New Democratic Party of Manitoba candidates in the 1969 Manitoba provincial election


The New Democratic Party of Manitoba fielded a full slate of 57 candidates in the 1969 provincial election, and won 28 seats to emerge as the largest party in the provincial legislature. After a brief period of political uncertainty, the party was able to form a minority government.
Many of the party's candidates have their own biography pages; information about others may be found here. This page also includes information about New Democratic Party candidates in by-elections between 1969 and 1971.

Candidates

[Birtle-Russell]: Donald Kostesky

Donald Kostesky was 22 years old in 1969, and was a farmer in Rossburn. He joined the New Democratic Party in 1964, and first ran for the party in a February 1969 by-election. He finished a close second in the general election, despite the fact that his party did not have strong historical roots in the Birtle-Russell division. His brother, Ronald Kostesky, was a New Democratic Party candidate in the 1966 provincial election.
Kostesky was listed as the CEO and general-manager of Farmers Co-op Seed Plant Ltd. in 1994. He is now retired from farming, but remains CEO of the seed co-operative, which has been renamed Red Sper Enterprises Ltd.
ElectionDivisionPartyVotes%PlaceWinner
provincial by-election, 20 February 1969Birtle-RussellNew Democratic Party1,03422.692/3Harry Graham, Progressive Conservative
1969 provincialBirtle-RussellNew Democratic Party2,26337.742/3Harry Graham, Progressive Conservative

Morris">Morris (electoral district)">Morris: William Loftus

William Thomas Loftus was raised and educated in the Norwood area of Winnipeg, and attended the University of Manitoba. He was a farmer in La Salle at the time of the election. He was also an Air Canada captain of long standing, having joined the service in 1944. In religion, he was a member of the United Church of Canada.
Loftus ran as a New Democratic Party candidate in three provincial elections, in an area where the party did not have a strong organizational base. He later worked for the government, after the NDP won election under Edward Schreyer's leadership.
ElectionDivisionPartyVotes%PlaceWinner
1966 provincialMorrisNew Democratic Party37011.653/3Harry Shewman, Progressive Conservative
provincial by-election, 20 February 1969MorrisNew Democratic Party2768.463/3Warner Jorgenson, Progressive Conservative
1969 provincialMorrisNew Democratic Party71215.483/4Warner Jorgenson, Progressive Conservative