Manitoba Liberal Party
Encyclopedia
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba
, Canada
. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.
, the leader of the opposition was Edward Hay
, a Liberal who represented the interests of recent anglophone
immigrants from Ontario
. Not a party leader as such, he was still a leading voice for the newly-transplanted "Ontario Grit
" tradition. In 1874, Hay served as Minister of Public Works
in the government of Marc-Amable Girard
, which included both Conservatives
and Liberals.
During the 1870s, a Liberal network began to emerge in the city of Winnipeg. One of the key figures in this network was William Luxton, owner of the Manitoba Free Press
newspaper and himself a member of the Manitoba legislature on two occasions. Luxton was not initially supportive of Premier Robert A. Davis (1874–1878), but endorsed the Davis ministry after brought John Norquay
into cabinet (Davis's early supporters were primarily from the francophone
community, and Norquay's presence gave the ministry greater credibility among the anglophone population). Luxton subsequently supported Davis and Norquay against Conservative Orangeman
Thomas Scott
, a leader of the local opposition (not to be confused with the figure executed by Louis Riel
in 1870).
Although the Davis administration was on favourable terms with federal Liberal
Prime Minister
Alexander Mackenzie
(1873–1878), his successor Norquay was more closely aligned with the federal Conservatives
. This was partly a matter of necessity. As a small province, Manitoba needed to be on favourable terms with whatever party was in power at the federal level. As such, when John A. Macdonald
's Conservatives were returned to power in 1878, the local balance of power began to shift. Luxton's Liberal network supported Norquay against Scott in 1878 and 1879, but was subsequently marginalized by the Norquay government. In 1882, Norquay forged a new alliance with the province's Conservatives.
formed a new organization known as the Provincial Rights Party
. Based in the province's rural areas, this group soon surpassed the Winnipeg Liberals as the dominant opposition to Norquay. After the election of 1883, Greenway united the opposition MLAs into the Manitoba Liberals (which were soon recognized as a de-facto political party). For the next 21 years, Greenway's control over the party would be unchallenged.
Greenway's Liberals took power in 1888 and ended the Canadian Pacific Railway
's monopoly in the province. The Greenway government's most notable feat in office was curtailing the rights of Manitoba's French Canadian
population. Manitoba had been founded as a bilingual province, but Greenway's government provoked the Manitoba Schools Question
, ending the educational rights of (predominantly French) Catholics, and making the public school system entirely English and Protestant. English became the province's sole official language.
Greenway was able to win large majorities in 1892 and 1896, based largely on single-issue populism relating to the schools question. After this was resolved in 1897, his government became increasingly directionless. The Liberals were defeated by the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party
in 1899.
The Liberals were unable to regain their previous support base in the decade that followed. Greenway continued to lead the party through a disastrous 1903 campaign, winning only 9 seats. He resigned in 1904 to run for federal office.
was chosen parliamentary leader on December 5, 1904, and led the party until a provincial convention was held in late March 1906. That convention acclaimed Edward Brown
as the party's new leader. Brown failed to win a seat in the 1907 election, however, and resigned shortly thereafter. Mickle again became the party's legislative leader, and served as leader of the opposition until leaving politics in 1909.
Tobias C. Norris became Liberal leader in 1910. When the Tories
under Rodmond P. Roblin resigned amid scandal in 1915, he became the province's premier
, and retained the position until 1922. The Norris Liberals introduced temperance
laws, votes for women, workers compensation, and the minimum wage.
The Norris administration's relationship with the Liberal Party of Canada
under Wilfrid Laurier
was often antagonistic. Norris withdrew funding for French-language education in 1916, at a time when the federal Liberals were attempting to regain the support of Quebec nationalists. The Manitoba Liberals also supported Robert Borden
's Union government in the election of 1917 (see Conscription Crisis of 1917
), and were not reconciled with the "Laurier Liberals
" until 1922. Even then, they refused to officially re-align themselves with the federal party.
The Liberals were swept from power in 1922 by the United Farmers of Manitoba, who were also known as the Progressive Party
. Norris continued to lead the party through most of the 1920s, but was replaced by Hugh Robson
before the 1927 election (which was again won by the Progressives). Robson, in turn, resigned on January 3, 1930. He was replaced as parliamentary leader by James Breakey
. In 1931, Murdoch Mackay
was selected as the party's official leader.
