1998 Nova Scotia general election
← 1993 March 24, 1998 1999 →
52 seats of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
27 seats needed for a majority
Turnout69.47% Decrease5.92pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Russell MacLellan Robert Chisholm John Hamm
Party Liberal New Democratic Progressive Conservative
Leader since July 12, 1997 March 30, 1996 October 28, 1995
Leader's seat Cape Breton North Halifax Atlantic Pictou Centre
Last election 40 3 9
Seats won 19 19 14
Seat change Decrease21 Increase16 Increase5
Popular vote 158,380 155,361 133,540
Percentage 35.10% 34.43% 29.60%
Swing Decrease13.86pp Increase16.71pp Decrease1.49pp
Riding map of Nova Scotia showing winning parties
Premier before election

Russell MacLellan
Liberal

Premier after election

Russell MacLellan
Liberal

The 1998 Nova Scotia general election was held on March 24, 1998 to elect members of the 57th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Liberal party and the New Democratic Party tied in the seat count, with 19 each, while the Progressive Conservatives won 14 seats. The Liberals went on to form a minority government with the support of the Progressive Conservatives.

Background

Liberal Premier John Savage was elected in a landslide in 1993. The Liberals inherited a $471-million deficit, and launched an austerity program which cut the province's health and education systems.[1] On April 1, 1997, the provincial government imposed a 15% Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) which merged the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). This shift angered some Nova Scotians who now had to pay taxes on things that had previously been exempted, such as home heating fuel. Savage also implemented an unpopular highway toll. Liberal party infighting eventually resulted in Savage's resignation in July 1997.[2] Russell MacLellan became Premier of Nova Scotia on July 18, 1997.

Campaign

The governing Liberals were desperate to distance themselves from the Savage government which was viewed as deeply unpopular. New leader, Russell MacLellan, was made the focus of the campaign with all Liberal candidates signs displaying the phrase, "the MacLellan Liberals."[3]

During a televised debate on March 5, 1998, MacLellan stumbled badly when Progressive Conservative Leader John Hamm asked if he would resign if he failed to bring in a balanced budget. Instead of responding, MacLellan stared straight ahead and did not speak for seven seconds.[4] MacLellan blamed the pause on rigid debate rules. This moment marked a turning point in a race that saw the Liberals barely retain power.[5]

Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firm Last day
of survey 		Source LANS NSNDP PCNS Other ME Sample
Election 1998 March 24, 1998 35.10 34.43 29.60 0.29
Omnifacts January 1994 [6] 60 24 16 — — —
Election 1993 May 25, 1993 48.96 17.72 31.09 1.53

Results

Results by party

↓
19 19 14
Liberal New Democratic Progressive Conservative
Official results [7][8]
Party Party leader # of
candidates 		Seats Popular vote
1993 Dissolution Elected Change # % Change (pp)
  Liberal Russell MacLellan 52 40 35 19 -21 158,380 35.10% -13.86%
  New Democratic Robert Chisholm 52 3 4 19 +16 155,361 34.43% +16.71%
  Progressive Conservative John Hamm 52 9 9 14 +5 133,540 29.60% -1.49%
  Independent 7 0 0 0 0 1,325 0.29% -0.90%
  Vacant 2  
Total valid votes 448,606 99.43% +0.13%
Blank and invalid ballots 2,578 0.57% -0.13%
Total 163 52 52 52 – 451,184 100.00% –
Registered voters / turnout 649,536 69.47% -5.92%
Popular vote
Liberal
 
 35.10%
New Democratic
 
 34.43%
PC
 
 29.60%
Independent
 
 0.29%
Seats summary
Liberal
 
 36.54%
New Democratic
 
 36.54%
PC
 
 26.92%

Results by region

Party name HRM C.B. Valley S. Shore Fundy Central Total
Parties winning seats in the legislature:
  Liberal Seats: 4 7 3 2 1 2 19
  Popular vote: 34.46% 44.91% 32.54% 35.30% 29.31% 31.42% 35.34%
  New Democratic Party Seats: 13 3 - 1 1 1 19
  Popular vote: 43.94% 38.02% 25.44% 28.09% 25.57% 27.41% 34.61%
  Progressive Conservative Seats: - - 4 4 4 2 14
  Popular vote: 21.47% 16.16% 41.66% 36.46% 44.98% 41.17% 29.75%
Parties not winning seats in the legislature:
  Independents Popular vote: 0.13% 0.91% 0.36% 0.15% 0.14% - 0.30%
Total seats: 17 10 7 7 6 5 52

Retiring incumbents

Liberal
Progressive Conservative

Nominated candidates

Legend
bold denotes party leader
† denotes an incumbent who is not running for re-election or was defeated in nomination contest

