New Democratic Party of Manitoba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Democratic Party of Manitoba
Active provincial party
Abbreviation	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 (also called Manitoba's NDP) is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. It believes in social democracy, which means it supports a fair society with a strong government role. This party is the provincial part of the larger federal New Democratic Party. It is currently the party that forms the government in Manitoba.

How the NDP Started and Grew

The New Democratic Party (NDP) was formed in 1961. It came from an older party called the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). The CCF had lost many seats in a big election in 1958. So, its leaders decided to change things.

In 1961, the CCF joined with the Canadian Labour Congress. This group represented workers. Together, they created the New Democratic Party. Most provincial parts of the CCF also became NDP parties that year.

The Manitoba NDP officially started on November 4, 1961. The leader of the old CCF, Russell Paulley, became the first leader of the new Manitoba NDP. At first, the NDP didn't win many more seats. They went from eleven seats down to seven in the 1962 provincial election. By 1966, they had ten seats, but they still couldn't beat the Progressive Conservative government.

The Modern Era of the NDP

Choosing a New Leader in 1968

Many people in the NDP thought Russell Paulley needed to be replaced. They felt he was too old-fashioned. In 1968, Sidney Green, a lawyer from Winnipeg, challenged Paulley for the leadership.

Some people wanted Paulley to step down so Edward Schreyer could take over. Schreyer was a federal Member of Parliament. Paulley won the leadership challenge, but he resigned the next year. Edward Schreyer then became the new leader, beating Sidney Green.

Winning the 1969 Provincial Election

In the 1969 Manitoba general election, the NDP won 28 out of 57 seats. This was a big surprise! They formed a minority government with the help of another politician.

The new leader, Edward Schreyer, was very popular. He was seen as a moderate leader. He was also the first NDP leader in Manitoba who was not from an Anglo-Saxon and Protestant background. He was Catholic and of German-Austrian descent. This helped him connect with more voters.

Early Years in Power

Under Schreyer, the NDP government made many big changes. They combined the cities around Winnipeg into one big city. They also started public auto insurance. This meant the government provided car insurance. They also lowered costs for health care.

Schreyer's government was re-elected in 1973. His second term focused less on big new policies. But they did add a new tax on mining companies. In the 1977 election, the NDP lost to the Progressive Conservatives.

Schreyer left politics in Manitoba in 1979. He was then chosen to be the Governor General of Canada. This is a special role that represents the King in Canada. Howard Pawley became the new leader of the NDP.

Challenges in the Late 1980s

The NDP won another majority government in 1981 under Howard Pawley. His government made laws to protect workers' rights. They also made French language services official in Manitoba's government.

The NDP was re-elected in 1986, but with a smaller majority. Their popularity then dropped a lot. Car insurance costs went up, and some voters didn't like the government's support for a national agreement called the Meech Lake Accord.

In 1988, an NDP politician voted against his own government's budget. This caused the government to fall, and a new election was called. Howard Pawley resigned as leader. Gary Doer then became the new leader of the NDP.

Losing the Election and Being in Opposition (1988–1999)

The NDP lost the 1988 election. They won only 12 seats. The Progressive Conservatives won, and the Liberal Party became the official opposition. Gary Doer was not blamed for the loss and stayed as leader.

In the 1990 election, the NDP gained seats and became the official opposition again. They won 20 seats. In the 1995 election, the NDP almost formed the government, winning 23 seats.

Between 1995 and 1999, the Progressive Conservative government lost support. There was more unemployment and a scandal. The NDP was seen as the best choice to replace them. In the 1999 Manitoba general election, the NDP won 32 seats and formed a majority government. Gary Doer became the Premier of Manitoba.

Back in Government (1999–2016)

The Doer Government

The Doer government didn't make as many big changes as earlier NDP governments. But they continued to support workers' rights. Manitoba had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada around 2004. The Doer government was generally popular.