, Mackay brought the Liberals into a coalition with Premier John Bracken
's Progressives before the 1932 election. The national Progressive Party
had been largely absorbed into the Liberal Party of Canada
by this time, and King believed that it was foolish to divide the resources of the parties within Manitoba. He was especially concerned that the Conservatives
could recapture the provincial government if the Liberals and Progressives were not united.
For the election of 1932, the provincial government referred to itself as "Liberal-Progressive
" (effectively a fusion of the parties, albeit one dominated by Progressives). A small group of Liberals, led by St. Boniface mayor David Campbell
, opposed the merger and ran as "Continuing Liberals". They were resoundingly defeated. After the election, the Liberals of Manitoba were absorbed into the Progressive Party. Two non-coalition Liberals were elected in 1936, but they were not intended to represent a rival party.
Despite being dominated by Progressives, the merged party soon became popularly known as the "Liberal Party of Manitoba". The federal Progressive Party had long since disappeared, and the "Progressive" name had little continued meaning in Manitoba politics. The party formally changed its name to the "Liberal Party of Manitoba" in 1961, over only scattered objections from Progressive diehards.
, Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
and Social Credit
in a "non-partisan" government. This coalition governed the province until 1950, although the CCF left in 1943.
The Liberal-Progressive governments were cautious and moderate. Bracken's government undertook few major initiatives, and was unfriendly to labour issues even during its alliance with the CCF. Following World War II, the government of Stuart Sinclair Garson
(who replaced Bracken as premier in January 1943) led a program of rapid rural electrification, but was also otherwise conservative. Garson left provincial politics in 1948 to join the federal Liberal Cabinet
of Louis St. Laurent
.
The government of Garson's successor, Douglas Lloyd Campbell
, was socially conservative
and generally opposed to state intervention of any sort. The educational system remained primitive (it was dominated in the 1950s by one-room schools), and no significant steps were taken on language or labour issues. The province did reform its liquor laws during this period, however.
The Liberal-Progressives were swept out of office in the 1958 provincial election
by the Progressive Conservatives
under Dufferin Roblin
. Dominated by Red Tories
, this party was actually to the left of Campbell's government.
, a protege of Campbell, became party leader in 1961 of what again became known as the Manitoba Liberal Party. Molgat prevented the Liberals from falling to third-party status during the 1960s, but never posed a serious threat to Roblin's government.
The Liberal Party subsequently declined as politics in the province became polarized between the Tories and the New Democratic Party of Manitoba
(NDP). Robert Bend
, chosen as party leader in 1969, led the party to only five seats in the election that followed
. A succession of leaders, including Israel Asper (1970–1975), Charles Huband
(1975–1978) and Doug Lauchlan
(1980–1982) were unable to prevent the party's decline. It reached its nadir in the 1981 election
, being swept from the assembly entirely.
as its new leader. She was elected to the assembly in the 1986 election
, and in the 1988 election
, led the party to 20 seats and official opposition status. This was precipitated by the unpopularity of Howard Pawley
's New Democratic
government, which allowed the Liberals to win the support of many centre-left voters (the Liberals had largely abandoned their right-wing origins in the mid-1970s, particularly after Asper stepped down as party leader.)
This proved to be a temporary recovery. The NDP revived under Gary Doer
, and the Liberals slipped back into third place in the 1990 election
with only seven seats, against 20 for the NDP and 30 for the Conservatives.
in 1993. By the time the 1995 election
was called, the party had managed to recover to a strong second-place position in the polls. They ran a poor campaign, however, and were again overtaken by the NDP well before election day. Despite having almost 24% of popular support, the Liberals won only three seats and lost official party status. Edwards, who was defeated in his own riding, stepped down as party leader in 1996.
The leadership convention
of 1996 exposed deep divisions in the party, as Ginny Hasselfield
defeated maverick Member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA) Kevin Lamoureux
by only 21 votes. Two of the party's three MLAs (Lamoureux and Gary Kowalski
) subsequently sat as "Independent Liberals", and there were threats of legal action between Hasselfield and Lamoureux. The party was only reunited when Hasselfield resigned in 1998, replaced by former federal Member of Parliament (MP) Jon Gerrard
.
