Manitoba general election, 1990

The Manitoba general election of September 11, 1990 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party, which took 30 out of 57 seats. The New Democratic Party finished second with 20, while the Liberal Party fell from 21 to 7.

Map of Election Results

Background

The 1990 election took place against the backdrop of the failed Meech Lake constitutional accord, which sought to clarify Quebec's position within Canada. The accord, which was signed in 1988, required passage by the federal government and the ten provincial governments before June 23, 1990 to become law. Although Manitoba Premier Howard Pawley had approved the accord in 1987, his government did not bring it before the legislature before their surprise defeat in 1988.

Pawley's replacement, PC leader Gary Filmon, was less inclined to support the deal, and requested that certain aspects be re-negotiated before his government would grant approval. After some reluctance, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney allowed re-negotiations with all provincial Premiers, and convinced Filmon to introduce the accord to the Manitoba legislature shortly before the scheduled deadline. Liberal leader Sharon Carstairs and NDP leader Gary Doer were also willing to support the revised deal.

Some members of Doer's caucus still opposed the accord, however. When it was put before the legislature, NDP MLA Elijah Harper refused to grant unanimous leave for emergency debate, on the grounds that the deal did not recognize the position of aboriginals in Canada's constitutional framework. Harper, the first Treaty Indian to serve in the Manitoba legislature, was strongly supported by aboriginal leaders such as Phil Fontaine and Ovide Mercredi, and continued his protest in the legislature during the following weeks. With assistance from former parliamentary clerk Gord Mackintosh, Harper was able to delay the legislative process until the accord simply could not be passed on time. Harper became a national celebrity, and polls showed that most English-speaking Canadians supported his stand.

Ironically, Gary Filmon's Tories may have benefitted from Harper's actions. Filmon was a long-time opponent of the accord, and was a fairly tepid supporter even after the renegotiated compromise was reached. Subsequently, Filmon used the accord's failure to highlight differences between himself and Mulroney, who was becoming increasingly unpopular as Prime Minister.

Issues

Filmon's Progressive Conservatives made the fewest promises of any major party. Their platform called for an end to abuse of the elderly in retirement homes, environmental initiatives, and low-cost economic development. They proposed to cut the size of the Winnipeg City Council, and vowed not to raise taxes.

The Liberals focused on economic issues, promising a major investment in job training, research and development, and business support. They also proposed to cut the Winnipeg Council, create government grants for tourism and adult education, and restore Tory cuts to health and other programs.

The NDP platform focused on workers' concerns, the environment, preventative health programs and housing. They supported an increase in the minimum wage, affirmative actions programs, and laws which would make it expensive to shut down plants in Manitoba. The also promised not to raise taxes, and opposed the safe of Manfor Ltd., a Crown corporation owned by the Province of Manitoba.

The small Progressive Party opposed affirmative action and the proposal to recognize in the Canadian constitution the Province of Quebec as a "distinct society" within Canada.

The campaign

A poll published in the Winnipeg Free Press indicated that the NDP were the most trusted party on economic issues, followed by the Tories. The NDP were still damaged from their poor showing in the 1988 election, however, and began the campaign in third place. The struggle for government initially appeared to be between the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives.

The Liberals ran a weak campaign, however, and were overtaken by the NDP after a strong performance from Gary Doer in the leaders' debate. Doer further increased the NDP's standing in the last weeks of the campaign by highlighting the connections between Filmon and the Mulroney government on a number of issues. The NDP's return to official opposition status was regarded as a major development after their near-collapse in 1988.

Results

The Tories continued their dominance in Manitoba's rural south, winning every seat in the region. They also won 13 of 31 seats in Winnipeg and a few ridings to the city's immediate north, enough to provide the party with a majority government.

The NDP won 11 seats in Winnipeg, and swept the province's north. They also won four seats in the mid-northern region, and retained Brandon East, their lone southern riding outside of Winnipeg.