In the 2003 election, the NDP won again with 35 seats. They also won a third majority government in 2007, increasing their seats to 36. Under Doer, the NDP ran a moderate government. They often had balanced budgets, meaning they didn't spend more money than they took in. They cut taxes for some people and increased spending on health and education.

The Selinger Government

After leading the party for over 20 years, Gary Doer retired in 2009. He was then named the Canadian Ambassador to the United States. Greg Selinger, who was the Finance Minister, became the new leader.

In 2011, Selinger led the NDP to its fourth straight majority government. They won 37 seats. However, in 2013, the Selinger government increased the provincial sales tax. This made them very unpopular. Many people were upset, and the party's support dropped a lot.

Several cabinet ministers even asked Selinger to resign. When he refused, five ministers resigned from his cabinet in 2014. They stayed in the NDP party but were no longer ministers. Selinger then called for a leadership election. He won the leadership challenge in 2015 by a very small number of votes.

But the NDP continued to be unpopular. In the 2016 Manitoba general election, the party was heavily defeated. They won only 14 seats, their worst result since 1988. The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government. Greg Selinger announced he would resign as leader. Flor Marcelino became the interim (temporary) leader.

Recent Years (2016–Present)

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

In Opposition

Kinew led the Manitoba NDP into the 2019 Manitoba general election. The party gained six seats, mostly in Winnipeg and the northern parts of the province. But the Progressive Conservatives still won a majority government. The NDP became the official opposition with 18 members.

The Kinew Government

Wab Kinew remained the leader. In the 2023 Manitoba general election, the NDP led in the polls for most of the campaign. The party won a majority government with 34 seats. They won almost all the seats in Winnipeg. Kinew made history by becoming the first provincial premier of First Nations descent.

Party Members

The Manitoba NDP has historically had many long-term members. This is similar to the federal NDP. They tend to have fewer members who join just for a short time to influence specific votes.

Party Leaders

† means interim or acting leader

CCF Leaders (Before NDP)

NDP Leaders

Election Results

Election	Leader	Seats Won	Change in Seats	Place	Votes	% of Votes	Position in Legislature
1936	Seymour Farmer	7 / 55	7	3rd		12.0%	Third Party
1941		3 / 55	4	3rd		17.0%	Third Party
1945		9 / 55	6	3rd	73,988	33.8%	Official Opposition
1949	Edwin Hansford	7 / 57	2	3rd		25.6%	Third Party
1953	Lloyd Stinson	5 / 57	2	3rd	44,332	16.56%	Third Party
1958		11 / 57	6	3rd		20.0%	Third Party
1959		10 / 57	1	3rd	68,149	21.8%	Third Party
1962	Russell Paulley	7 / 57	3	3rd	47,304	15.20%	Third Party
1966		11 / 57	4	3rd	130,102	23.14%	Third Party
1969	Edward Schreyer	28 / 57	17	1st	128,080	38.27%	Minority Government
1973		31 / 57	3	1st	197,585	42.31%	Majority Government
1977		23 / 57	8	2nd	188,124	38.62%	Official Opposition
1981	Howard Pawley	34 / 57	11	1st	228,784	47.38%	Majority Government
1986		30 / 57	4	1st	198,261	41.50%	Majority Government
1988	Gary Doer	12 / 57	18	3rd	126,954	23.62%	Third Party
1990		20 / 57	8	2nd	141,328	28.80%	Official Opposition
1995		23 / 57	3	2nd	165,489	32.81%	Official Opposition
1999		32 / 57	9	1st	219,679	44.51%	Majority Government
2003		35 / 57	3	1st	195,425	49.47%	Majority Government
2007		36 / 57	1	1st	200,834	47.73%	Majority Government
2011	Greg Selinger	37 / 57	1	1st	199,069	46.16%	Majority Government
2016		14 / 57	23	2nd	112,562	25.74%	Official Opposition
2019	Wab Kinew	18 / 57	4	2nd	149,868	31.38%	Official Opposition
2023		34 / 57	16	1st	221,363	45.5%	Majority Government

Current Manitoba New Democrat Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

See also

• New Democratic Party of Manitoba leadership elections