2001 Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leadership election
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2001 Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leadership election
| country = Saskatchewan
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election =
| previous_year = 1987
| next_election = 2009
| next_year = 2009
| election_date = January 27, 2001
| 1blank = Riding
| 2blank = {{nowrap|Final ballot}}
| 3blank = {{nowrap|First ballot}}
| image1 = Calvert.jpg
| colour1 = f4a460
| candidate1 = Lorne Calvert
| popular_vote1 =
| percentage1 =
| 1data1 = Moose Jaw Wakamow (1986-1999)
| 2data1 = 10,289
(57.60%)
| 3data1 = 6,542
(33.66%)
| image2 =
| colour2 = f4a460
| candidate2 = Chris Axworthy
| popular_vote2 =
| percentage2 =
| 1data2 = Saskatoon Fairview
| 2data2 = 7,575
(42.40%)
| 3data2 = 5,344
(27.50%)
| image3 = File:Nettie-Wiebe.jpg
| colour3 = f4a460
| candidate3 = Nettie Wiebe
| popular_vote3 =
| percentage3 =
| 1data3 = None
| 2data3 = Eliminated
| 3data3 = 3,487
(17.94%)
| image4 =
| colour4 = f4a460
| candidate4 = Maynard Sonntag
| popular_vote4 =
| percentage4 =
| 1data4 = Meadow Lake
| 2data4 = Withdrew
| 3data4 = 1,459
(7.51%)
| image5 =
| colour5 = f4a460
| candidate5 = Scott Banda
| popular_vote5 =
| percentage5 =
| 1data5 = None
| 2data5 = Eliminated
| 3data5 = 1,269
(6.53%)
| image6 =
| colour6 = f4a460
| candidate6 = Joanne Crofford
| popular_vote6 =
| percentage6 =
| 1data6 = Regina Centre
| 2data6 = Eliminated
| 3data6 = 669
(3.44%)
| image7 =
| colour7 = f4a460
| candidate7 = Buckley Belanger
| popular_vote7 =
| percentage7 =
| 1data7 = Athabasca
| 2data7 = Eliminated
| 3data7 = 665
(3.42%)
| title = Leader
| posttitle =
| before_election = Roy Romanow
| after_election = Lorne Calvert
}}
{{Infobox leadership election
| party = Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
| colour = {{Canadian party colour|SK|NDP}}
| year = 2001
| logo =
| date = January 27, 2001
| location =
| winner = Lorne Calvert
| replaces = Roy Romanow
| numcands = 7
| ballots= 4
| entryfee =
| requirement =
| spendcap =
}}
The 2001 Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leadership election was held on January 27, 2001, to elect a successor to Roy Romanow as leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party. The election was necessary because Romanow had announced his intention to step down as leader on September 26, 2000. Lorne Calvert won on the fourth ballot, defeating Chris Axworthy.
Background
Attorney General Chris Axworthy largely campaigned on continuing Romanow's legacy, including his Third Way policies.{{Cite book |last=McGrane |first=David |title=Saskatchewan Politics |pages=155 |chapter=Which Third Way?}}
Lorne Calvert campaigned on a return to the NDP's social democratic roots, positioning himself to the left of both Axworthy and Romanow.{{cite thesis |last=Ruddy |first=Jennifer Marie |date=2007 |title=From Policy Advisors to the Enemies Within: Feminist Activism in the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, 1982-2006 |url=https://ourspace.uregina.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/4dbe2bad-8de8-4b81-9d6e-f21d848f6748/content |location=Regina |publisher=University of Regina |page=129 |access-date=2025-03-31}}{{cite journal |last=Conway |first=J.F. |date=2006 |title=Labour and the CCF/NDP in Saskatchewan |journal=Prairie Forum |volume=31 |issue=2 |publisher= |pages=389–426 |doi=}}
Wiebe ran an explicitly anti-neoliberal campaign, and was perceived as the most left-wing of the candidates.{{Cite book |last=McGrane |first=David |title=Saskatchewan Politics |pages=155 |chapter=Which Third Way?}}
Candidates
=Chris Axworthy=
Chris Axworthy was the MLA for Saskatoon Fairview and Attorney General of Saskatchewan. He was first elected in a June 1999 provincial by-election held months before the 1999 provincial election. Previously, he was the MP for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar (1997–1999) and Saskatoon—Clark's Crossing (1988–1997). Before entering politics, he was a professor of law at the University of Saskatchewan.{{cite news |last=Roberts |first=David W. |date=1999-10-30 |title=Why Chris Axworthy feels at home |publisher=The Globe and Mail |page=A22}}
=Scott Banda=
Scott Banda was a lawyer from Saskatoon. He was previously president of the Saskatchewan Young New Democrats.{{cite news |author= |date=2000-10-30 |title=Banda wants to lead Sask NDP |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/banda-wants-to-lead-sask-ndp-1.221284 |publisher=CBC News |access-date=2025-03-31}}
=Buckley Belanger=
