You Can Lead a Horse to Water: Canadian Politics, A Timeline

[JoeyOCanada]

List of current Canadian first ministers (as of January 1, 2005)

Prime Minister: Paul Martin (Liberal): 1995-

Alberta: Ralph Klein (Progressive Conservative): 1992-
British Columbia: Gordon Campbell (Liberal): 2000-
Manitoba: Gary Doer (NDP): 1995-
New Brunswick: Bernard Lord (Progressive Conservative): 2003-
Newfoundland and Labrador: Jack Harris (NDP): 2000-
Nova Scotia: Peter MacKay (Progressive Conserative): 1998-
Ontario: Mike Harris (Progressive Conservative): 1995-
Prince Edward Island: Gail Shea (Progressive Conservative): 2004-
Quebec: Bernard Landry (Parti Quebecois): 2002-
Saskatchewan: Brad Wall (Saskatchewan): 2003-

5 Progressive Conservative Premiers, 2 NDP Premiers, 1 Liberal Premier, 1 Parti Quebecois Premier, 1 Saskatchewan Party Premier

[JoeyOCanada]

2005 Alberta general election

Ralph Klein (Progressive Conservative)
Won 70 out of 83 seats
MAJORITY GOVERNMENT

Raj Pannu (NDP)
Won 12 out of 83 seats

David Swann (Liberal)
Won 1 out of 83 seats

Ralph Klein and the Progressive Conservatives won another very strong majority government to earn the right to govern for 4 more years.

List of Premiers of Alberta
Peter Lougheed (Progressive Conservative): 1971-1985
Don Getty (Progressive Conservative): 1985-1992
Ralph Klein (Progressive Conservative): 1992-

[JoeyOCanada]

2005 New Democratic Party leadership election

Following the loss in the 2003 federal election, NDP leader Bill Blaikie resigned and Bob Rae was named interim leader of the party until a new leader could be chosen, which came in 2005.

Pierre Ducasse was the first to put his name into contention to lead the party quickly followed by Howard Hampton and Libby Davies.

Freshman MP Nathan Cullen announced his candidacy shortly thereafter, claiming that it was time to shed the NDP of old and bring them into the new millennium.

Brian Topp and Peggy Nash soon entered the fray bringing the election up to 6 candidates. Paul Dewar became the 7th and final candidate to enter the race.

The campaign was essentially a race for the bottom between Libby Davies, Paul Dewar and Howard Hampton. Nathan Cullen shockingly held his own and won several debates. Pierre Ducasse withdrew midway through and endorsed Cullen. Brain Topp was seen as the frontrunner for the majority of the campaign.

At the convention, a shocker blew through the room as, after 9 ballots, Nathan Cullen was named the new leader of the NDP, claiming 52% of the votes over Brian Topp.

[JoeyOCanada]

2006 Quebec general election

Thomas Mulcair (Liberal)
Won 49 out of 125 seats
MINORITY GOVERNMENT

Mario Dumont (Action démocratique)
Won 39 out of 125 seats

Pauline Marois (Parti Québécois)
Won 37 out of 125 seats

Thomas Mulcair and the Liberals managed to just squeak out a minority government in 2006 on the heels of Bernard Landry's resignation and Pauline Marois becoming Premier in 2005.

List of Premiers of Quebec
Robert Bourassa (Liberal): 1970-1976
Rene Levesque (Parti Québécois): 1976-1985
Pierre-Marc Johnson (Parti Québécois): 1985
Robert Bourassa (Liberal): 1985-1994
Daniel Johnson, Jr. (Liberal): 1994
Jacques Parizeau (Parti Québécois): 1994-1998
Monique Gagnon-Tremblay (Liberal): 1998-2002
Bernard Landry (Parti Québécois): 2002-2005
Pauline Marois (Parti Québécois): 2005-2006
Thomas Mulcair (Liberal): 2006-

[JoeyOCanada]

Premiers of New Brunswick
Hugh John Flemming (Progressive Conservative): 1952-1960
Louis Robichaud (Liberal): 1960-1970
Richard Hatfield (Progressive Conservative): 1970-1987
Frank McKenna (Liberal): 1987-2002
Greg Byrne (Liberal): 2002-2003
Bernard Lord (Progressive Conservative): 2003-