All seven seats won by the Liberals were in Winnipeg, mostly in the centre and northwest of the city.

Party		Party Leader	# of candidates	Seats			Popular Vote
				Before1	Elected	% Change	#	%	Change
	Progressive Conservative	Gary Filmon	57	24	30	+25.0%	206,810	41.99%	+3.62
	New Democratic	Gary Doer	57	12	20	+66.7%	141,328	28.80%	+5.18
	Liberal	Sharon Carstairs	57	21	7	-66.7%	138,146	28.15%	-7.37
	Confederation of Regions	Irene Armishaw (president)	5	-	-	-	1,564	0.32%	-1.00
	Western Independence	Fred Cameron	6	-	-	-	1,355	0.28%	-0.17
	Progressive	Sidney Green	5	-	-	-	1,163	0.24%	+0.06
	Libertarian	Clancy Smith	5	-	-	-	637	0.13%	+0.04
	Communist	Frank Goldspink (organizer)	1	-	-	-	25	0.00%	-0.05
	Independent		5	-	-	-	450	0.09%	-0.30
Total			198	57	57	-	490,690	100%

¹ "Before" refers to standings in the Legislature at dissolution, and not to the results of the previous election. These numbers therefore reflect changes in party standings as a result of by-elections and members crossing the floor.

Preceded by 1988 Manitoba election

List of Manitoba elections

Succeeded by 1995 Manitoba election

See also

• List of Manitoba political parties

Constituency results

Party key:

• PC: Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
• L: Manitoba Liberal Party
• NDP: New Democratic Party of Manitoba
• P: Progressive Party of Manitoba
• Comm: Communist Party of Canada - Manitoba
• WIP: Western Independence Party of Manitoba
• CoR: Confederation of Regions Party of Manitoba
• R: Manitoba Reform Party (see 1992 by-elections; this was a renamed Confederation of Regions Party)
• Lbt: Libertarian Party of Manitoba
• Ind: Independent

x - denotes incumbent

Arthur-Virden:

• (x)Jim Downey (PC) 4773
• Glen McKinnon (L) 2085
• Goldwyn Jones (NDP) 1197

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Assiniboia edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive Conservative	Linda McIntosh	4,054	49.85
	Liberal	(x)Ed Mandrake	2,730	33.57
	New Democratic Party	Joan Johannson	1,348	16.58
Total valid votes			8,132	100.00
Rejected and declined ballots			18
Turnout			8,150	69.83
Electors on the lists			11,672

Brandon East:

• (x)Len Evans (NDP) 4760
• Ron Arnst (PC) 3216
• Brenda Avlontis (L) 919

Brandon West:

• (x)James McCrae (PC) 4736
• Shari Decter Hirst (NDP) 2374
• Abby Hampton (L) 1428

Broadway:

• Conrad Santos (NDP) 2508
• (x)Avis Gray (L) 2400
• Craig Johnson (PC) 1570

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Burrows edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-
	New Democratic Party	Doug Martindale	4,206	54.34
	Liberal	(x)William Chornopyski	2,056	26.56
	Progressive Conservative	Chris Aune	1,478	19.10
Total valid votes			7,740	100.00
Rejected ballots			29
Turnout			7,769	66.86
Electors on lists			11,619

Charleswood:

• (x)Jim Ernst (PC) 5419
• Ken Brown (L) 2912
• Toni Vosters (NDP) 1084

Concordia:

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Concordia edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-
	New Democratic Party	(x)Gary Doer	4,588	58.17
	Progressive Conservative	Vic Rubiletz	1,937	24.56
	Liberal	Gunter Grosskamper	1,059	13.43
	Western Independence	Fred Cameron	168	2.13
	Libertarian	Guy Beaudry	135	1.71
Total valid votes			7,887	100.00
Rejected votes			12
Turnout			7,899	68.38
Electors on the lists			11,551

Crescentwood:

• (x)Jim Carr (L) 4588
• Tom DeNardi (PC) 3278
• Neil Cohen (NDP) 2184

Dauphin:

