirElizabeth WeirElizabeth Jane Weir is a lawyer and politician in New Brunswick, Canada. She was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of New Brunswick in 1988 and became an opposition voice to the Liberal government, which held all 58 seats in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.Born in Belfast,...
resigns from the leadership of the NDP, a post she has held since 1988. Weir will stay on as leader until her successor is chosen. - January 15, 2005 - The NDP's Provincial Council meets in Moncton and decides to delay the vote from springSpring (season)Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
to fallAutumnAutumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
. - March 23, 2005 - The NDP announces the date of its convention and the rules for the conduct thereof.
- May 14, 2005 - Allison Brewer becomes the first candidate to announce for leader.
- June 23, 2005 - The deadline for candidates to enter the race passes and, as the only candidate, Allison BrewerAllison BrewerAllison Brewer is a Canadian social activist and politician, and the former leader of the New Brunswick New Democratic Party. She has been particularly active in areas of lesbian and gay rights and access to abortion.-Biography:...
becomes the leader-designate of the New Brunswick NDP. - June 28, 2005 - NDP president Terry Albright announces that the NDP's Provincial Council is considering a request to extend the deadline for candidates to enter the race to July 12 at the request of a potential candidate. Brewer states that she would not oppose such an extension.
- July 4, 2005 - Albright announces that the deadline has been extended to July 12 to accommodate an individual who had planned to run but who could not make the deadline due to personal issues. Albright says that in addition to this candidate, it is expected that a third candidate may now enter the race.
- July 11, 2005 - Oscar Doucet becomes the second candidate in the race.
- July 12, 2005 - Pam Coates becomes the third and final candidate in the race.
- August 26, 2005 - Brewer reveals that she was arrested earlier in the month for unpaid parking tickets, she was released after paying a $100 fine but protests having been arrested as an unnecessary action.
- August 28, 2005 - The three candidates participate in the first of two debateDebateDebate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
s in the campaign in BathurstBathurst, New BrunswickBathurst is a Canadian city in Gloucester County, New Brunswick.Bathurst is situated on Bathurst Harbour, an estuary at the mouth of the Nepisiguit River at the southernmost part of Chaleur Bay.... - September 11, 2005 - The three candidates participate in the second of two debates in Moncton.
- September 25, 2005 - Allison Brewer wins the leadership on the first ballot with approximately 60% of the vote.