Nova Scotia general election, 2009

2009 Nova Scotia general election

2006 ← members June 9, 2009 members → 39th

52 seats of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly 27 seats were needed for a majority   First party Second party Third party   Leader Darrell Dexter Stephen McNeil Rodney MacDonald Party New Democrat Liberal Progressive Conservative Leader since 2001 2007 2006 Leader's seat Cole Harbour Annapolis Inverness Last election 20 9 23 Seats won 31 11 10 Seat change +11 +2 −13 Popular vote 186,556 112,160 101,203 Percentage 45.24% 27.20% 24.54% Swing +10.61% +3.76% -15.03%

Premier before election Rodney MacDonald Progressive Conservative Premier-designate Darrell Dexter New Democrat

The 38th Nova Scotia general election was held on June 9, 2009 to elect members of the 61st House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The government was defeated on a money bill on May 4, and the Nova Scotia House of Assembly was dissolved by Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis on May 5.^[1]

Campaign

The election campaign began on May 5, 2009, after the New Democrats and Liberals voted against the Offshore Offset Revenues Expenditure Act, legislation that would have permitted the government to divert its revenues from oil and gas development in the Atlantic Ocean from debt payment, as required under current provincial law, to fund extra spending in the 2009 budget.^[2] As the Progressive Conservatives won only a minority government in the 2006 election, at least one of the two opposition parties would have been required to vote in favour of (or abstain from voting on) the legislation for it to pass.

Timeline

• June 13, 2006 - Rodney MacDonald's Progressive Conservatives are elected to a minority government. Liberal leader Francis MacKenzie resigns.
• March 1, 2007 - NDP MLA Kevin Deveaux resigns his seat of Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage
• April 28, 2007 - Stephen McNeil is elected leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party
• October 2, 2007 - Becky Kent of the NDP is elected in the Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage byelection.
• March 2, 2009 - Lunenburg MLA and Finance Minister Michael Baker dies.
• May 4, 2009 - Government is defeated on a budget bill (Bill 240 - Offshore Offset Revenues Expenditure Act (amendments to Provincial finance Act)).
• May 5, 2009 - Legislature is officially dissolved and writ of election dropped.
• May 19, 2009 - First official leaders' debate.
• June 2, 2009 - Second official leaders' debate.
• June 9, 2009 - Election Day – polls close at 7:00 PM ADT; CBC projects an NDP government at 7:30 PM ADT.^[3]

Results by party

Party		Party leader	# of candidates	Seats				Popular vote
				2006	Dissolution	Elected	% Change	#	%	Change
	New Democratic	Darrell Dexter	52	20	20	31	+55.0%	186,556	45.24%	+10.61%
	Liberal	Stephen McNeil	52	9	9	11	+22.2%	112,160	27.20%	+3.76%
	Progressive Conservative	Rodney MacDonald	52	23	21	10	−56.5%	101,203	24.54%	−15.03%
	Green	Ryan Watson	52	0	0	0	0.0%	9,636	2.34%	+0.01%
	Independents		4	0	1	0	0.0%	2,796	0.68%	+0.64%
	Vacant				1
Total			212	52	52	52	0.0%	411,310	100.00%	0.00%

Candidates lined up.^[4]

Results by region

Party name			HRM	C.B.	Valley	S. Shore	Fundy	Central	Total
Parties winning seats in the legislature
	New Democratic Party	Seats:	14	2	2	5	4	4	31
		Popular vote:	54.07%	40.16%	27.05%	43.03%	41.76%	50.10%	45.26%
	Liberal	Seats:	4	3	4	-	-	-	11
		Popular vote:	28.65%	29.57%	46.46%	18.11%	14.60%	16.84%	27.22%
	Progressive Conservative	Seats:	-	4	1	2	2	1	10
		Popular vote:	14.36%	28.34%	23.89%	36.08%	37.44%	31.32%	24.52%
Parties not winning seats in the legislature
	Green	Popular vote:	2.88%	1.78%	2.60%	1.90%	1.89%	1.74%	2.33%
	Independents	Popular vote:	0.03%	0.14%	N/A	0.88%	4.32%	N/A	0.67%
Total seats:			18	9	7	7	6	5	52

