New Democratic Party of Manitoba candidates, 1969 Manitoba provincial election

The New Democratic Party of Manitoba (NDP) fielded a full slate of 57 candidates in the 1969 provincial election, and won 28 seats to emerge as the largest party in the provincial legislature. After a brief period of political uncertainty, the party was able to form a minority government.

Many of the party's candidates have their own biography pages; information about others may be found here. This page also includes information about New Democratic Party candidates in by-elections between 1969 and 1971.

Candidates

Birtle-Russell: Donald Kostesky

Donald Kostesky was 22 years old in 1969, and was a farmer in Rossburn. He joined the New Democratic Party in 1964, and first ran for the party in a February 1969 by-election.^[1] He finished a close second in the general election, despite the fact that his party did not have strong historical roots in the Birtle-Russell division. His brother, Ronald Kostesky, was a New Democratic Party candidate in the 1966 provincial election.

Kostesky was listed as the CEO and general-manager of Farmers Co-op Seed Plant Ltd. in 1994.^[2] He is now retired from farming,^[3] but remains CEO of the seed co-operative, which has been renamed Red Sper Enterprises Ltd.^[4]

Electoral record

Election	Division	Party	Votes	%	Place	Winner
provincial by-election, 20 February 1969	Birtle-Russell	New Democratic Party	1,034	22.69	2/3	Harry Graham, Progressive Conservative
1969 provincial	Birtle-Russell	New Democratic Party	2,263	37.74	2/3	Harry Graham, Progressive Conservative

Morris: William Loftus

William Thomas Loftus (June 21, 1916–August 6, 2008) was raised and educated in the Norwood area of Winnipeg, and attended the University of Manitoba. He was a farmer in La Salle at the time of the election. He was also an Air Canada captain of long standing, having joined the service in 1944. In religion, he was a member of the United Church of Canada.^[5]

Loftus ran as a New Democratic Party candidate in three provincial elections, in an area where the party did not have a strong organizational base.^[6] He later worked for the government, after the NDP won election under Edward Schreyer's leadership.^[7]

Electoral record

Election	Division	Party	Votes	%	Place	Winner
1966 provincial	Morris	New Democratic Party	370	11.65	3/3	Harry Shewman, Progressive Conservative
provincial by-election, 20 February 1969	Morris	New Democratic Party	276	8.46	3/3	Warner Jorgenson, Progressive Conservative
1969 provincial	Morris	New Democratic Party	712	15.48	3/4	Warner Jorgenson, Progressive Conservative

References

1. ^ "13 candidates seek seats", Winnipeg Free Press, 15 February 1969, p. 12. This article indicates that Kostesky was a high school graduate.
2. ^ Ritchie Gage, "Seeds of profit: The business of pedigree grain seeds", Manitoba Business, 1 November 1994, p. 8.
3. ^ Unreserved Retirement Farm Auction for Don Kostesky, OK Auctions, 2006, accessed 1 October 2009.
4. ^ Red Sper Enterprises Ltd., Companylisting.ca, accessed 1 October 2009.
5. ^ "NDP candidate", Winnipeg Free Press, 16 January 1969, p. 52; "13 Candidates seek seats", Winnipeg Free Press, 15 February 1969, p. 12.
6. ^ Loftus won the NDP nomination without opposition for the 1969 by-election. See Winnipeg Free Press, 16 January 1969, p. 52.
7. ^ Bill Loftus, obituary notice, Winnipeg Free Press, 9 August 2008, accessed 19 October 2009.