Liberal Party support fell by 10% in the election of 1999
, which allowed Gary Doer
's New Democrats to regain centre-left support and win government. Gerrard became the party's only MLA, winning election in the upscale riding of River Heights. The party failed to recover much of its support base in the 2003 election
, although Lamoureux was able to regain his seat in north Winnipeg to become the party's second MLA.
Despite Lamoureux's re-election, the popular vote for the Liberal party fell in 2003 even through the party managed to field a full slate of candidates (they were 7 shy in 1999). The Liberal party did have more second place finishes than in the previous election, a potential sign that they may be on the rebound. If the party had any momentum to build upon, it was negated by a weak campaign in the 2007 provincial election
which again saw Gerrard and Lamoureux re-elected but the party's popular support decline to just above 12% and fewer second place finishes than they had in 1999.
"Continuing Liberal" leaders
Liberal-Progressive Party leaders
Liberal Party leaders (renewal)
(Note: Stan Roberts
served as the party's acting leader from 1969 to 1970, after Robert Bend
was defeated in the province's 1969 election
. Although Lloyd Axworthy
was the party's only MLA from 1977 to 1979, he was never party leader.)
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
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...
. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.
Origins and early development (to 1883)
Originally, there were no official political parties in Manitoba, although many leading politicians were affiliated with parties that existed at the national level. In Manitoba's first Legislative AssemblyLegislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
, the leader of the opposition was Edward Hay
Edward Hay
Edward Hay may refer to:*Edward Norman Hay , composer and musicologist*Edward Hay , British ambassodor to Portugal in the late 1750s*Edward Hay Drummond Hay , British naval officer, diplomat and colonial administrator...
, a Liberal who represented the interests of recent anglophone
English Canadian
An English Canadian is a Canadian of English ancestry; it is used primarily in contrast with French Canadian. Canada is an officially bilingual state, with English and French official language communities. Immigrant cultural groups ostensibly integrate into one or both of these communities, but...
immigrants from Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Not a party leader as such, he was still a leading voice for the newly-transplanted "Ontario Grit
Clear Grits
Clear Grits were reformers in the Province of Upper Canada, a British colony that is now the Province of Ontario, Canada. Their support was concentrated among southwestern Ontario farmers, who were frustrated and disillusioned by the 1849 Reform government of Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hippolyte...
" tradition. In 1874, Hay served as Minister of Public Works
Minister of Public Works (Canada)
The position of Minister of Public Works existed as part of the Cabinet of Canada from Confederation to 1995.As part of substantial governmental reorganization, the position was merged with that of the Minister of Supply and Services to create the position of Minister of Public Works and Government...
in the government of Marc-Amable Girard
Marc-Amable Girard
Marc-Amable Girard was the second Premier of the Western Canadian province of Manitoba, and the first Franco-Manitoban to hold that post. The Canadian Parliamentary Guide lists Girard as having been Premier from 1871 to 1872, but he did not have this title at the time and was not the government...
, which included both Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
and Liberals.
During the 1870s, a Liberal network began to emerge in the city of Winnipeg. One of the key figures in this network was William Luxton, owner of the Manitoba Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press
The Winnipeg Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founded in 1872, as the Manitoba Free Press, it is the oldest newspaper in western Canada. It is the newspaper with the largest readership in the province....
newspaper and himself a member of the Manitoba legislature on two occasions. Luxton was not initially supportive of Premier Robert A. Davis (1874–1878), but endorsed the Davis ministry after brought John Norquay
John Norquay
John Norquay was the Premier of Manitoba from 1878 to 1887. He was born near St. Andrews in what was then the Red River Colony, making him the first Premier of Manitoba to have been born in the region....
into cabinet (Davis's early supporters were primarily from the francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
community, and Norquay's presence gave the ministry greater credibility among the anglophone population). Luxton subsequently supported Davis and Norquay against Conservative Orangeman
Orange Institution
The Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
Thomas Scott
Thomas Scott (Manitoba politician)
Thomas Scott was a Canadian military figure, Manitoba Member of the Legislative Assembly, Member of Parliament and the third Mayor of Winnipeg in the 19th century....
, a leader of the local opposition (not to be confused with the figure executed by Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
in 1870).
Although the Davis administration was on favourable terms with federal Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Alexander Mackenzie
Alexander Mackenzie
Alexander Mackenzie, PC , a building contractor and newspaper editor, was the second Prime Minister of Canada from November 7, 1873 to October 8, 1878.-Biography:...