Opinion polls

Polling firm	Dates	Link	Prog. Cons.	New Democratic	Liberal	Green
2009 Election Results	June 9, 2009	[3]	24.5%	45.3%	27.2%	2.3%
Angus Reid Strategies	June 4, 2009	PDF	23%	47%	26%	3%
Corporate Research Associates	June 1, 2009	HTML	26%	44%	28%	2%
Corporate Research Associates	May 7-16, 2009	HTML	28%	37%	31%	3%
Corporate Research Associates	February 2009	HTML	30%	36%	31%	3%
Corporate Research Associates	November 2008	HTML	33%	37%	27%	3%
Corporate Research Associates	August 2008	HTML	33%	36%	28%	3%
Corporate Research Associates	May 2008	HTML	27%	38%	30%	4%
Corporate Research Associates	February 2008	HTML	32%	37%	28%	3%
Corporate Research Associates	November 2007	HTML	32%	39%	25%	3%
Corporate Research Associates	August 2007	HTML	32%	35%	28%	5%
Corporate Research Associates	May 2007	HTML	29%	37%	26%	7%
Corporate Research Associates	February 2007	HTML	35%	36%	25%	3%
Corporate Research Associates	November 2006	HTML	32%	37%	26%	4%
Corporate Research Associates	August 2006	HTML	33%	35%	24%	-
2006 Election Results	June 2006	[4]	40%	35%	24%	2%

Riding results

• Winners are indicated by the party-coloured bar next to the winner's name.
• bold denotes a cabinet minister or party leader
• † denotes an incumbent not seeking re-election

Annapolis Valley

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Other
Annapolis		Kent Robinson 971 - (11.10 %)		Henry Spurr 1,131 - (12.93 %)		Stephen McNeil 6,446 - (73.70 %)		Jamie Spinney 198 - (2.26 %)				Stephen McNeil
Clare		Jimmy Doucet 459 - (8.75 %)		Paul Comeau 1,326 - (25.29 %)		Wayne Gaudet 3,392 - (64.68 %)		Diane Bean 67 - (1.28 %)				Wayne Gaudet
Digby-Annapolis		Cindy Nesbitt 852 - (15.39 %)		Sherri Oliver 1,092 - (19.73 %)		Harold Theriault 3,514 - (63.48 %)		Namron Bean 78 - (1.41 %)				Harold Theriault
Hants West		Chuck Porter 3,364 - (37.24 %)		Barbara Gallagher 2,401 - (26.58 %)		Paula Lunn 3,065 - (33.93 %)		Sheila Richardson 204 - (2.26 %)				Chuck Porter
Kings North		Mark Parent 3,079 - (36.08 %)		Jim Morton 3,535 - (41.43 %)		Shirley Fisher 1,541 - (18.06 %)		Anna-Maria Galante-Ward 378 - (4.43 %)				Mark Parent
Kings South		David Morse 2,759 - (28.14 %)		Ramona Jennex 4,038 - (41.18 %)		Paula Howatt 2,639 - (26.91 %)		Brendan MacNeill 369 - (3.76 %)				David Morse
Kings West		Chris Palmer 1,667 - (20.20 %)		Carol Tobin 1,422 - (17.23 %)		Leo Glavine 5,015 - (60.77 %)		Nistal Prem de Boer 149 - (1.81 %)				Leo Glavine

South Shore

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Other
Argyle		Chris d'Entremont 2,818 - (64 %)		Melvin Huskins 759 - (17.24 %)		Lionel LeBlanc 752 - (17.08 %)		Barbara Lake 74 - (1.68 %)				Chris d'Entremont
Chester-St. Margaret's		Judy Streatch 2,762 - (27.47 %)		Denise Peterson-Rafuse 4,835 - (48.09 %)		Jo-Ann Grant 2,122 - (21.11 %)		Ryan Cameron 335 - (3.33 %)				Judy Streatch
Lunenburg		Peter Zwicker 2,399 - (28.30 %)		Pam Birdsall 4,069 - (48.01 %)		Rick Welsford 1,374 - (16.21 %)		Jason Remai 145 - (1.71 %)		Milton Countway 489 - (5.77 %)		(vacant)a
Lunenburg West		Carolyn Bolivar-Getson 3,045 - (33.50 %)		Gary Ramey 3,600 - (39.60 %)		Mark Furey 2,297 - (25.27 %)		Emily Richardson 148 - (1.63 %)				Carolyn Bolivar-Getson
Queens		Kerry Morash 1,936 - (28.87 %)		Vicki Conrad 4,012 - (59.82 %)		Wayne Henley 674 - (10.05 %)		Stuart Simpson 85 - (1.27 %)				Vicki Conrad
Shelburne		Eddie Nickerson 1,637 - (23.59 %)		Sterling Belliveau 3,844 - (55.41 %)		Darian Huskilson 1,356 - (19.54 %)		Robin Smith 101 - (1.46 %)				Sterling Belliveau
Yarmouth		Richard Hurlburt 4,537 - (61.34 %)		David Olie 1,696 - (22.93 %)		David Mooney 1,041 - (14.07 %)		Ronald Mills 123 - (1.66 %)				Richard Hurlburt