[JoeyOCanada]

Premiers of Saskatchewan
Allan Blakeney (NDP): 1971-1982
Grant Devine (Progressive Conservative): 1982-1991
Roy Romanow (NDP): 1991-2003
Brad Wall (Saskatchewan): 2003-

[JoeyOCanada]

List of Premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador
Brian Peckford (Progressive Conservative): 1979-1989
Tom Rideout (Progressive Conservative): 1989
Clyde Wells (Liberal): 1989-1999
Brian Tobin (Liberal): 1999-2000
Jack Harris (NDP): 2000-2007
Kathy Dunderdale (Progressive Conservative): 2007-

[JoeyOCanada]

Premiers of Manitoba
Sterling Lyon (Progressive Conservative): 1977-1981
Howard Pawley (NDP): 1981-1988
Gary Fillmon (Progressive Conservative): 1988-1995
Gary Doer (NDP): 1995-

[JoeyOCanada]

Premiers of Ontario
Bill Davis (Progressive Conservative): 1971-1985
Frank Miller (Progressive Conservative): 1985
David Peterson (Liberal): 1985-1990
Bob Rae (NDP): 1990-1995
Mike Harris (Progressive Conservative): 1995-2007
Ken Dryden (Liberal): 2007-

[JoeyOCanada]

2007 Canadian federal election

Prime Ministers of Canada
Pierre Elliott Trudeau (Liberal): 1968-1979
Joe Clark (Progressive Conservative): 1979-1980
Pierre Elliott Trudeau (Liberal): 1980-1984
John Turner (Liberal): 1984
Brian Mulroney (Progressive Conservative): 1984-1993
Kim Campbell (Progressive Conservative): 1993-​1995
Paul Martin (Liberal): 1995-2007
Jason Kenney (Conservative): 2007-

[Continential]

How come the Conservatives have 59%

[JoeyOCanada]

How come the Conservatives have 59%

After having Paul Martin and the Liberals in power for 12 years, Canadians were ready for a change.

[You don't see any blue avatars now]

Sure, but how did Lalonde not end up becoming the official opposition with Tories beating Libs by 40?

[JoeyOCanada]

Sure, but how did Lalonde not end up becoming the official opposition with Tories beating Libs by 40?

The Bloc Quebecois only won 12 seats whereas the Liberals won 73 thus making them the official opposition. Perhaps the percentage was inflated a bit too much and I didn't notice.

[JoeyOCanada]

Of the current first ministers of Canada, 10 are men and 2 are women. The longest serving first minister is Ralph Klein who has been in power for 15 years.

There are 3 Liberal first ministers, 5 Progressive Conservative first ministers, 1 New Democratic first minister and 1 first minister from a regional party (Saskatchewan).

[You don't see any blue avatars now]

Sure, but how did Lalonde not end up becoming the official opposition with Tories beating Libs by 40?

The Bloc Quebecois only won 12 seats whereas the Liberals won 73 thus making them the official opposition. Perhaps the percentage was inflated a bit too much and I didn't notice.

Well, yeah, I know the Bloc won 12 and the Libs 73, I was just wondering how they managed to do so with those percentages.

[JoeyOCanada]

Premiers of Nova Scotia
Gerald Regan (Liberal): 1970-1978
John Buchanan (Progressive Conservative): 1978-1990
Roger Stuart Bacon (Progressive Conservative): 1990-1991
Donald William Cameron (Progressive Conservative): 1991-1993
John Savage (Liberal): 1993-1998
Peter MacKay (Progressive Conservative): 1998-

[JoeyOCanada]

List of Premiers of British Columbia
Bill Bennett (Social Credit): 1975-1986
Bill Vander Zalm (Social Credit): 1986-1991
Rita Johnson (Social Credit): 1991
Mike Harcourt (NDP): 1991-1996
Glen Clark (NDP): 1996-2000
Gordon Campbell (Liberal): 2000-