(1873–1878), his successor Norquay was more closely aligned with the federal Conservatives
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
. This was partly a matter of necessity. As a small province, Manitoba needed to be on favourable terms with whatever party was in power at the federal level. As such, when John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
's Conservatives were returned to power in 1878, the local balance of power began to shift. Luxton's Liberal network supported Norquay against Scott in 1878 and 1879, but was subsequently marginalized by the Norquay government. In 1882, Norquay forged a new alliance with the province's Conservatives.
The party under Thomas Greenway (1883-1904)
Also in 1882, Thomas GreenwayThomas Greenway
For the American character actor , see Tom Greenway.Thomas Greenway was a politician, merchant and farmer. He served as the seventh Premier of Manitoba, Canada, from 1888 to 1900...
formed a new organization known as the Provincial Rights Party
Provincial Rights Party
The Provincial Rights Party was a Canadian political party founded and led by Frederick W.A.G. Haultain in 1905 to contest elections in the new province of Saskatchewan.Haultain had been Premier of the North-West Territories prior to the province's creation...
. Based in the province's rural areas, this group soon surpassed the Winnipeg Liberals as the dominant opposition to Norquay. After the election of 1883, Greenway united the opposition MLAs into the Manitoba Liberals (which were soon recognized as a de-facto political party). For the next 21 years, Greenway's control over the party would be unchallenged.
Greenway's Liberals took power in 1888 and ended the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
's monopoly in the province. The Greenway government's most notable feat in office was curtailing the rights of Manitoba's French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
population. Manitoba had been founded as a bilingual province, but Greenway's government provoked the Manitoba Schools Question
Manitoba Schools Question
The Manitoba Schools Question was a political crisis in the Canadian Province of Manitoba that occurred late in the 19th century, involving publicly funded separate schools for Roman Catholics and Protestants...
, ending the educational rights of (predominantly French) Catholics, and making the public school system entirely English and Protestant. English became the province's sole official language.
Greenway was able to win large majorities in 1892 and 1896, based largely on single-issue populism relating to the schools question. After this was resolved in 1897, his government became increasingly directionless. The Liberals were defeated by the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
in 1899.
The Liberals were unable to regain their previous support base in the decade that followed. Greenway continued to lead the party through a disastrous 1903 campaign, winning only 9 seats. He resigned in 1904 to run for federal office.
The party in the early 20th century
Charles MickleCharles Mickle
Charles Julius Mickle was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a provincial cabinet minister for three years, and on two occasions served as the leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.Mickle trained as a lawyer, and was admitted to the bar in 1872...
was chosen parliamentary leader on December 5, 1904, and led the party until a provincial convention was held in late March 1906. That convention acclaimed Edward Brown
Edward Brown (Manitoba politician)
Edward Brown was a Manitoba politician. He served briefly as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party , and was later a cabinet minister in Tobias C. Norris's government ....
as the party's new leader. Brown failed to win a seat in the 1907 election, however, and resigned shortly thereafter. Mickle again became the party's legislative leader, and served as leader of the opposition until leaving politics in 1909.
Tobias C. Norris became Liberal leader in 1910. When the Tories
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
under Rodmond P. Roblin resigned amid scandal in 1915, he became the province's premier
Premier of Manitoba
The Premier of Manitoba is the first minister for the Canadian province of Manitoba. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. Until the early 1970s, the title "Prime Minister of Manitoba" was used frequently. Afterwards, the word Premier, derived from the French...
, and retained the position until 1922. The Norris Liberals introduced temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
laws, votes for women, workers compensation, and the minimum wage.
The Norris administration's relationship with the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
under Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
was often antagonistic. Norris withdrew funding for French-language education in 1916, at a time when the federal Liberals were attempting to regain the support of Quebec nationalists. The Manitoba Liberals also supported Robert Borden
Robert Borden
Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...
's Union government in the election of 1917 (see Conscription Crisis of 1917
Conscription Crisis of 1917
The Conscription Crisis of 1917 was a political and military crisis in Canada during World War I.-Background:...
), and were not reconciled with the "Laurier Liberals
Laurier Liberals
Prior to the 1917 federal election in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two factions:* the Laurier Liberals, who opposed conscription of soldiers to support Canada's involvement in World War I and who were led by former Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier; and* the Liberal Unionists who...