^a - Previously held by Progressive Conservative Michael Baker, who died in office on March 2, 2009.

Fundy-Northeast

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Other
Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley		Steve Streatch 2,265 - (29.07 %)		Gary Burrill 3,697 - (48.09 %)		Willie Versteeg 1,649 - (21.16 %)		Margaret Whitney 181 - (2.32 %)				Brooke Taylor†
Colchester North		Karen Casey 3,811 - (50.25 %)		Arthur Hartlen 2,362 - (31.14 %)		Lorenda Ebbett 1,250 - (16.48 %)		Judy Davis 161 - (2.12 %)				Karen Casey
Cumberland North		Keith Hunter 1,359 - (17.23 %)		Brian Skabar 3,170 - (40.19 %)		Brent Noiles 1,073 - (13.60 %)		Aviva Silburt 127 - (1.61 %)		Ernest Fage 2,159 - (27.37 %)		Ernest Fage
Cumberland South		Murray Scott 4,334 - (67.66 %)		Don Tabor 1,659 - (25.90 %)		Joseph Archibald 325 - (5.07 %)		Danny Melvin 88 - (1.37 %)				Murray Scott
Hants East		Todd Williams 1,567 - (16.82 %)		John MacDonell 6,052 - (64.96 %)		Maurice Rees 1,467 - (15.75 %)		Emerich Winkler 231 - (2.48 %)				John MacDonell
Truro-Bible Hill		Hughie MacIsaac 2,544 - (30.23 %)		Lenore Zann 4,070 - (48.37 %)		Bob Hagell 1,643 - (19.52 %)		Kaleigh Brinkhurst 158 - (1.88 %)				Jamie Muir†

Central Halifax

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Other
Halifax Chebucto		David Atchison 544 - (6.91 %)		Howard Epstein 4,446 - (56.47 %)		Jane Spurr 2,535 - (32.20 %)		Chris Hanlon 348 - (4.42 %)				Howard Epstein
Halifax Citadel		Ted Larsen 1,000 - (12.99 %)		Leonard Preyra 3,785 - (49.17 %)		Gerry Walsh 2,584 - (33.57 %)		Ryan Watson 329 - (4.27 %)				Leonard Preyra
Halifax Clayton Park		Debbie Hum 1,084 - (10.56 %)		Linda Power 3,924 - (38.24 %)		Diana Whalen 5,030 - (49.02 %)		Amanda Hester 172 - (1.68 %)		Jonathan Dean 51 - (0.50 %)		Diana Whalen
Halifax Fairview		Paul Henderson 893 - (12.16 %)		Graham Steele 4,680 - (63.71 %)		Brad Armitage 1,544 - (21.02 %)		Jane Hester 229 - (3.12 %)				Graham Steele
Halifax Needham		Jason Cameron 536 - (6.76 %)		Maureen MacDonald 5,336 - (67.30 %)		Graham Estabrooks 1,690 - (21.31 %)		Kris MacLellan 367 - (4.63 %)				Maureen MacDonald

Suburban Halifax

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Other
Bedford-Birch Cove		Len Goucher 2,268 - (20.75 %)		Brian Mosher 3,552 - (32.50 %)		Kelly Regan 4,861 - (44.48 %)		Neil Green 248 - (2.27 %)				Len Goucher
Halifax Atlantic		Brian Phillips 965 - (11.22 %)		Michèle Raymond 5,243 - (61.09 %)		Jim Hoskins 2,003 - (23.29 %)		Anthony Rosborough 378 - (4.40 %)				Michele Raymond
Hammonds Plains-Upper Sackville		Barry Barnet 2,218 - (23.05 %)		Mat Whynott 4,815 - (50.03 %)		Patrick Doyle 2,381 - (24.74 %)		Shawn Redmond 210 - (2.18 %)				Barry Barnet
Sackville-Cobequid		Jessica Alexander 976 - (12.46 %)		Dave Wilson 5,120 - (65.34 %)		Scott Hemming 1,548 - (19.75 %)		Ian Charles 192 - (2.45 %)				Dave Wilson
Timberlea-Prospect		Gina Byrne 795 - (9.10 %)		Bill Estabrooks 6,174 - (70.70 %)		Lisa Mullin 1,535 - (17.58 %)		Tom Trappenberg 229 - (2.62 %)				Bill Estabrooks
Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank		Gary Hines 1,696 - (18.45 %)		Percy Paris 5,007 - (54.47 %)		Bill Horne 2,290 - (24.91 %)		Damon Loomer 199 - (2.16 %)				Percy Paris

Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Other
Cole Harbour		Mike Josey 939 - (11.05 %)		Darrell Dexter 5,849 - (68.82 %)		Tony Ince 1,509 - (17.76 %)		Donna Toews 202 - (2.38 %)				Darrell Dexter
Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage		Lloyd Jackson 1,074 - (15.90 %)		Becky Kent 4,402 - (65.17 %)		Orest Ulan 1,054 - (15.60%)		Denise Menard 225 - (3.33 %)				Becky Kent
Dartmouth East		Bert Thompson 873 - (9.66 %)		Joan Massey 3,908 - (42.95 %)		Andrew Younger 4,133 - (45.43 %)		Anna Mukpo 184 - (2.02%)				Joan Massey
Dartmouth North		David Losey 568 - (7.95 %)		Trevor Zinck 4,053 - (56.75 %)		Jim Smith 2,316 - (32.43 %)		Alex Donaldson 205 - (2.87 %)				Trevor Zinck
Dartmouth South-Portland Valley		George Jordan 1,389 - (13.58 %)		Marilyn More 5,583 - (54.59 %)		Colin Hebb 2,946 - (28.8 %)		David Croft 310 - (3.03 %)				Marilyn More
Eastern Shore		Bill Dooks 2,557 - (34.69 %)		Sid Prest 3,628 - (49.22 %)		Loretta Halleran 992 - (13.46 %)		Michael Marshall 194 - (2.63 %)				Bill Dooks
Preston		Dwayne Provo 1,076 - (24.83 %)		Janet Sutcliffe 1,314 - (30.33 %)		Keith Colwell 1,888 - (43.57 %)		Sarah Densmore 55 - (1.27 %)				Keith Colwell

Central Nova

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Other
Antigonish		Angus MacIsaac 3,613 - (38.08 %)		Maurice Smith 3,338 - (35.18 %)		Miles Tompkins 2,378 - (25.06 %)		Rebecca Mosher 160 - (1.69 %)				Angus MacIsaac
Guysborough-Sheet Harbour		Ron Chisholm 1,750 - (24.96 %)		Jim Boudreau 3,621 - (51.64 %)		Lloyd Hines 1,558 - (22.22 %)		Amy Florian 83 - (1.18 %)				Ron Chisholm
Pictou Centre		Pat Dunn 3,519 - (44.64 %)		Ross Landry 3,650 - (46.3 %)		Neil MacIsaac 567 - (7.19 %)		Jim Lindsey 147 - (1.86 %)				Pat Dunn
Pictou East		J. Ed. MacDonald 1,984 - (25.94 %)		Clarrie MacKinnon 4,893 - (63.98 %)		Francois Rochon 642 - (8.39 %)		Robbie White 129 - (1.69 %)				Clarrie MacKinnon
Pictou West		Leonard Fraser 1,466 - (19.99 %)		Charlie Parker 4,226 - (57.63 %)		Paul Landry 1,471 - (20.06 %)		Chelsea Richardson 170 - (2.32 %)				Charlie Parker

