New Democratic Party facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Democratic Party Nouveau Parti démocratique
Abbreviation	NDP (English) NPD (French)
Leader	Jagmeet Singh
President	Mary Shortall
National director	Lucy Watson
Deputy leader	Alexandre Boulerice
House leader	Peter Julian
Founded	August 3, 1961 (63 years ago) (1961-08-03)
Preceded by	Co-operative Commonwealth Federation New Party Canadian Labour Congress
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Youth wing	Canada's Young New Democrats
Membership (2017)	124,620
Ideology	Social democracy Faction: Democratic socialism
Political position	Centre-left Faction: Left-wing
International affiliation	Progressive Alliance
Union affiliate	Canadian Labour Congress
Colours	Orange
Senate	0 / 105
House of Commons	24 / 338
Political parties

The New Democratic Party (NDP) is a major political party in Canada. In French, it is called the Nouveau Parti démocratique (NPD). The party was created in 1961. It was formed by two groups: the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

The NDP is known for its social democratic ideas. This means it supports a mix of government and private business. It also believes in a strong social safety net. The party is seen as centre-left on the political spectrum. This means it is generally to the left of the Liberal Party.

The NDP has never won the most seats in federal elections. So, it has never formed the government of Canada. From 2011 to 2015, it was the Official Opposition. This means it was the second-largest party in the House of Commons. Other times, it has been the third or fourth-largest party.

Sometimes, the NDP has held the balance of power. This happens when no party has a majority of seats. In these times, the NDP has had a lot of influence. It has helped pass laws during minority governments led by the Liberals.

NDP parties have formed governments in six provinces. These are Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia. They have also governed in the Yukon territory.

The NDP supports many things. These include a mixed economy and a strong welfare system. They also support LGBT rights and international peace. Protecting the environment is also important to them. They want to expand Canada's universal healthcare system. This would include dental care, mental health care, and prescription drugs.

Since 2017, Jagmeet Singh has led the NDP. He is the first visible minority leader of a major federal party in Canada. After the 2021 Canadian federal election, the NDP had 25 seats. It is currently the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons.

History of the NDP

Early Years: 1960s and 1970s

Tommy Douglas, the first leader of the NDP (1961-1971).

The NDP was born in 1961. It came from talks between the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). These groups wanted to create a new party. They formed a committee to plan it. This committee worked for three years.

In 1961, the new party was officially launched. It was named the New Democratic Party. Tommy Douglas, who was the Premier of Saskatchewan, became its first leader.

After Douglas, David Lewis became leader in 1971. The NDP supported the Liberal minority government from 1972 to 1974. They helped pass laws for pensions and created Petro-Canada. In 1974, the NDP helped force an election. But this did not work out well for them. They lost many seats, and Lewis resigned.

The Ed Broadbent Era: 1975-1989

Ed Broadbent took over as leader in 1975. He led the party for 14 years. Under him, the NDP focused on everyday issues. They played an important role in 1979. They helped bring down the government of Joe Clark. This led to an election in 1980.

In the 1984 election, the NDP won 30 seats. This was a good result for them. In 1988, they won a record 43 seats. This was their best result at the time. Broadbent stepped down in 1989.

Audrey McLaughlin and Alexa McDonough: 1990s

Audrey McLaughlin became the next leader in 1989. She was the first woman to lead a major federal party in Canada. She tried to gain more support in Quebec. The NDP won an election in Quebec for the first time in 1990.

However, in the 1993 election, the NDP lost many seats. They won only nine seats. This was their lowest number of seats ever. This loss was partly blamed on unpopular NDP governments in Ontario and British Columbia.

McLaughlin resigned in 1995. Alexa McDonough became the new leader. In the 1997 election, the party recovered. They won 21 seats. They also gained support in Atlantic Canada for the first time. Voters there were unhappy with cuts to social programs.

In the 2000 election, the NDP focused on healthcare. But they lost some support. They ended up with 13 seats. McDonough resigned in 2002.

The Jack Layton Years: 2003-2011

Jack Layton was the first leader of the NDP to become Leader of the Official Opposition.

Jack Layton became the leader in 2003. In the 2004 election, the NDP gained five seats. They had 19 seats in total. The Liberals formed a minority government. This meant the NDP could influence new laws. They pushed for more money for federal programs.

In 2005, Layton helped force an election. In the 2006 election, the NDP won 29 seats. This was a big increase. They gained seats in British Columbia, Ontario, and the Northwest Territories.

The Conservatives won a minority government in 2006. The NDP worked with them on some issues. For example, they helped pass the Federal Accountability Act. In 2007, the NDP won a by-election in Quebec. This was only the second time they won a seat there.

In the 2008 election, the NDP won 37 seats. This was their best result since 1988. They also won a seat in Alberta for only the second time.

In the 2011 federal election, the NDP made history. They won a record 103 seats. They became the Official Opposition for the first time. They had a huge success in Quebec. They won 59 out of 75 seats there. This meant most of their MPs were from Quebec. This election also saw the Liberal Party fall to its worst-ever result.

In July 2011, Layton announced he had a new type of cancer. He took a leave of absence. He passed away on August 22, 2011.