" until 1922. Even then, they refused to officially re-align themselves with the federal party.
The Liberals were swept from power in 1922 by the United Farmers of Manitoba, who were also known as the Progressive Party
Progressive Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Party of Manitoba, Canada, was a political party that developed from the United Farmers of Manitoba, an agrarian movement that became politically active following World War I...
. Norris continued to lead the party through most of the 1920s, but was replaced by Hugh Robson
Hugh Robson
Hugh Amos Robson was a politician and judge in Manitoba. He briefly served as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party in the 1920s.-Career:...
before the 1927 election (which was again won by the Progressives). Robson, in turn, resigned on January 3, 1930. He was replaced as parliamentary leader by James Breakey
James Breakey
James Washington Breakey , was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was briefly the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party, and was subsequently a supporter of the province's Liberal-Progressive coalition government.After working as a financial agent, Breakey was elected to the Legislative Assembly...
. In 1931, Murdoch Mackay
Murdoch Mackay
Murdoch Mackay was a Manitoba politician. He led the Manitoba Liberal Party from 1931 to 1932, and brought the party into an alliance with John Bracken's Progressives....
was selected as the party's official leader.
Merger with the Progressives
Pressured by William Lyon Mackenzie KingWilliam Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
, Mackay brought the Liberals into a coalition with Premier John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
's Progressives before the 1932 election. The national Progressive Party
Progressive Party of Canada
The Progressive Party of Canada was a political party in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s. It was linked with the provincial United Farmers parties in several provinces and, in Manitoba, ran candidates and formed governments as the Progressive Party of Manitoba...
had been largely absorbed into the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
by this time, and King believed that it was foolish to divide the resources of the parties within Manitoba. He was especially concerned that the Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
could recapture the provincial government if the Liberals and Progressives were not united.
For the election of 1932, the provincial government referred to itself as "Liberal-Progressive
Liberal-Progressive
Liberal-Progressive was a label used by a number of candidates in Canadian elections between 1926 and 1953. In federal and Ontario politics, there was no formal Liberal-Progressive party, but it was an alliance between two separate parties...
" (effectively a fusion of the parties, albeit one dominated by Progressives). A small group of Liberals, led by St. Boniface mayor David Campbell
David Campbell (Manitoba politician)
David Campbell was a Manitoba politician. When the provincial Liberals merged with John Bracken's Progressives in 1932, Campbell led a group of dissident, anti-merger Liberals into the subsequent election....
, opposed the merger and ran as "Continuing Liberals". They were resoundingly defeated. After the election, the Liberals of Manitoba were absorbed into the Progressive Party. Two non-coalition Liberals were elected in 1936, but they were not intended to represent a rival party.
Despite being dominated by Progressives, the merged party soon became popularly known as the "Liberal Party of Manitoba". The federal Progressive Party had long since disappeared, and the "Progressive" name had little continued meaning in Manitoba politics. The party formally changed its name to the "Liberal Party of Manitoba" in 1961, over only scattered objections from Progressive diehards.
The party in the 1940s and 1950s
In 1940, Bracken's Liberal-Progressives forged an even broader coalition, bringing the ConservativesProgressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
, Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation , known informally as the Manitoba CCF, was a provincial branch of the national Canadian party by the same name. The national CCF was the dominant social-democratic party in Canada from the 1930s to the early 1960s, when it merged with the labour movement...
and Social Credit
Manitoba Social Credit Party
The Manitoba Social Credit Party was a political party in the Canadian province of Manitoba. In its early years, it espoused the monetary reform theories of social credit....
in a "non-partisan" government. This coalition governed the province until 1950, although the CCF left in 1943.
The Liberal-Progressive governments were cautious and moderate. Bracken's government undertook few major initiatives, and was unfriendly to labour issues even during its alliance with the CCF. Following World War II, the government of Stuart Sinclair Garson
Stuart Garson
Stuart Sinclair Garson, was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He served as the 12th Premier of Manitoba from 1943 to 1948, and later became a federal cabinet minister....
(who replaced Bracken as premier in January 1943) led a program of rapid rural electrification, but was also otherwise conservative. Garson left provincial politics in 1948 to join the federal Liberal Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
of Louis St. Laurent
Louis St. Laurent
Louis Stephen St. Laurent, PC, CC, QC , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 15 November 1948, to 21 June 1957....
