1969 Manitoba general election


The 1969 Manitoba general election was held on June 25, 1969 to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was a watershed moment in the province's political history. The social-democratic New Democratic Party emerged for the first time as the largest party in the legislature, winning 28 out of 57 seats. The governing Progressive Conservative Party fell to 22, and the once-dominant Liberal Party fell to an historical low of five. The Social Credit Party won one seat, and there was also one Independent elected.
Although the NDP had risen from third place to only one seat short of a majority, it was not clear what form the government would take in the days immediately following the election. There were negotiations among the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives to form a minority coalition government, supported by the Social Credit and Independent members; under this scenario, former Liberal leader Gildas Molgat would have become Premier. These plans came to nothing when Liberal MLA Laurent Desjardins announced that he would sit as a "Liberal Democrat" supporting the NDP, allowing the NDP to form government by one seat. Edward Schreyer became the province's first social democratic Premier shortly thereafter.
The Manitoba NDP had a total election budget of $45,000. Although very small by modern standards, this was the most the party had ever spent up to this time.
The Liberals had managed to remain as the Official Opposition for a decade after losing power in 1959. However, this would be the start of almost 20 years in the political wilderness; the party would not come close to governing again until winning opposition status in 1988.

Riding results

Party key:
Arthur:
Assiniboia:
Brandon East:
Brandon West:
Burrows:
  • Ben Hanuschak 3418
  • Wasyl Michael Swystun 1317
  • Olga E. Lewicki 751
  • Andrew Bileski 323
Charleswood:
Churchill:
Crescentwood:
Dauphin:
Elmwood:
Emerson:
Flin Flon:
Fort Garry:
  • Bud Sherman 3570
  • G. Grant Cosby 2063
  • Richard Alan Wankling 1936
Fort Rouge:
  • Inez Trueman 2750
  • Una Decter 2446
  • Jane Sayler Heffelfinger 1941
Gimli:
Gladstone:
Inkster:
Kildonan:
Lac Du Bonnet:
Lakeside:
Logan:
Minnedosa:
Osborne:
Pembina:
Portage la Prairie:
Radisson:
Rhineland:
Riel:
  • Donald Craik 3125
  • James Edward Buchanan 3096
  • Raymond Spence 1423
River Heights:
Roblin:
Rock Lake:
Rossmere:
Rupertsland:
  • Jean Allard 1366
  • S. P. Berthelette 1142
  • Paul Burelle 1026
St. Boniface:
St. George:
St. James:
St. Johns:
St. Matthews:
Ste. Rose:
  • Gildas Molgat 2247
  • Heinz Marohn 1198
  • Leon Hoefer 754
  • Norma Oswald 313
Selkirk:
Seven Oaks:
Souris-Killarney:
Springfield:
Sturgeon Creek:
Swan River:
  • James Bilton 1920
  • Alex Filuk 1757
  • Jerry Webb 1252
  • Gordon Beaumont 766
The Pas:
Thompson:
Transcona:
  • Russ Paulley 4614
  • Thelma Jean Opseth Call 1488
  • Kenn Gunn-Walberg 1052
Virden:
Wellington:
Winnipeg Centre:
Wolseley:

Post-election changes

Jack Hardy resigned his seat. A by-election was called for April 5, 1971.
Ste. Rose, April 5, 1971:
  • Aime Adam 2785
  • Fred Werbiski 2118
  • John Borcher 1792
Minnedosa, November 16, 1971:
  • Dave Blake 3532
  • Emil Shellborn 2348
  • Hugh Stephenson 1129
Laurent Desjardins formally joined the NDP in 1971.
Wolseley, June 16, 1972:
Jean Allard left the NDP to sit as an Independent on April 7, 1972. Joseph Borowski left the NDP caucus on June 25, 1972.
Churchill