Valley

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal PC NDP Independent
Annapolis Laurie Montgomery
3,448
36.96% 		Basil Stewart
3,198
34.28% 		John Kinsella
2,468
26.46% 		Bob Mann
215
2.30% 		Earle Rafuse †
Clare Wayne Gaudet
2,950
47.28% 		Guy LeBlanc
2,578
41.32% 		Vanessa Paddock
711
11.40% 		Wayne Gaudet
Digby—Annapolis John Drish
2,232
33.71% 		Gordon Balser
2,465
37.22% 		Steve Downes
1,925
29.07% 		Joseph H. Casey†
Hants West Debbi Bowes
2,596
27.35% 		Ron Russell
4,507
47.48% 		Dana Harvey
2,390
25.18% 		Ron Russell
Kings North Jennifer Foster
2,457
27.09% 		George Archibald
3,760
41.45% 		Neil H. McNeil
2,854
31.46% 		George Archibald
Kings South Robbie Harrison
3,650
36.46% 		David Morse
3,069
30.65% 		Mary DeWolfe
3,293
32.89% 		Robbie Harrison
Kings West Baden Thurber
1,684
20.60% 		George Moody
5,075
62.09% 		Jacquie DeMestral
1,414
17.30% 		George Moody

South Shore

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal PC NDP Independent
Argyle Allister Surette
1,891
33.47% 		Neil LeBlanc
3,028
53.59% 		Diane E. Cromwell
651
11.52% 		Oscar Harris
80
1.42% 		Allister Surette
Chester—St. Margaret's Jim Barkhouse
3,153
34.10% 		Hinrich Bitter-Suermann
3,256
35.22% 		Doris Maley
2,837
30.68% 		Jim Barkhouse
Lunenburg Lila O'Connor
3,099
34.62% 		Michael Baker
3,231
36.10% 		Marilyn B. Crook
2,621
29.28% 		Lila O'Connor
Lunenburg West Don Downe
4,364
47.95% 		Lou Centa
2,027
22.27% 		Eric Hustvedt
2,711
29.78% 		Don Downe
Queens Tery Doucette
2,072
31.42% 		John Leefe
3,582
54.32% 		Basil L. Giffin
940
14.26% 		John Leefe
Shelburne Clifford Huskilson
3,144
38.57% 		Cecil O'Donnell
2,835
34.78% 		Derek Jones
2,173
26.66% 		Clifford Huskilson
Yarmouth Richie Hubbard
2,212
25.22% 		Alex McIntosh
2,629
29.97% 		John Deveau
3,931
44.81% 		Richie Hubbard

Fundy-Northeast

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal PC NDP Independent
Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley Dick Steeves
1,587
18.31% 		Brooke Taylor
5,122
59.08% 		Jim Harpell
1,960
22.61% 		Brooke Taylor
Colchester North Ed Lorraine
3,301
39.13% 		Andy Williamson
2,511
29.77% 		Janet Maybee
2,623
31.10% 		Ed Lorraine
Cumberland North Russell Scott
2,438
27.89% 		Ernie Fage
5,451
62.35% 		Peter Stewart
854
9.77% 		Ernie Fage
Cumberland South Mike Uberoi
2,153
26.81% 		Murray Scott
4,714
58.69% 		Sandy Graham
1,089
13.56% 		James MacLeod
76
0.95% 		Guy Brown †
Hants East Jim W. Smith
3,377
35.32% 		Lawrin Armstrong
2,010
21.02% 		John MacDonell
4,175
43.66% 		Bob Carruthers †
Truro—Bible Hill Eleanor Norrie
2,560
27.94% 		Jamie Muir
3,852
42.03% 		Ibel Scammell
2,752
30.03% 		Eleanor Norrie

Central Halifax

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal PC NDP Independent
Halifax Bedford Basin Gerry Fogarty
4,246
40.10% 		Michael Maddalena
2,530
23.89% 		Errol Gaum
3,813
36.01% 		Gerry Fogarty
Halifax Chebucto Kenzie MacKinnon
3,165
35.51% 		Sean Phillips
1,590
17.84% 		Howard Epstein
4,158
46.65% 		Jay Abbass †
Halifax Citadel Ed Kinley
4,377
39.53% 		Tara Erskine
2,175
19.64% 		Peter Delefes
4,414
39.87% 		Art Canning
106
0.96% 		Ed Kinley
Halifax Fairview Bob Britton
2,597
30.03% 		Brian Nash
1,402
16.21% 		Eileen O'Connell
4,649
53.76% 		Eileen O'Connell
Halifax Needham Gerry O'Malley
2,506
30.31% 		Artho Kartsaklis
924
11.18% 		Maureen MacDonald
4,837
58.51% 		Gerry O'Malley

Suburban Halifax

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal PC NDP Independent
Bedford—Fall River Francene Cosman
4,205
37.58% 		Peter Christie
3,892
34.79% 		Marvin Silver
3,091
27.63% 		Francene Cosman
Halifax Atlantic Darren Watts
2,818
29.31% 		Jeff Campbell
1,340
13.94% 		Robert Chisholm
5,364
55.79% 		Golda M. Redden
93
0.97% 		Robert Chisholm
Sackville—Beaver Bank Bill MacDonald
3,128
33.16% 		Stephen Taylor
2,485
26.34% 		Rosemary Godin
3,821
40.50% 		Bill MacDonald
Sackville—Cobequid Jack Brill
2,131
22.61% 		Rob Batherson
1,383
14.68% 		John Holm
5,909
62.71% 		John Holm
Timberlea—Prospect Bruce Holland
3,308
33.34% 		Tom Robertson
1,852
18.67% 		Bill Estabrooks
4,762
47.99% 		Bruce Holland

Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal PC NDP Independent
Cole Harbour—Eastern Passage Randy Anstey
3,303
34.25% 		Linda DeGrace
1,931
20.02% 		Kevin Deveaux
4,411
45.73% 		Dennis Richards †
Dartmouth—Cole Harbour Alan Mitchell
2,986
33.98% 		Michael L. MacDonald
2,084
23.72% 		Darrell Dexter
3,717
42.30% 		Alan Mitchell
Dartmouth East Jim Smith
3,326
40.92% 		Ralph Hawley
1,849
22.75% 		Viola Huntington
2,954
36.34% 		Jim Smith
Dartmouth North Gloria McClusky
2,575
33.87% 		Mike Brownlow
2,003
26.35% 		Jerry Pye
3,024
39.78% 		Vacant
Dartmouth South Bruce Hetherington
3,164
35.40% 		Allan Billard
2,099
23.48% 		Don Chard
3,676
41.12% 		John Savage †
Eastern Shore Keith Colwell
3,299
38.49% 		Greg Brown
2,472
28.84% 		Darren Richard
2,801
32.68% 		Keith Colwell
Preston Wayne Adams
1,548
37.45% 		Ross D. Isenor
809
19.57% 		Yvonne Atwell
1,777
42.99% 		Wayne Adams

Central Nova

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal PC NDP Independent
Antigonish Hyland Fraser
4,649
41.55% 		Andrew MacNeil
3,554
31.76% 		Maurice Smith
2,986
26.69% 		Bill Gillis †
Guysborough—Port Hawkesbury Ray White
3,438
42.81% 		Ron Chisholm
2,717
33.83% 		Wendy Panagopoulos
1,876
23.36% 		Ray White
Pictou Centre Roseanne Skoke
2,114
23.68% 		John Hamm
5,037
56.42% 		Judy Hughes
1,776
19.89% 		John Hamm
Pictou East Wayne Fraser
2,208
26.52% 		James DeWolfe
3,816
45.83% 		David MacKenzie
2,302
27.65% 		Wayne Fraser
Pictou West Rob McDowell
1,633
19.89% 		Luke Young
3,273
39.86% 		Charlie Parker
3,306
40.26% 		Donald P. McInnes†

Cape Breton

Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
Liberal PC NDP Independent
Cape Breton Centre Steve Drake
2,435
28.61% 		Julien Frison
576
6.77% 		Frank Corbett
5,499
64.62% 		Russell MacNeil †
Cape Breton East Clarence Routledge
2,859
30.06% 		Henry Boutillier
1,651
17.36% 		Reeves Matheson
5,002
52.59% 		John MacEachern †
Cape Breton North Russell MacLellan
4,666
50.13% 		Murray Johnston
1,853
19.91% 		Archie MacKinnon
2,789
29.96% 		Russell MacLellan
Cape Breton Nova Paul MacEwan
3,944
53.98% 		Walter Hagen
312
4.27% 		Lou Surette
3,050
41.75% 		Paul MacEwan
Cape Breton South Manning MacDonald
5,118
60.30% 		Anna Steele
861
10.14% 		Ed Murphy
2,508
29.55% 		Manning MacDonald
Cape Breton—The Lakes Allan Henderson
3,707
42.29% 		Rollie Clarke
485
5.53% 		Helen MacDonald
4,573
52.17% 		Helen MacDonald
Cape Breton West Russell MacKinnon
4,528
44.05% 		Alfie MacLeod
2,818
27.42% 		Brian Slaney
2,933
28.53% 		Alfie MacLeod
Inverness Charlie MacDonald
4,396
47.83% 		Randy MacDonald
1,951
21.23% 		Maria Coady
2,274
24.74% 		Ed MacDonald
569
6.19% 		Charles MacArthur †
Richmond Michel Samson
3,230
48.40% 		Frank Sutherland
1,392
20.86% 		Wilma Conrod
2,051
30.74% 		Vacant
Victoria Kennie MacAskill
2,405
48.08% 		Dan Chiasson
1,524
30.47% 		Ruth Schneider
887
17.73% 		Stemer MacLeod
186
3.72% 		Kennie MacAskill

References

  1. ^ MacLellan New NS Premier Maclean's - July 21, 1997
  2. ^ A Savage sweep in Nova Scotia CBC Archives
  3. ^ Lawn signs for politicians in Canada tough to perfect, says Graham Steele CBC News
  4. ^ 'It went very well' Halifax Chronicle Herald - March 6, 1998
  5. ^ N.S. election: Leaders hoping to avoid costly gaffes during upcoming debate CTV News
  6. ^ "N.S. Liberals top poll". The Globe and Mail. January 24, 1994. p. N3.
  7. ^ "Summary, by Electoral District and Party, of Valid Votes Cast- 1998" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  8. ^ "Elections Returns 1998 Recapitulation" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved November 11, 2021.

External links

Elections and referendums in Nova Scotia
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