.
The government of Garson's successor, Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Douglas Lloyd Campbell, OC was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the 13th Premier of Manitoba from 1948 to 1958...
, was socially conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
and generally opposed to state intervention of any sort. The educational system remained primitive (it was dominated in the 1950s by one-room schools), and no significant steps were taken on language or labour issues. The province did reform its liquor laws during this period, however.
The Liberal-Progressives were swept out of office in the 1958 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1958
Manitoba's general election of June 16, 1958 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was the first to be held in Manitoba after a comprehensive electoral redistribution in 1956...
by the Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
under Dufferin Roblin
Dufferin Roblin
Dufferin "Duff" Roblin, PC, CC, OM was a Canadian businessman and politician. Known as "Duff," he served as the 14th Premier of Manitoba from 1958 to 1967. Roblin was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In the government of Brian Mulroney, he served as...
. Dominated by Red Tories
Red Tory
A red Tory is an adherent of a particular political philosophy, tradition, and disposition in Canada somewhat similar to the High Tory tradition in the United Kingdom; it is contrasted with "blue Tory". In Canada, the phenomenon of "red toryism" has fundamentally, if not exclusively, been found in...
, this party was actually to the left of Campbell's government.
Declining popularity (1958-1981)
Gildas MolgatGildas Molgat
Gildas L. Molgat, CD was a Canadian politician. He served as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party from 1961 to 1969, and was subsequently appointed to the Canadian Senate, where he served as Speaker from 1994 until 2001. He died shortly thereafter.Molgat was born in Ste. Rose du Lac, Manitoba. ...
, a protege of Campbell, became party leader in 1961 of what again became known as the Manitoba Liberal Party. Molgat prevented the Liberals from falling to third-party status during the 1960s, but never posed a serious threat to Roblin's government.
The Liberal Party subsequently declined as politics in the province became polarized between the Tories and the New Democratic Party of Manitoba
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
(NDP). Robert Bend
Robert Bend
Robert Bend was a Manitoba politician, and was briefly the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party .-Early life:...
, chosen as party leader in 1969, led the party to only five seats in the election that followed
Manitoba general election, 1969
The Manitoba General Election of June 25, 1969 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was a watershed moment in the province's political history. The social-democratic New Democratic Party emerged for the first time as the largest party in...
. A succession of leaders, including Israel Asper (1970–1975), Charles Huband
Charles Huband
Charles Huband was a Manitoba politician, who subsequently became a judge. He was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party between 1975 and 1978....
(1975–1978) and Doug Lauchlan
Doug Lauchlan
Doug Lauchlan is a Canadian politician, minister and educator. From 1980 to 1982, he was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party.Lauchlan was an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada, and was the President of Mount Royal College, Calgary during the 1970s...
(1980–1982) were unable to prevent the party's decline. It reached its nadir in the 1981 election
Manitoba general election, 1981
The Manitoba general election of November 17, 1981 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the opposition New Democratic Party, which took 34 of 57 seats. The governing Progressive Conservative Party took the remaining 23, while the...
, being swept from the assembly entirely.
The 1980s
In 1984, the party chose Sharon CarstairsSharon Carstairs
Sharon Carstairs, PC is a Canadian politician and former Senator.-Early life:Carstairs was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the daughter of former Nova Scotia Premier Harold Connolly and his wife Vivian...
as its new leader. She was elected to the assembly in the 1986 election
Manitoba general election, 1986
The Manitoba general election of March 18, 1986 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which took 30 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party won 26 seats and formed the official opposition...
, and in the 1988 election
Manitoba general election, 1988
The Manitoba general election of April 26, 1988 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a minority government...
, led the party to 20 seats and official opposition status. This was precipitated by the unpopularity of Howard Pawley
Howard Pawley
Howard Russell Pawley, PC, OC, OM is a Canadian politician and professor who was the 18th Premier of Manitoba from 1981 to 1988.-Personal life:...
's New Democratic
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
government, which allowed the Liberals to win the support of many centre-left voters (the Liberals had largely abandoned their right-wing origins in the mid-1970s, particularly after Asper stepped down as party leader.)
This proved to be a temporary recovery. The NDP revived under Gary Doer
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer, OM is a Canadian diplomat and politician from Manitoba, Canada. Since October 19, 2009, he has served as Canada's Ambassador to the United States...