Tom Mulcair and Jagmeet Singh: 2012-Present

Tom Mulcair

After Jack Layton's death, Tom Mulcair was elected leader in March 2012.

In the 2015 election, the NDP lost 59 seats. They fell back to third place. They won 44 seats. This was the second-best result in the party's history. But they lost many seats in Quebec and Ontario. The Liberals won a majority government.

Mulcair's leadership was questioned after the election. In April 2016, he lost a vote of confidence. This was the first time a federal leader in Canada was defeated this way. He agreed to stay on until a new leader was chosen.

Jagmeet Singh

On October 1, 2017, Jagmeet Singh became the new leader. He was the first person from a visible minority group to lead a major Canadian federal party.

In the 2019 federal election, the NDP won only 24 seats. This was their worst result since 2004. They lost seats in Quebec and Saskatchewan. They also lost seats in Ontario.

After the 2019 election, the NDP held the balance of power again. The Liberals had a minority government. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NDP pushed the Liberals. They wanted more financial help for Canadians. This included extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

In the 2021 federal election, the NDP gained a few seats. They won 25 ridings. They picked up seats in Alberta and British Columbia. But they lost some seats in Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario. The election did not change the balance of power much.

In March 2022, the NDP made a deal with the Liberal Party. This was a confidence and supply agreement. It means the NDP supports the Liberals on key votes. In return, the Liberals agreed to some NDP policies. These include a national dental care program for low-income Canadians. They also agreed to work towards a national pharmacare program.

What the NDP Believes In

The NDP was formed in 1961. It grew from the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). The CCF started with populist and socialist ideas. The NDP became a modern social democratic party.

The NDP is a secular party. It welcomes many different groups. It supports issues important to the New Left. These include LGBT rights, international peace, and caring for the environment. The NDP also supports a mixed economy. This means a balance of private business and government services. They believe in a strong welfare system. Some members also support democratic socialist ideas. The NDP is part of the Progressive Alliance. This is a group of progressive parties worldwide.

Healthcare

The NDP is strongly committed to public healthcare. They want a national, universal pharmacare program. This would help all Canadians get the medicine they need. They believe people should use their health card, not a credit card. This would save money and improve health for everyone.

The party also wants to expand healthcare services. They want to include dental care, mental health care, and eye and hearing care. They also want to cover infertility procedures and prescription drugs. The NDP notes that many Canadians cannot afford dental care. They believe this forces people to go to emergency rooms for pain.

Palestine

The NDP supports the idea of a Palestinian state. In March 2024, the NDP put forward a motion on Palestine. After some changes, it passed. The motion asked the government to work towards creating a Palestinian state. This would be part of a negotiated two-state solution.

NDP Successes in Elections

The NDP has always had members in the House of Commons. From 1965 to 1993, it was the third-largest party. It lost its official party status in 1993. But it regained it in 1997. The NDP has influenced Liberal and Conservative minority governments. In 2011, the party became the second-largest party. It formed the Official Opposition.

NDP parties in provinces and territories are connected to the federal party. They have formed governments in six provinces and one territory. Currently, the NDP governs British Columbia and Manitoba. It is the Official Opposition in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. It also has members in other provincial legislatures.

The most successful provincial NDP party is in Saskatchewan. It first came to power in 1944. That was under Tommy Douglas, as the CCF. Douglas is known as the "Father of Medicare" in Canada. He started Canada's first public healthcare system in Saskatchewan.

Provincial and Territorial NDP Parties

NDP leaders from federal and provincial levels meeting in 2013.

Unlike most other Canadian federal parties, the NDP is closely linked with its provincial and territorial parties. If you are a member of a provincial NDP party, you are also a member of the federal party. This means you cannot be a member of different parties at the federal and provincial levels.

There are a few exceptions. In Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, the legislatures do not have political parties. So, the federal NDP is promoted by local groups there.

In Quebec, the provincial NDP party used to be linked to the federal party. But they separated in 1989. This was because the Quebec party started supporting Quebec independence. Now, the federal NDP only works at the federal level in Quebec. A new provincial NDP party was created in Quebec in 2014. But it is not linked to the federal NDP. This is due to new provincial laws.

The NDP in Quebec has faced challenges since 2016. It has struggled to find local leaders and support.

Federal Leaders of the NDP

Here is a list of the leaders of the federal NDP since 1961:

