New Democratic Party of Manitoba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Democratic Party of Manitoba
Abbreviation	Manitoba NDP
Leader	Wab Kinew
President	Jill Stockwell
Founded	1961, predecessor Co-operative Commonwealth Federation founded in 1932
Preceded by	Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Manitoba)
Headquarters	878 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 0P1
Youth wing	Manitoba Young New Democrats
Ideology	Social democracy
Political position	Centre-left
National affiliation	New Democratic Party
Colours	Orange
Seats in Legislature	34 / 57
Political parties Elections

The New Democratic Party of Manitoba (often called the Manitoba NDP) is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. It believes in social democracy, which means it supports a fair society where everyone has equal chances. The Manitoba NDP is connected to the national New Democratic Party in Canada. It is currently the party in charge of the government in Manitoba.

How the Party Started and Grew

In 1958, the national Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) party lost many seats in the Canadian Parliament. Because of this, the CCF leaders decided to change things. In 1961, they joined with the Canadian Labour Congress to create a new party called the New Democratic Party (NDP).

Most of the CCF groups in different provinces also changed to the "New Democratic Party" that same year. In Manitoba, there was not much disagreement about this change. The Manitoba NDP officially started on November 4, 1961. The first leader of the new party was Russell Paulley.

At first, the NDP did not win many elections in Manitoba. In the 1962 provincial election, they won only seven seats. They won ten seats in the 1966 election, but they were still not strong enough to challenge the government at that time.

Choosing a New Leader in 1968

Many people in the NDP thought that Russell Paulley should not be the leader anymore, especially after the 1966 election. Paulley was seen as an older-style politician who focused mainly on workers' rights. The party needed a leader who could appeal to more people.

In 1968, Sidney Green, a lawyer from Winnipeg, challenged Paulley for the leadership. Some people thought this challenge showed different ideas within the party. Green was supported by younger members, while Paulley had the support of older party members and labour groups.

Paulley won the leadership vote, but he resigned the next year. Then, Edward Schreyer became the new leader, winning against Sidney Green.

Winning the Election in 1969

In the 1969 Manitoba general election, the NDP won 28 out of 57 seats. They formed a government with the help of another politician, Laurent Desjardins. This victory was a big surprise to many people.

The new leader, Edward Schreyer, was a key reason for the NDP's success. He was seen as a more moderate leader, which meant he was not as extreme in his political views as some previous NDP leaders. Schreyer was also the first social-democratic leader in Manitoba who was not from an English Protestant background. He was a Catholic of German-Austrian descent from rural Manitoba. This helped him connect with many different types of voters who had not supported the NDP before.

Early Years in Power

During the years the NDP was in power, they made many important changes. They changed tax rules and social programs. They also started a big project to develop hydroelectricity in northern Manitoba. The government spent a lot of money on public housing.

Schreyer's government made several big changes. They combined the city of Winnipeg into one large city. They also introduced public auto insurance, which made car insurance more affordable. They greatly reduced the cost of health care premiums.

The NDP government was re-elected in the 1973 provincial election. In 1977, the Progressive Conservatives, led by Sterling Lyon, won the election, and the NDP lost power.

Schreyer left his role as party leader in 1979. He was then appointed Governor General of Canada, a very important position. Howard Pawley became the new leader of the NDP.

Changes and Challenges in the 1980s

Even with some politicians leaving the party, Howard Pawley's NDP won a majority government in the 1981 election. His government passed new laws to help workers. They also made French language services a permanent part of Manitoba's government and legal system.

The NDP was re-elected in the 1986 election, but with a smaller number of seats. Over the next two years, the party became less popular. Car insurance costs went up, and some voters were unhappy with the government's support for the Meech Lake Accord, a political agreement.

In 1988, an NDP politician named Jim Walding voted against his own government's budget. This caused the government to fall, and a new election had to be called. Howard Pawley resigned as party leader.

Gary Doer then became the new leader of the NDP.

Losing Power and Years in Opposition (1988–1999)

The NDP lost the 1988 election, winning only 12 out of 57 seats. The Progressive Conservatives, led by Gary Filmon, won the election. The Liberal Party became the official opposition, taking the NDP's place.

In the 1990 provincial election, Gary Doer helped the NDP become the official opposition again, winning 20 seats. The party continued to grow stronger.

By the 1995 election, the NDP was close to forming the government again, winning 23 seats.

Between 1995 and 1999, the Progressive Conservatives lost a lot of public support. This was due to job losses, the sale of a public phone company (MTS), and a scandal involving vote manipulation in the 1995 election. Voters were also worried about the Conservative government's plans for the future. The Liberal Party was having its own problems, so the NDP seemed like the best choice for many people.

The 1999 election was very close, but the NDP won 32 seats and formed a majority government. After eleven years of being in opposition, Gary Doer became the Premier of Manitoba.

Back in Government (1999–2016)

The Doer Government

The Doer government did not make as many big, sudden changes as some past NDP governments. However, it continued to support workers' rights. Manitoba had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada in 2004, and Doer's government remained popular.