Cape Breton

Electoral District	Candidates											Incumbent
		PC		NDP		Liberal		Green		Other
Cape Breton Centre		Chris Ryan 479 - (7.33 %)		Frank Corbett 5,096 - (80.14 %)		Joe MacPherson 685 - (10.77 %)		Chris Alders 99 - (1.56 %)				Frank Corbett
Cape Breton North		Cecil Clarke 3,477 - (44.47 %)		Russell MacDonald 3,312 - (42.36 %)		Ken Jardine 921 - (11.78 %)		Chris Milburn 108 - (1.38 %)				Cecil Clarke
Cape Breton Nova		Cory Hann 276 - (4.14 %)		Gordie Gosse 4,735 - (71.07 %)		Donnie Morrison 1,549 - (23.25 %)		Michael Milburn 102 - (1.53 %)				Gordie Gosse
Cape Breton South		Steve Tobin 1,387 - (15.12 %)		Wayne McKay 3,332 - (36.33 %)		Manning MacDonald 4,278 - (46.65 %)		Cathy Theriault 174 - (1.9 %)				Manning MacDonald
Cape Breton West		Alfie MacLeod 3,962 - (43.47 %)		Delton MacDonald 2,797 - (30.69 %)		Josephine Kennedy 2,212 - (24.27 %)		Michael Parsons 174 - (1.9 %)				Alfie MacLeod
Glace Bay		Tom MacPherson 810 - (11.41 %)		Myrtle Campbell 2,829 - (39.84 %)		David Wilson 3,380 - (47.6 %)		Todd Pettigrew 82 - (1.15 %)				David Wilson
Inverness		Rodney MacDonald 5,402 - (56.17 %)		Michael MacIsaac 1,971 - (20.49 %)		Shaun Bennett 1,905 - (19.81 %)		Nathalie Arsenault 339 - (3.53 %)				Rodney MacDonald
Richmond		John Greene 1,045 - (17.92 %)		Clair Rankin 1,477 - (25.33 %)		Michel Samson 3,228 - (55.36 %)		John Percy 81 - (1.39 %)				Michel Samson
Victoria-The Lakes		Keith Bain 2,417 - (38.68 %)		Fraser Patterson 1,680 - (26.88 %)		Gerald Sampson 1,912 - (30.6 %)		James V. O'Brien 143 - (2.29 %)		Stemer MacLeod 97 - (1.55 %)		Keith Bain

Shifts in control

Progressive Conservative to NDP

Electoral District	Candidates					Incumbent
		PC		NDP
Kings North	2006	Mark Parent	2009	Jim Morton		Mark Parent
Kings South	2006	David Morse	2009	Ramona Jennex		David Morse
Chester-St. Margaret's	2006	Judy Streatch	2009	Denise Peterson-Rafuse		Judy Streatch
Lunenburg	2006	Peter Zwicker	2009	Pam Birdsall		(vacant)
Lunenburg West	2006	Carolyn Bolivar-Getson	2009	Gary Ramey		Carolyn Bolivar-Getson
Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley	2006	Steve Streatch	2009	Gary Burrill		Brooke Taylor
Truro-Bible Hill	2006	Hughie MacIsaac	2009	Lenore Zann		Jamie Muir
Hammonds Plains-Upper Sackville	2006	Barry Barnet	2009	Mat Whynott		Barry Barnet
Eastern Shore	2006	Bill Dooks	2009	Sid Prest		Bill Dooks
Guysborough-Sheet Harbour	2006	Ron Chisholm	2009	Jim Boudreau		Ron Chisholm
Pictou Centre	2006	Pat Dunn	2009	Ross Landry		Pat Dunn

Independent to NDP

Electoral District	Candidates					Incumbent
		Other		NDP
Cumberland North	2007	Ernest Fage	2009	Brian Skabar		Ernest Fage

Progressive Conservative to Liberal

Electoral District	Candidates					Incumbent
		PC		Liberal
Bedford-Birch Cove	2006	Len Goucher	2009	Kelly Regan		Len Goucher

NDP to Liberal

Electoral District	Candidates					Incumbent
		NDP		Liberal
Dartmouth East	2006	Joan Massey	2009	Andrew Younger		Joan Massey

References

1. ^ "Nova Scotia goes to the polls June 9". The Globe and Mail, May 5, 2009.
2. ^ "Ready to vote? Nova Scotia's minority Tory government falls". cbc.ca, May 4, 2009.
3. ^ [1], CBC, June 9, 2009.
4. ^ [2], additional text.

• 2009 Nova Scotia Provincial General Election - Official Results

Bibliography

• Government of Nova Scotia. "Election Summary From 1867 - 2006" (PDF). Elections Statistics. Elections Nova Scotia. http://electionsnovascotia.ns.ca/results/ele_summary.pdf. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 

External links

• Elections Nova Scotia
• CBC: Nova Scotia Votes 2009
• Election Almanac - Nova Scotia Provincial Election 2009
• [5] - Chronicle Herald
• [6]