The New Democratic Party of Manitoba leadership election of 2015 was called at the request of PremierGreg Selinger following the resignation of five members of his cabinet in protest of his leadership of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba. Selinger ran in the election, facing two challengers, but prevailed on the second ballot.
Rules
Candidates must pay an entry fee of $2,000 and submit a nomination form signed by at least 50 members of the party. The election is being conducted as a traditional delegated leadership convention with delegates being selected by each electoral district and affiliated trade union who will then attend the convention and vote in ballots until one candidate wins 50% + 1 of the vote.[2][3] Union delegates are required to be members of the NDP and be a member of the local they represent.[4]
Delegates
There are approximately 2,217 delegate spots. Manitoba's 57 NDP constituency associations may send up to 1,242 delegates chosen at constituency meetings.[5] Trade unions are entitled to send up to 691 delegates.[4] Another 200 delegates are automatic delegates, two each from each riding association with the rest being NDP MLAs, Members of Parliament and other party dignitaries.[6]
Union affiliates were having difficulty finding enough delegates to fill their delegations and were reportedly only able to fill 361 of 691 positions. Unions were allotted one delegate for every 100 members of the union. Each delegate must be a member of the NDP and of the local they were representing.[4]
Timeline
April 2013 – Selinger's government increases the provincial sales tax by 1%, a move which leads to a precipitous decline in popular support for the government.[7]
October 2013 – Due, in part, to the unpopularity of the tax increase, the NDP runs behind the Opposition Progressive Conservatives in public opinion polls; Selinger attempts to turn around the party's fortunes by shuffling his cabinet and promising to use increased tax revenues exclusively for infrastructure projects.[7]
September 2014 – During a caucus retreat several MLAs openly tell Selinger he needs to resign if the party is to have a chance of winning the next provincial election. Selinger refuses.[7]
October 27–28, 2014 – Five senior cabinet ministers and several senior party officials go public with their call for Selinger's resignation.[7]
November 3, 2014 – The five ministers resign from cabinet due to their opposition to Selinger's leadership; they are Jennifer Howard, (Fort Rouge), minister of finance, Stan Struthers, (Dauphin), minister of municipal government, Theresa Oswald, (Seine River), minister for jobs and the economy, Andrew Swan, (Minto), minister of justice and Erin Selby, (Southdale), minister of health.[8]
November 9, 2014 – Selinger asks the party executive to hold a leadership election during the party's annual convention scheduled for March 6–8, 2015 and states his intention to be a candidate.[9]
November 15, 2014 – Party executive agrees to hold a leadership election on March 6, 2015, during the party's annual convention.[10]
November 18, 2014 – Special Committee led by party president Ellen Olfert is struck to draw up recommendations for rules governing the leadership election.[11]
November 29, 2014 – Special Committee reports back to party executive with recommendations. Party executive announces that there is nothing in the party's constitution, the Elections Act or the Elections Financing Act that would require Selinger to step down during the leadership campaign. Party executive approves the Special Committee's recommendations and refers them to Provincial Council.[12]
December 6, 2014 – Special Committee recommendations brought to Provincial Council and approved.[13] Motion to formally request that Selinger step down as Premier during the leadership campaign is defeated.[14]
December 15, 2014 – Nominations opens, campaign period begins.[15]
December 21, 2014 – former cabinet minister Theresa Oswald announces her candidacy.[16]
December 22, 2014 – Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Steve Ashton resigns from cabinet and states he will make an announcement about entering the leadership contest the next day.[17]
January 6, 2015 – Nomination period closes.[15] Last day an individual can take membership in the party and be eligible to vote in the election.[18]
February 6–25, 2015 – Delegate selection meetings held by the party's 57 local constituency associations.[19]
March 6–8, 2015 – Leadership convention.
March 8, 2015 – Leadership vote conducted, Selinger wins on the second ballot.[20]
MLA for Thompson (1981–2016), Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation (2009–2014), Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (2006–2009), Minister of Water Stewardship (2003–2006), Minister of Labour and Immigration (2003), Minister of Conservation (2002–2003), Minister of Transportation and Government Services (2001–2002), Minister of Highways and Government Services (1999–2001). Runner-up in the 2009 leadership election.
Policies: Ashton is promising to hold a referendum on the government's previous increase in the provincial sales tax[25] Says campaign based on four fundamentals: reconnecting the government with Manitobans, rebuilding the NDP, respecting social democratic principles and refocusing government policies and programs on serving Manitobans throughout the province.[26]
Support from former provincial caucus members: Eugene Kostyra, MLA for Seven Oaks (1981–1987), former finance minister[28]
Support from affiliates: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 2085[24]
Other prominent supporters: Michael Balagus, former chief of staff to premiers Gary Doer and Selinger;[21] Alissa Brandt, director of the premier's secretariat under Selinger;[29] Brandon city councillors Jan Chaboyer and Lonnie Patterson;[30] Anna Rothney, secretary of the planning and priorities committee of cabinet in the Selinger government;[29] former NDP presidents Lorraine Sigurdson and Carmen Neufeld[16]