, and the Liberals slipped back into third place in the 1990 election
Manitoba general election, 1990
The Manitoba general election of September 11, 1990 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative Party, which took 30 out of 57 seats...
with only seven seats, against 20 for the NDP and 30 for the Conservatives.
Further decline (1993 to date)
Carstairs was replaced as leader by Paul EdwardsPaul Edwards (politician)
Paul Edwards is a Manitoba politician and lawyer. He served as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party between 1993 and 1996....
in 1993. By the time the 1995 election
Manitoba general election, 1995
The Manitoba general election of April 25,1995 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative Party, which won 31 seats out of 57...
was called, the party had managed to recover to a strong second-place position in the polls. They ran a poor campaign, however, and were again overtaken by the NDP well before election day. Despite having almost 24% of popular support, the Liberals won only three seats and lost official party status. Edwards, who was defeated in his own riding, stepped down as party leader in 1996.
The leadership convention
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 :...
of 1996 exposed deep divisions in the party, as Ginny Hasselfield
Ginny Hasselfield
Ginny Hasselfield is a Canadian politician, and was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party between 1996 and 1998. A former Manitoba teacher and principal, she was also president and co-founder of Cross Cultural Communications International Inc. a company that provided diversity training and...
defeated maverick Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(MLA) Kevin Lamoureux
Kevin Lamoureux
Kevin Lamoureux, MP is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. On November 29, 2010, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the constituency of Winnipeg North in a by-election. He was re-elected during the 2011 election by 44 votes...
by only 21 votes. Two of the party's three MLAs (Lamoureux and Gary Kowalski
Gary Kowalski
Gary Kowalski is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Manitoba legislature from 1993 to 1999, sitting for most of that time as a Liberal....
) subsequently sat as "Independent Liberals", and there were threats of legal action between Hasselfield and Lamoureux. The party was only reunited when Hasselfield resigned in 1998, replaced by former federal Member of Parliament (MP) Jon Gerrard
Jon Gerrard
Jon Gerrard, PC, MLA is a politician and medical doctor in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 1997, and was a secretary of state in the government of Jean Chrétien...
.
Liberal Party support fell by 10% in the election of 1999
Manitoba general election, 1999
The Manitoba general election of September 21, 1999 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada....
, which allowed Gary Doer
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer, OM is a Canadian diplomat and politician from Manitoba, Canada. Since October 19, 2009, he has served as Canada's Ambassador to the United States...
's New Democrats to regain centre-left support and win government. Gerrard became the party's only MLA, winning election in the upscale riding of River Heights. The party failed to recover much of its support base in the 2003 election
Manitoba general election, 2003
The Manitoba general election held on June 3, 2003 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which won 35 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party finished second with twenty seats...
, although Lamoureux was able to regain his seat in north Winnipeg to become the party's second MLA.
Despite Lamoureux's re-election, the popular vote for the Liberal party fell in 2003 even through the party managed to field a full slate of candidates (they were 7 shy in 1999). The Liberal party did have more second place finishes than in the previous election, a potential sign that they may be on the rebound. If the party had any momentum to build upon, it was negated by a weak campaign in the 2007 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 2007
The Manitoba general election held on May 22, 2007 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which won 36 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party finished second with nineteen seats. The Liberal...
which again saw Gerrard and Lamoureux re-elected but the party's popular support decline to just above 12% and fewer second place finishes than they had in 1999.
Party leaders
Liberal Party leaders- Thomas GreenwayThomas GreenwayFor the American character actor , see Tom Greenway.Thomas Greenway was a politician, merchant and farmer. He served as the seventh Premier of Manitoba, Canada, from 1888 to 1900...
1882/1883-1904 - Charles MickleCharles MickleCharles Julius Mickle was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a provincial cabinet minister for three years, and on two occasions served as the leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.Mickle trained as a lawyer, and was admitted to the bar in 1872...
December 5, 1904-March 28, 1906 (parliamentary leader) - Edward BrownEdward Brown (Manitoba politician)Edward Brown was a Manitoba politician. He served briefly as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party , and was later a cabinet minister in Tobias C. Norris's government ....
March 28, 1906–1907 - Charles MickleCharles MickleCharles Julius Mickle was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a provincial cabinet minister for three years, and on two occasions served as the leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.Mickle trained as a lawyer, and was admitted to the bar in 1872...