No.	Leader (birth–death)	Portrait	Riding	Took Office	Left Office	Prime Minister (term) Party
1	Tommy Douglas (1904–1986)		Weyburn (Saskatchewan) Burnaby—Coquitlam Nanaimo—Cowichan—The Islands	August 3, 1961	April 24, 1971		Diefenbaker (1957–1963) PC
							Pearson (1963–1968) Liberal
							P. Trudeau (1968–1979) Liberal
2	David Lewis (1909–1981)		York South	April 24, 1971	July 7, 1975
3	Ed Broadbent (1936–2024)		Oshawa–Whitby Oshawa	July 7, 1975	December 5, 1989
							Clark (1979–1980) PC
							P. Trudeau (1980–1984) Liberal
							Turner (1984) Liberal
							Mulroney (1984–1993) PC
4	Audrey McLaughlin (b. 1936)		Yukon	December 5, 1989	October 14, 1995
							Campbell (1993) PC
							Chrétien (1993–2003) Liberal
5	Alexa McDonough (1944–2022)		Halifax Fairview (Nova Scotia) Halifax	October 14, 1995	January 25, 2003
6	Jack Layton (1950–2011)		Toronto–Danforth	January 25, 2003	August 22, 2011
							Martin (2003–2006) Liberal
							Harper (2006–2015) Conservative
Interim	Nycole Turmel (b. 1942)		Hull—Aylmer	July 28, 2011	March 24, 2012
7	Tom Mulcair (b. 1954)		Outremont	March 24, 2012	October 1, 2017
							J. Trudeau (2015–present) Liberal
8	Jagmeet Singh (b. 1979)		Bramalea—Gore—Malton (Ontario) Burnaby South	October 1, 2017	Incumbent

NDP Party Presidents

The party president is like the main manager of the party. They lead party meetings and councils.

Order	Photo	Name	Term	Notes
1		Michael Kelway Oliver	1961–1963	First president of the NDP.
2		Merv Johnson	1963–1965	Former CCF Member of Parliament.
3		Eamon Park	1965–1967	Former CCF Member of Provincial Parliament.
4		James Renwick	1967–1969	Also a provincial Member of Provincial Parliament.
5		Allan Blakeney	1969–1971	Later became Premier of Saskatchewan.
6		Donald C. MacDonald	1971–1975	Former leader of the Ontario NDP.
7		Joyce Nash	1975–1977	First woman to be NDP president.
8		Alvin Hewitt	1977–1981	Previously led the Saskatchewan NDP.
9		Tony Penikett	1981–1985	Later became Premier of Yukon.
10		Marion Dewar	1985–1987	Former Mayor of Ottawa.
11		Johanna den Hertog	1987–1989
12		Sandra Mitchell	1989–1991	A lawyer from Saskatoon.
13		Nancy Riche	1991–1995	Vice president of the Canadian Labour Congress.
14		Iain Angus	1995–1997	Former Member of Parliament from Ontario.
15		Ed Tchorzewski	1997–1999	Former Saskatchewan cabinet minister.
16		Dave MacKinnon	c. 1999–2000
17		Adam Giambrone	2001–2006	Youngest person to be a party president.
18		Anne McGrath	2006–2009	Later Chief of Staff to Jack Layton.
19		Peggy Nash	2009–2011	Member of Parliament before and after her term.
20		Brian Topp	2011	Resigned to run for party leader.
21		Rebecca Blaikie	2011–2016	Former executive director of the NDP in Quebec.
22		Marit Stiles	2016–2018	Current leader of the Ontario NDP.
23		Mathieu Vick	2018–2021	First French-speaking president.
24		Dhananjai Kohli	2021–2023	First president from a visible minority group.
25		Mary Shortall	2023–present	Former president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour.

NDP Election Results

This chart shows the percentage of votes the NDP received in federal elections.

This table shows the NDP's results in federal elections:

Election	Leader	Seats	+/–	Votes	%	Rank	Position/Gov.
1962	Tommy Douglas	19 / 265	11	1,044,754	13.57	4th	Fourth party
1963		17 / 265	2	1,044,701	13.22	4th	Fourth party
1965		21 / 265	4	1,381,658	17.91	3rd	Third party
1968		22 / 264	1	1,378,263	16.96	3rd	Third party
1972	David Lewis	31 / 264	9	1,725,719	17.83	3rd	Third party
1974		16 / 264	15	1,467,748	15.44	3rd	Third party
1979	Ed Broadbent	26 / 282	10	2,048,988	17.88	3rd	Third party
1980		32 / 282	6	2,165,087	19.77	3rd	Third party
1984		30 / 282	2	2,359,915	18.81	3rd	Third party
1988		43 / 295	13	2,685,263	20.38	3rd	Third party
1993	Audrey McLaughlin	9 / 295	34	939,575	6.88	4th	No status
1997	Alexa McDonough	21 / 301	12	1,434,509	11.05	4th	Fourth party
2000		13 / 301	8	1,093,748	8.51	4th	Fourth party
2004	Jack Layton	19 / 308	6	2,127,403	15.68	4th	Fourth party
2006		29 / 308	10	2,589,597	17.48	4th	Fourth party
2008		37 / 308	8	2,515,288	18.18	4th	Fourth party
2011		103 / 308	66	4,508,474	30.63	2nd	Opposition
2015	Tom Mulcair	44 / 338	59	3,441,409	19.71	3rd	Third party
2019	Jagmeet Singh	24 / 338	20	2,903,722	15.98	4th	Fourth party
2021		25 / 338	1	3,036,346	17.83	4th	Confidence and supply

NDP Logos Through the Years

Logo history

1961 (founding convention)	1961–1984	1984–1997	1997–2004	2004–2012	2012–present

Images for kids

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  Results of the 2015 Canadian federal election showing support for New Democratic candidates by riding.