In the 2003 election, the NDP won even more seats, getting 35 out of 57. They also won almost 50% of all the votes. Doer won his own riding (area) with over 75% of the votes. The NDP also started winning in areas of Winnipeg that usually voted for the Progressive Conservatives.

Gary Doer became the only NDP Premier in Manitoba to win three majority governments when his party was re-elected in the 2007 provincial election. They won 36 seats, gaining even more support in areas of Winnipeg that were usually Conservative.

Under Doer, the NDP ran a moderate government that often had balanced budgets (meaning they did not spend more money than they took in). His government reduced taxes for low-income people and increased spending on health and education.

The Selinger Government

After leading the party for over two decades, Gary Doer retired as Premier and leader of the NDP in 2009. The next day, he was nominated to become the Canadian Ambassador to the United States.

After Doer left, Greg Selinger, who was the Finance Minister, became the new leader of the party in October 2009. Even though some people thought the party might struggle, Selinger led the NDP to its fourth straight majority government in the 2011 general election. They won 37 seats, which was even more than Doer's best result.

In 2013, the Selinger government increased the provincial sales tax from 7% to 8%, even though they had promised not to. This made the government very unpopular. They also had large budget deficits (spending more than they earned). This led to some problems within the party, and five cabinet ministers resigned.

Because of the unpopular tax increase, the NDP fell far behind the Progressive Conservatives in public opinion polls. In 2014, several cabinet ministers asked Selinger to resign, hoping a new leader would help the party. Selinger refused. In September 2014, more politicians openly told him to resign, but he still refused.

In October 2014, five ministers publicly called for Selinger's resignation. They then resigned from the cabinet, but they stayed as members of the NDP. Selinger responded by asking the party to hold a leadership election in March 2015, and he said he would run again.

Theresa Oswald, one of the ministers who resigned, challenged Selinger for the leadership. Steve Ashton also ran. At the 2015 leadership election, Selinger won by a very small number of votes.

After being behind in polls for almost four years, the NDP lost badly in the 2016 provincial election. They won only 14 seats, their worst result since 1988. The Progressive Conservatives, led by Brian Pallister, won a majority government. Selinger announced he would resign as party leader. Flor Marcelino became the temporary leader.

Kinew's Leadership (2017–Present)

In 2017, Wab Kinew, a well-known Indigenous broadcaster and politician, was elected as the permanent leader of the Manitoba NDP. He won with over 70% of the votes.

Kinew led the Manitoba NDP into the 2019 provincial election. While the party gained more votes and won six more seats in Winnipeg and northern Manitoba, the Progressive Conservatives were re-elected with a majority government.

Wab Kinew remained the leader and led the party into the 2023 election. The NDP was ahead of the Progressive Conservatives in polls for most of this time. The party won a majority government with 34 seats, mostly by winning almost all the seats in Winnipeg. Kinew made history by becoming the first provincial premier of First Nations descent.

Party Leaders

† means they were a temporary leader.

CCF Leaders (Before NDP)

NDP Leaders

Election Results

Results in the Legislative Assembly

Election	Leader	Votes	% of Votes	Seats Won	Change in Seats	Position	Government Status
1936	Seymour Farmer		12.0	7 / 55	7	3rd	Not in power
1941			17.0	3 / 55	4	3rd	Not in power
1945		73,988	33.8	9 / 55	6	3rd	Opposition
1949	Edwin Hansford		25.6	7 / 57	2	3rd	Not in power
1953	Lloyd Stinson	44,332	16.56	5 / 57	2	3rd	Not in power
1958			20.0	11 / 57	6	3rd	Not in power
1959		68,149	21.8	10 / 57	1	3rd	Not in power
1962	Russell Paulley	47,304	15.20	7 / 57	3	3rd	Not in power
1966		130,102	23.14	11 / 57	4	3rd	Not in power
1969	Edward Schreyer	128,080	38.27	28 / 57	17	1st	Minority Government
1973		197,585	42.31	31 / 57	3	1st	Majority Government
1977		188,124	38.62	23 / 57	8	2nd	Opposition
1981	Howard Pawley	228,784	47.38	34 / 57	11	1st	Majority Government
1986		198,261	41.50	30 / 57	4	1st	Majority Government
1988	Gary Doer	126,954	23.62	12 / 57	18	3rd	Not in power
1990		141,328	28.80	20 / 57	8	2nd	Opposition
1995		165,489	32.81	23 / 57	3	2nd	Opposition
1999		219,679	44.51	32 / 57	9	1st	Majority Government
2003		195,425	49.47	35 / 57	3	1st	Majority Government
2007		200,834	47.73	36 / 57	1	1st	Majority Government
2011	Greg Selinger	199,069	46.16	37 / 57	1	1st	Majority Government
2016		112,562	25.74	14 / 57	23	2nd	Opposition
2019	Wab Kinew	149,868	31.38	18 / 57	4	2nd	Opposition
2023		221,363	45.63	34 / 57	16	1st	Majority Government

See also

In Spanish: Nuevo Partido Democrático de Manitoba para niños

• New Democratic Party of Manitoba leadership elections