The 2009 Nova Scotia general election was held on June 9, 2009 to elect members of the 61st House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The government was defeated on a money bill on May 4, and the Nova Scotia House of Assembly was dissolved by Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis on May 5. thereby triggering an election. The NDP won a majority government, forming government the first time in the province's history, and for the first time in an Atlantic Canadian province. The governing Progressive Conservatives were reduced to third place.
Campaign
The election campaign began on May 5, 2009, after the New Democrats and Liberals voted against the Offshore Offset Revenues Expenditure Act, legislation that would have permitted the government to divert its revenues from oil and gas development in the Atlantic Ocean from debt payment, as required under current provincial law, to fund extra spending in the 2009 budget. As the Progressive Conservatives won only a minority government in the 2006 election, at least one of the two opposition parties would have been required to vote in favour of (or abstain from voting on) the legislation for it to pass.
Timeline
- June 13, 2006 - Rodney MacDonald's Progressive Conservatives are elected to a minority government.
- June 20, 2006 - Liberal leader Francis MacKenzie resigns.
- February 20, 2007 - Cumberland North MLA Ernie Fage is suspended from the Progressive Conservative caucus after Halifax Police charge him with failing to remain at the scene of an accident, following an incident in November 2006.
- March 1, 2007 - NDP MLA Kevin Deveaux resigns his seat of Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage.
- April 28, 2007 - Stephen McNeil is elected leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.
- October 2, 2007 - Becky Kent of the NDP is elected in the Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage byelection.
- December 18, 2007 - Fage is convicted of leaving the scene of an accident, and is expelled from the Progressive Conservative caucus.
- March 2, 2009 - Lunenburg MLA and Finance Minister Michael Baker dies.
- May 4, 2009 - Government is defeated on a budget bill (Bill 240 - Offshore Offset Revenues Expenditure Act (amendments to Provincial finance Act)).
- May 5, 2009 - Legislature is officially dissolved and election is called for June 9, 2009.
Results by party
Candidates lined up.
Retiring incumbents
- Brooke Taylor, Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley
- Jamie Muir, Truro-Bible Hill
Nominated candidates
Legend
bold denotes party leader
† denotes an incumbent who is not running for re-election or was defeated in nomination contest