The 1981 Manitoba general election was held on November 17, 1981 to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the opposition New Democratic Party, which took 34 of 57 seats. The governing Progressive Conservative Party took the remaining 23, while the Manitoba Liberal Party was shut out from the legislature for the only time in its history. The newly formed Progressive Party failed to win any seats.
Sterling Lyon's Progressive Conservative government ran on a promise to continue investing in the province's "mega-projects" (including as a $500 million Alcan aluminum smelter, a $600 million potash mine and a "Western power grid"), and suggested that an NDP government would jeopardize these plans. The NDP campaign, which was largely co-ordinated by Wilson Parasiuk, questioned the Lyon government's fiscal accountability in such matters, noting that it had sold 50% of Trout Lake Copper Mine stock, possibly at a major loss. Jacques Bougie, the Alcan administrator for Manitoba, was also described as holding undue influence over the government.
The NDP campaign generally focused on the economy, and drew attention to the issue of Manitobans emigrating from the province because of job losses. Progressive Party leader Sidney Green described Lyon's initiatives as "bega-projects", a reference to the government's controversial fundraising with foreign corporations.
The election was considered too close to call until the final week, when the NDP campaign gained momentum.
Results PartyParty Leader# ofcandidatesSeatsPopular VoteBefore1Elected% Change#%Change New Democratic Howard Pawley5720 34+70.0%228,78447.38%+8.76 Progressive Conservative Sterling Lyon5732 23 -28.1%211,60243.82%-4.93 Liberal Doug Lauchlan391--100%32,3736.70%-5.59 Sidney Green36 3--100%8,7311.81%+1.81 Paula Fletcher2---261.05%-0.01Independent41 --100%1,141.24%+0.24 Vacant 1n.a. Total19557 57-487,154100%
1 "Before" refers to standings in the Legislature at dissolution, and not to the results of the previous election. These numbers therefore reflect changes in party standings as a result of by-elections and members crossing the floor.
Riding results Party key:
PC: Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba L: Manitoba Liberal Party NDP: New Democratic Party of Manitoba P: Progressive Party of Manitoba Comm: Communist Party of Canada - Manitoba Ind: Independent M-L: Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada - Manitoba (see by-elections) WCC: Western Canada Concept Party of Manitoba (see by-elections; leader: Fred Cameron)
Note: There was one vacant seat at the time of the election.
(incumbent) denotes incumbent.
Arthur:
(incumbent)Jim Downey (PC) 5468 Earl Sterling (NDP) 1772
Assiniboia:
Ric Nordman (PC) 4006 Max Melnyk (NDP) 2822 Peter Moss (L) 817 Fran Huck (P) 378
Brandon East:
(incumbent)Len Evans (NDP) 4941 Gary Nowazek (PC) 2626 Margaret Workman (L) 512
Brandon West:
Henry Carroll (NDP) 5069 John Allen (PC) 4634 David Campbell (L) 547
Burrows:
Conrad Santos (NDP) 4890 Mary Shore (PC) 1384 (incumbent)Ben Hanuschak (P) 728 Wayne Anderson (L) 617 Paula Fletcher (Comm) 144
Charleswood:
(incumbent)Sterling Lyon (PC) 6334 Toni Vosters (NDP) 3243 Ken Brown (L) 969 Demetre Mastoris (P) 231
Churchill:
(incumbent)Jay Cowan (NDP) 2247 Mark Ingebrigtson (PC) 883 Andrew Kirkness (L) 266 Doug MacLachlan (P) 85
Dauphin:
John Plohman (NDP) 4680 (incumbent)James Galbraith (PC) 4044 Bob Hawkins (L) 1049
Ellice:
(incumbent)Brian Corrin (NDP) 4233 Gavin Scott (PC) 1712 Rod Cantiveros (L) 782 Adam Klym (P) 222 Bart Monaco (Ind) 56
Emerson:
(incumbent)Albert Driedger (PC) 4376 Paul Dupuis (NDP) 4020 Stephen Zaretski (L) 308 Jack Thiessen (P) 116
Flin Flon:
Jerry Storie (NDP) 3557 Bob McNeil (PC) 2126
Fort Garry:
(incumbent)Bud Sherman (PC) 6227 Hans Wittich (NDP) 3705 Lil Haus (L) 1042 James Goodridge (P) 203
Fort Rouge:
Roland Penner (NDP) 4342 Perry Schulman (PC) 2843 (incumbent)June Westbury (L) 2415 (incumbent)Bud Boyce (P) 143
Gimli:
John Bucklaschuk (NDP) 4825 (incumbent)Keith Cosens (PC) 3995 Allan Chambers (L) 276 Pat Bazan (P) 127
Gladstone:
Charlotte Oleson (PC) 4447 Irvin Joel (NDP) 1650 Abe Suderman (L) 737