January 1908-1909 (parliamentary leader) - Tobias C. Norris 1910-March 30, 1927
- Hugh RobsonHugh RobsonHugh Amos Robson was a politician and judge in Manitoba. He briefly served as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party in the 1920s.-Career:...
March 10, 1927-January 3, 1930 - James BreakeyJames BreakeyJames Washington Breakey , was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was briefly the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party, and was subsequently a supporter of the province's Liberal-Progressive coalition government.After working as a financial agent, Breakey was elected to the Legislative Assembly...
1930-June 26, 1931 (parliamentary leader) - Murdoch MackayMurdoch MackayMurdoch Mackay was a Manitoba politician. He led the Manitoba Liberal Party from 1931 to 1932, and brought the party into an alliance with John Bracken's Progressives....
June 26, 1931–1932
"Continuing Liberal" leaders
- David Campbell 1932
Liberal-Progressive Party leaders
- John BrackenJohn BrackenJohn Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
1932-January 1943 - Stuart GarsonStuart GarsonStuart Sinclair Garson, was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He served as the 12th Premier of Manitoba from 1943 to 1948, and later became a federal cabinet minister....
January 1943-November 1948 - Douglas CampbellDouglas Lloyd CampbellDouglas Lloyd Campbell, OC was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the 13th Premier of Manitoba from 1948 to 1958...
November 1948-April 19, 1961
Liberal Party leaders (renewal)
- Gildas MolgatGildas MolgatGildas L. Molgat, CD was a Canadian politician. He served as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party from 1961 to 1969, and was subsequently appointed to the Canadian Senate, where he served as Speaker from 1994 until 2001. He died shortly thereafter.Molgat was born in Ste. Rose du Lac, Manitoba. ...
April 20, 1961-May 10, 1969 - Robert BendRobert BendRobert Bend was a Manitoba politician, and was briefly the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party .-Early life:...
May 10, 1969-October 31, 1970 - Israel Asper October 31, 1970-February 22, 1975
- Charles HubandCharles HubandCharles Huband was a Manitoba politician, who subsequently became a judge. He was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party between 1975 and 1978....
February 22, 1975–1978 - Doug LauchlanDoug LauchlanDoug Lauchlan is a Canadian politician, minister and educator. From 1980 to 1982, he was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party.Lauchlan was an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada, and was the President of Mount Royal College, Calgary during the 1970s...
November 30, 1980–1982 - Sharon CarstairsSharon CarstairsSharon Carstairs, PC is a Canadian politician and former Senator.-Early life:Carstairs was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the daughter of former Nova Scotia Premier Harold Connolly and his wife Vivian...
March 4, 1984-June 4, 1993 - Paul EdwardsPaul Edwards (politician)Paul Edwards is a Manitoba politician and lawyer. He served as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party between 1993 and 1996....
June 4, 1993–1996 - Ginny HasselfieldGinny HasselfieldGinny Hasselfield is a Canadian politician, and was the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party between 1996 and 1998. A former Manitoba teacher and principal, she was also president and co-founder of Cross Cultural Communications International Inc. a company that provided diversity training and...
October 19, 1996–1998 - Jon GerrardJon GerrardJon Gerrard, PC, MLA is a politician and medical doctor in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 1997, and was a secretary of state in the government of Jean Chrétien...
October 17, 1998-
(Note: Stan Roberts
Stan Roberts
Stan Roberts was a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba between 1958 and 1962, and ran for the leadership of the Manitoba Liberal Party in 1961...
served as the party's acting leader from 1969 to 1970, after Robert Bend
Robert Bend
Robert Bend was a Manitoba politician, and was briefly the leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party .-Early life:...
was defeated in the province's 1969 election
Manitoba general election, 1969
The Manitoba General Election of June 25, 1969 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was a watershed moment in the province's political history. The social-democratic New Democratic Party emerged for the first time as the largest party in...
. Although Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...
was the party's only MLA from 1977 to 1979, he was never party leader.)
See also
- List of political parties in Manitoba
- List of Manitoba general elections
- Manitoba Liberal Party leadership electionsManitoba Liberal Party leadership electionsThe Manitoba Liberal Party, a political party in the Canadian province of Manitoba, has chosen most of its leaders by delegated leadership conventions...