• (x)John Plohman (NDP) 4802
• Martin Bidzinski (PC) 3424
• Peter Rampton (L) 1608

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Elmwood edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-
	New Democratic Party	(x)Jim Maloway	4,127	46.98
	Progressive Conservative	Vic Toews	3,035	34.55
	Liberal	Ed Price	1,623	18.47
Total valid votes			8,785	100.00
Rejected ballots			35
Turnout			8,820	71.63
Registered voters			12,313

Emerson:

• (x)Jack Penner (PC) 4529
• Real Tetrault (L) 1739
• Georgine Spooner (NDP) 1055

Flin Flon:

• (x)Jerry Storie (NDP) 4153
• Ron Black (PC) 1126
• Pascal Bighetty (L) 733

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Fort Garry edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-
	Progressive Conservative	Rosemary Vodrey	5,105	47.07
	Liberal	(x)Laurie Evans	3,992	36.81
	New Democratic Party	Shirley Lord	1,500	13.83
	Western Independence	Jan Mandseth	249	2.30
Total valid votes			10,846	100.00
Rejected ballots			17
Turnout			10,863	72.96
Registered voters			14,890

Gimli:

• (x)Ed Helwer (PC) 5118
• Tom Hughes (NDP) 2666
• Darlene Skarito (L) 1978

Gladstone:

• (x)Denis Rocan (PC) 4371
• Cordell Barker (L) 1812
• Michael Newnan (NDP) 788
• Warren Murray (CoR) 410

Inkster:

• (x)Kevin Lamoureux (L) 3602
• Ajit Deol (NDP) 2637
• Raj Mehta (PC) 1416
• Gordon Haddad (WIP) 198

Interlake:

• Clif Evans (NDP) 2941
• Ed Trachuk (PC) 2533
• Duncan Geisler (L) 1781

Kildonan:

• Dave Chomiak (NDP) 3904
• David Langtry (PC) 3694
• Claudia Sarbit (L) 2711
• Sidney Green (P) 570

Kirkfield Park:

• Eric Stefanson (PC) 5813
• Jasper McKee (L) 3430
• Shirley Manson (NDP) 1035
• Frank Goldspink (Comm) 25

Lac du Bonnet:

• (x)Darren Praznik (PC) 5162
• Leonard Kolton (NDP) 3142
• Frank Thibedeau (L) 1309

Lakeside:

• (x)Harry Enns (PC) 3719
• Delmer Nott (L) 1936
• Eduard Hiebert (NDP) 1248
• Irene Armishaw (CoR) 486
• Dennis Rice (Lbt) 95

La Verendrye:

• Ben Sveinson (PC) 3731
• Clair Noel (L) 2718
• Ronald Fiola (NDP) 1938

Minnedosa:

• (x)Harold Gilleshammer (PC) 4294
• Terry Drebit (L) 2203
• Sean Espey (NDP) 1605

Morris:

• (x)Clayton Manness (PC) 5353
• Bill Roth (L) 2036
• Gary Nelson (NDP) 721
• Mark Edmondson (CoR) 302

Niakwa:

• Jack Reimer (PC) 4950
• Linda Asper (L) 4301
• Michael Simpson (NDP) 1394

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Osborne edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	(x)Reg Alcock	3,941	40.21
	New Democratic Party	Donald Bailey	2,861	29.19
	Progressive Conservative	Sondra Braid	2,859	29.17
	Libertarian	Jim Weidman	139	1.42
Total valid votes			9,800	100.00
Rejected ballots			41
Turnout			9,841	71.64
Registered voters			13,737

Pembina:

• (x)Donald Orchard (PC) 5497
• Marilyn Skubovius (L) 833
• Bert Siemens (NDP) 652