Inkster:
Don Scott (NDP) 6283 Bill Dueck (PC) 1561 (incumbent)Sidney Green (P) 783 Myroslaw Tracz (L) 364
Interlake:
(incumbent)Bill Uruski (NDP) 4599 Neil Dueck (PC) 2181 Bob Lundale (L) 372
Kildonan:
Mary Beth Dolin (NDP) 6794 Ken Galanchuk (PC) 4478 Alex Berkowits (L) 755 Dan Tokarz (P) 300
Kirkfield Park:
Gerrie Hammond (PC) 6443 Lee Monk (NDP) 3551
Lac Du Bonnet:
(incumbent)Sam Uskiw (NDP) 4682 Bert Trainer (PC) 2809
Lakeside:
(incumbent)Harry Enns (PC) 5055 Larry Moldowan (NDP) 2630 Bill Ridgeway (L) 592 Hubert John McCaw (P) 107
La Verendrye:
(incumbent)Robert Banman (PC) 4418 Jim Henry (NDP) 1149 Alphonse Fournier (P) 704
Logan:
Maureen Hemphill (NDP) 3759 Stephen Juba (Ind) 700 Aurele Joseph LeClaire (PC) 659 Art Potvin (P) 103
Minnedosa:
(incumbent)David Robert Blake (PC) 4160 Garry Grant (NDP) 3397
Morris:
Clayton Manness (PC) 4579 Peter Francis (NDP) 1821
Niakwa:
(incumbent)Abe Kovnats (PC) 5432 Lloyd Schreyer (NDP) 4736 Doug Biggs (L) 1345
Osborne:
Muriel Smith (NDP) 5371 Ben Lindsey (PC) 2726 Fraser Dunford (L) 1262 George Buss (P) 165
Pembina:
(incumbent)Donald Orchard (PC) 6361 Jeff Taylor (NDP) 862 Kenneth Popkes (L) 696 John Brooks (P) 274
Portage la Prairie:
(incumbent)Lloyd Hyde (PC) 3620 Audrey Tufford (NDP) 2413 Hugh Moran (L) 1601
Radisson:
Gerard Lecuyer (NDP) 6108 George Provost (PC) 2566 Joel Morasutti (P) 376
Rhineland:
(incumbent)Arnold Brown (PC) 4116 Ralph EisBrenner (NDP) 1181 Jacob Froese (P) 349
Riel:
Doreen Dodick (NDP) 4362 (incumbent)Don Craik (PC) 4120 John Karasevich (L) 1087 Dino Kotis (P) 98
River East:
Phil Eyler (NDP) 5949 Harold Piercy (PC) 5903 Shirley Wolechuk (L) 259 Lindsay Ulrich (P) 177
River Heights:
(incumbent)Warren Steen (PC) 4905 David Sanders (NDP) 3217 Jay Prober (L) 2526 Janet Lundman (P) 142
Roblin-Russell:
(incumbent)Wally McKenzie (PC) 4508 Zen Wonitoway (NDP) 3673
Rossmere:
(incumbent)Vic Schroeder (NDP) 5776 Ian Sutherland (PC) 4293 William De Jong (L) 389 Merv Unger (P) 142
Rupertsland:
Elijah Harper (NDP) 3032 Alan Ross (L) 1004 Nelson Scribe, Sr. (PC) 272 Frances Thompson (P) 56
St. Boniface:
(incumbent)Laurent Desjardins (NDP) 5844 Guy Savoie (L) 1925 Wes Rowson (PC) 1346 Don Forsyth (P) 106
St. James:
Al Mackling (NDP) 5376 (incumbent)George Minaker (PC) 4597 Harvey Nerbas (P) 180
St. Norbert:
(incumbent)Gerry Mercier (PC) 5728 Ruth Pear (NDP) 3826 Grant Temple (L) 857 Allan Yap (P) 216
Ste. Rose:
(incumbent)A.R. Pete Adam (NDP) 4031 Ivan Traill (PC) 3823 Valerie Wilson (P) 194
Selkirk:
(incumbent)Howard Pawley (NDP) 5626 Eugene Kinaschuk (PC) 3020 Max Hofford (P) 131
Seven Oaks:
Eugene Kostyra (NDP) 6127 Al Christie (PC) 2179 Wayne Glowacki (L) 486 Morely Golden (P) 367
Springfield:
Andy Anstett (NDP) 5303 (incumbent)Bob Anderson (PC) 4833 Peter Anderson (L) 327 Dennis Sweatman (P) 113
Sturgeon Creek:
(incumbent)Frank Johnston (PC) 5546 Robert Adams (NDP) 3253 John Epp (L) 732
Swan River:
(incumbent)Doug Gourlay (PC) 3884 Leonard Harapiak (NDP) 3615 George Simpson (P) 138
The Pas:
Harry Harapiak (NDP) 4236 Percy Pielak (PC) 1303 Laverne Jaeb (L) 509
Thompson:
Steve Ashton (NDP) 2890 (incumbent)Ken MacMaster (PC) 2818 Cy Hennessey (L) 138
Transcona:
(incumbent)Wilson Parasiuk (NDP) 6013 Jo Lopuck (PC) 2269 Albert Smaczylo (P) 120
Tuxedo:
(incumbent)Gary Filmon (PC) 6731 Terri Gray (NDP) 2433 Beverly McCaffrey (L) 1257
Virden:
(incumbent)Harry Graham (PC) 5059 Maude Lelong (NDP) 2859
Wolseley:
Myrna Phillips (NDP) 4370 (incumbent)Len Domino (PC) 2904 Doug Lauchlan (L) 1539 Murdoch MacKay (P) 224
Post-election changes Henry Carroll (NDP) became (Ind), August 19, 1982. Russell Doern (NDP) became (Ind), March 7, 1984.
Fort Garry (res. Louis Sherman, August 5, 1984), October 2, 1984:
Charles Birt (PC) 3561 Sharon Carstairs (L) 1993 Shirley Lord (NDP) 1211 Sidney Green (P) 1035 Fred Cameron (WCC) 186
Kildonan (dec. Mary Beth Dolin, April 10, 1985), October 1, 1985:
Martin Dolin (NDP) 4332 Bev Rayburn (PC) 3248 Chris Guly (L) 988 Ben Hanuschak (P) 546
Portage la Prairie (dec. Lloyd Hyde, August 25, 1985)
See also List of Manitoba political parties
Further reading