Buckley Belanger was the MLA for Athabasca. He was first elected in the 1995 provincial election. Belanger was originally elected as a member of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party, but left to join the Saskatchewan NDP in 1998. Previously, he was mayor of Île-à-la-Crosse from 1988 to 1994. Before entering politics, he was a journalist for the Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation.{{cite news |last=Pearce |first=Nick |date=2021-08-10 |title=NDP MLA Buckley Belanger resigns from legislature to seek federal Liberal nomination |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/ndp-mla-buckley-belanger-resigns-from-legislature-to-seek-federal-liberal-nomination |publisher=Saskatoon StarPhoenix |access-date=2025-03-31}}{{cite web |last=Quiring |first=David |date=2025 |title=Belanger, Buckley (1960-) |url=https://teaching.usask.ca/indigenoussk/import/belanger_buckley_1960-.php |work=Indigenous Saskatchewan Encyclopedia |publisher=University of Saskatchewan |access-date=2025-03-31}}
=Lorne Calvert=
Lorne Calvert was previously the MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow (1991–1999) and Moose Jaw South (1986–1991). He had also been the Minister of Social Services from 1995 to 1998. Before entering politics, he was a United Church minister.{{Cite news |last=Manke |first=Brent |date=2015-05-13 |title=Calvert, Moore Among Order Of Merit Recipients |url=https://discovermoosejaw.com/articles/calvert-moore-among-order-of-merit-recipients |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407152213/https://discovermoosejaw.com/articles/calvert-moore-among-order-of-merit-recipients |archive-date=2024-04-07 |access-date=2025-03-31 |work=Discover Moose Jaw}}
=Joanne Crofford=
Joanne Crofford was the MLA for Regina Centre. She was first elected in the 1991 provincial election. Before entering politics, she was a civil servant.{{cite web |author= |date=2006 |title=Crofford, Joanne Sharon (1947-) |url=https://www.esask.uregina.ca/entry/crofford_joanne_sharon_1947-.html |website=esask.uregina.ca |publisher=Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan |access-date=2025-03-31}}
=Maynard Sonntag=
Maynard Sonntag was the MLA for Meadow Lake. He was first elected in the 1991 provincial election. Before entering politics, he was the manager of a credit union.{{cite news |author= |date=2000-10-17 |title=Sonntag joins NDP leadership bid |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sonntag-joins-ndp-leadership-bid-1.227424 |publisher=CBC News |access-date=2025-03-31}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y746xOWGfcUC&q=%22Sonntag%2C+Maynard%22&pg=PA214|title=Saskatchewan Politicians: Lives Past and Present|year=2004|publisher=University of Regina Press |isbn=9780889771659 |page=214–215}}
=Nettie Wiebe=
Nettie Wiebe was previously the president of the National Farmers Union from 1995 to 1998. Immediately prior to the leadership election, she was a professor at the University of Saskatchewan.{{cite web |author= |date=2006 |title=Wiebe, Nettie (1949-) |url=https://www.esask.uregina.ca/entry/wiebe_nettie_1949-.html |website=esask.uregina.ca |publisher=Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan |access-date=2025-03-31}}{{cite web |last=Wolfwood |first=Theresa |date=2007 |title=Nettie Wiebe: Agrarian Feminist |url=https://www.bbcf.ca/_articles/2007/wiebe/wiebe.htm |website=bbcf.ca |publisher=The Barnard Boecker Centre Foundation |access-date=2025-03-31}}
Ballot results
class="wikitable"
|+First Ballot | ||
Candidate
!Votes !Percentage | ||
---|---|---|
Lorne Calvert | 6,542 | 33.66 |
Chris Axworthy | 5,344 | 27.50 |
Nettie Wiebe | 3,487 | 17.94 |
Maynard Sonntag | 1,459 | 7.51 |
Scott Banda | 1,269 | 6.53 |
Joanne Crofford | 669 | 3.44 |
Buckley Belanger | 665 | 3.42 |
Total | 19,435 | 100.00 |
(Crofford and Belanger eliminated at under 5%)
class="wikitable"
|+Second Ballot | |||
Candidate
!Weighted Votes !Percentage !+/- | |||
---|---|---|---|
Lorne Calvert | 6,877 | 35.65 | +1.99 |
Chris Axworthy | 5,646 | 29.26 | +1.76 |
Nettie Wiebe | 3,749 | 19.43 | +1.49 |
Maynard Sonntag | 1,712 | 8.87 | +1.36 |
Scott Banda | 1,309 | 6.78 | +0.25 |
Total | 19,293 | 100.00 |
(Banda eliminated, Sonntag withdraws)
class="wikitable"
|+Third Ballot | |||
Candidate
!Weighted Votes !Percentage !+/- | |||
---|---|---|---|
Lorne Calvert | 7,831 | 41.80 | +6.15 |
Chris Axworthy | 6,686 | 35.69 | +6.43 |
Nettie Wiebe | 4,216 | 22.51 | +3.08 |
Total | 18,733 | 100.00 |
(Wiebe eliminated)
class="wikitable"
|+Fourth Ballot | |||
Candidate
!Weighted Votes !Percentage !+/- | |||
---|---|---|---|
Lorne Calvert | 10,289 | 57.60 | +15.80 |
Chris Axworthy | 7,575 | 42.40 | +6.71 |
Total | 17,864 | 100.00 |
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Saskatchewan NDP Leaders |state=expanded}}
{{NDP}}
Category:Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leadership elections
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leadership election
Category:Leaders of the Saskatchewan CCF/NDP
New Democratic Party leadership election