Manitoba Liberal Party

The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late 19th-century, in the period following the province's creation in 1870.

Further decline (1993 to date)

Carstairs was replaced as leader by Paul Edwards 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. 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.

Related Topics:
Paul Edwards - 1993 - 1995 election - 1996

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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.

Related Topics:
Leadership convention - 1996 - Ginny Hasselfield - Member of the Legislative Assembly - Kevin Lamoureux - Gary Kowalski - 1998 - Member of Parliament - Jon Gerrard

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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.

Related Topics:
Election of 1999 - Gary Doer - River Heights - 2003 election

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