Liberal Party of Nova Scotia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nova Scotia Liberal Party | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active Provincial Party | |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Leader | Michel Samson (interim leader) |
| President | Derek Wells |
| Headquarters | Suite 1202 1660 Hollis Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2T3 |
| Political ideology | Liberalism |
| International alignment | None |
| Colours | Red |
| Website | http://www.liberal.ns.ca |
The Liberal Party of Nova Scotia is a political party in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
The party is descended from the pre-Confederation Reformers in Nova Scotia who coalesced around Joseph Howe demanding the institution of responsible government. The Liberals (Reformers) formed several governments in the colony between 1848 and 1867.
The party split during the debate on Confederation, with Howe and most other Liberals forming an Anti-Confederation Party, while supporters of confederation joined Tory Charles Tupper's Confederation Party. Howe, himself, initially opposed Confederation, but accepted it as a reality after initial attempts to scuttle it failed.
In 1868, Howe joined the pro-Confederation forces, serving for a time in the federal Cabinet of Sir John A. Macdonald.
The Anti-Confederation Party took most of Nova Scotia's seats in the Canadian House of Commons in 1867, as well as forming the government of the new province under William Annand. The new, post-1867 Liberal Party was organised by Annand and his anti-Confederate forces, while the Conservative Party was organised by Tupper and supporters of Sir John A. Macdonald's coalition in the province.
Prior to 1956, the Nova Scotia Liberal Party had ruled the province for 76 of its 89 years, most of that time with fewer then 5 opposition members. It had also ruled prior to confederation, and was responsible for bringing the first responsible government to North America.
[edit] The party in recent years
From 1956 the Tories gained significant ground with Robert Stanfield's reformation of the "Progressive Conservatives", and have successfully challenged the Liberals for control of the government. Recently, the Liberals have faltered in the province, and are currently the smallest party in the Assembly with 9 seats to 20 for the New Democrats and 23 for the Progressive Conservatives. After the Nova Scotia Liberal Party's dismal performance in the 2006 election, leader Francis MacKenzie announced his resignation. Michel Samson has temporarily replaced him as interim leader before a leadership contest can be held.
The Nova Scotia Liberals are the provincial section of the federal Liberal Party of Canada. The two parties have a shared membership, and Liberal Members of Parliament often become Liberal Members of the Legislative Assembly, and vice versa. Gerald Regan, for instance, became leader of the provincial party after serving as a Liberal MP. He joined the federal Liberal government after serving as premier of Nova Scotia. Angus L. Macdonald, the province's most storied Liberal premier, split his term into two by spending five years as a federal Liberal cabinet minister in the wartime government of William Lyon Mackenzie King.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Provincial and territorial Liberal parties (edit): | |
|---|---|
| Manitoba - New Brunswick - Newfoundland and Labrador - Nova Scotia - Prince Edward Island - Saskatchewan - Yukon | |
|
Allied, autonomous Liberal parties: Alberta - Ontario |
|
| • The Northwest Territories Liberal Party dissolved in 1905 when Alberta and Saskatchewan were formed • The Liberal parties in British Columbia and Quebec are no longer formally affiliated with the federal Liberal Party. |
|