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Point Douglas edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-
	New Democrat	George Hickes	2,778	54.72
	Liberal	Errol Lewis	1,550	30.53
	Progressive Conservative	Calvin Pompana	575	11.33
	Independent	William Hawryluk	108	2.13
	Independent	Roy Price	66	1.30
Total valid votes			5,077	100.00
Rejected ballots			71
Turnout			5,148	60.92
Electors on lists			8,450

Portage La Prairie:

• (x)Edward Connery (PC) 4276
• Darlene Hamm (L) 2329
• Arden Campbell (NDP) 1092
• Roy Lyall (CoR) 243

Radisson:

• Marianne Cerilli (NDP) 4055
• Mike Thompson (PC) 2692
• (x)Allan Patterson (L) 1925

Riel:

• (x)Gerry Ducharme (PC) 3756
• Ed Benjamin (L) 2874
• Bob Agnes (NDP) 2041

River East:

• (x)Bonnie Mitchelson (PC) 4963
• Rob DeGroot (NDP) 2489
• Edna Mattson (L) 1960

River Heights:

• (x)Sharon Carstairs (L) 5467
• Shaun McCaffrey (PC) 4601
• Peter Sim (NDP) 1190
• Clancy Smith (Lbt) 138

Roblin-Russell:

• (x)Len Derkach (PC) 4382
• William Nicholson (NDP) 2238
• Neil Stewart (L) 1757

Rossmere:

• (x)Harold Neufeld (PC) 3893
• Maxine Hamilton (NDP) 2725
• Terry Duguid (L) 2416
• Kathrina Cameron (WIP) 163

Rupertsland:

• (x)Elijah Harper (NDP) 3798
• Hugh Wynne (PC) 804
• George Kernaghan (L) 307

St. Boniface:

• (x)Neil Gaudry (L) 4928
• Robert Gooding (NDP) 2046
• Henri Marcoux (PC) 1921

St. James:

• (x)Paul Edwards (L) 3014
• Joanne Thibault (PC) 2719
• Len Sawatsky (NDP) 2586
• Charles Lamont (P) 148
• Fred Debrecen (CoR) 122

St. Johns:

• (x)Judy Wasylycia-Leis (NDP) 4312
• (x)Mark Minenko (L) 2414
• Lynn Filbert (PC) 1502

St. Norbert:

• Marcel Laurendeau (PC) 4502
• (x)John Angus (L) 4385
• Andrew Sawatsky (NDP) 1011

St. Vital:

• Shirley Render (PC) 3361
• (x)Bob Rose (L) 3243
• Kathleen McCallum (NDP) 2368
• Doug Browning (WIP) 288

Ste. Rose:

• (x)Glen Cummings (PC) 3646
• Ivan Traill (L) 1882
• Sam Voisey (NDP) 1540

Seine River:

• Louise Dacquay (PC) 4465
• (x)Herold Driedger (L) 4418
• Keith Kendall (NDP) 1792
• Lyle Cruickshank (WIP) 289

Selkirk:

• Gregory Dewar (NDP) 3735
• Russ Farrell (PC) 3467
• (x)Gwen Charles (L) 3009

Springfield:

• (x)Glen Findlay (PC) 5146
• Deborah Barron-McNabb (NDP) 3374
• Bob Strong (L) 1958

Steinbach:

• (x)Albert Driedger (PC) 5540
• Cornelius Goertzen (L) 1171
• Marcel Lagasse (NDP) 483
• Ken McAllister (Lbt) 130

Sturgeon Creek:

• Gerry McAlpine (PC) 4676
• (x)Iva Yeo (L) 3907
• Andrew Swan (NDP) 1471

Swan River:

• Rosann Wowchuk (NDP) 3872
• (x)Park Burrell (PC) 3639
• June Connolly-Peyton (L) 963

The Maples:

• (x)Gulzar Cheema (L) 3293
• Norman Isler (PC) 2694
• Tony Valeri (NDP) 2260

The Pas:

• Oscar Lathlin (NDP) 3390
• Alfred McDonald (PC) 3247
• David Merasty (L) 1005

Thompson:

• (x)Steve Ashton (NDP) 4088
• Loretta Clarke (PC) 2043
• Don McIvor (L) 698

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Transcona edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-
	New Democratic Party	Daryl Reid	4,363	49.48
	Liberal	(x)Richard Kozak	2,554	28.97
	Progressive Conservative	Ray Hargreaves	1,732	19.64
	Progressive	Thomas Bunn	168	1.91
Total valid votes			8,817	100.00
Rejected and declined ballots			20
Turnout			8,837	70.22
Electors on the lists			12,584

Turtle Mountain:

• Bob Rose (PC) 4702
• Doug Collins (L) 2091
• Robert Smith (NDP) 1047
• Rod Stephenson (Ind) 173

Tuxedo:

• (x)Gary Filmon (PC) 7861
• Campbell Wright (L) 3281
• Rosemary Ahoff (NDP) 926

1990 Manitoba provincial election : Wellington edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-
	New Democratic Party	Becky Barrett	3,484	46.01
	Liberal	Ernie Gilroy	2,324	30.69
	Progressive Conservative	Clyde Perry	1,534	20.26
	Progressive	Neil Schipper	128	1.69
	Independent	Walter Diawol	68	0.90
	Independent	Stephen Keki	35	0.46
Total valid votes			7,573	100.00
Rejected ballots			44
Turnout			7,617	68.25
Registered voters			11,161

Wolseley:

• Jean Friesen (NDP) 3265
• (x)Harold Taylor (L) 2520
• Fay Campbell (PC) 1503
• Gordon Pratt (P) 149

Post-election changes

Crescentwood (res. Jim Carr, February 1992), September 15, 1992:

• Avis Gray (L) 2697
• Tim Sale (NDP) 2256
• Jenny Hillard (PC) 1995
• Sidney Green (Progressive) 900
• Ken Carver (R) 97
• Dennis Rice (Lbt) 19

Edward Connery (PC, Portage la Prairie) resigned his seat on June 23, 1992. A by-election was called for September 15, 1992.

Manitoba provincial by-election, September 15, 1992 : Portage La Prairie edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Brian Pallister	3,226	51.56	$17,992.91
	Liberal	Helen Christoffersen	1,995	31.88	$12,952.25
	New Democratic Party	Ralph Jackson	648	10.36	$13,381.00
	Reform	Fred Debrecen	388	6.20	$0.00
Total valid votes			6,257	100.00
Rejected ballots			20
Turnout			6,277	53.81
Registered voters			11,665

Rupertsland (res. Elijah Harper, November 30, 1992), September 21, 1993:

• Eric Robinson (NDP) 1697
• George Munroe (L) 1023
• Eric Kennedy (PC) 614

Rossmere (res. Harold Neufeld, May 12, 1993), September 21, 1993:

• Harry Schellenberg (NDP) 2990
• Ed Martens (PC) 2159
• Sherry Wiebe (L) 1590
• Cynthia Cooke (Ind) 186

The Maples (res. Gulzar Cheema, June 17, 1993), September 21, 1993

• Gary Kowalski (L) 3619
• Norma Walker (NDP) 2138
• David Langtry (PC) 1362

Osborne (res. Reg Alcock, July 30, 1993), September 21, 1993:

• Norma McCormick (L) 2966
• Irene Haigh (NDP) 2420
• Roger Young (PC) 1496

Manitoba provincial by-election, September 21, 1993 : St. Johns edit
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	+/-	Expenditures
	New Democratic Party	Gord Mackintosh	3,232	67.11
	Liberal	Naty Yankech	878	18.23
	Progressive Conservative	June Robertson	465	9.66
	Progressive	Neil Schipper	241	5.00
Total valid votes			4,816	100
Rejected and declined ballots			34
Turnout			4,850	44.48
Electors on the lists			10,903

Flin Flon (res. Jerry Storie, July 20, 1994)

River Heights (Sharon Carstairs appointed to the Senate of Canada,

September 15, 1994)