List of New Democratic Party first ministers

The New Democratic Party (NDP) is a Canadian social democratic political party. The NDP contests both federal elections, and provincial elections in ten of Canada's thirteen provinces and territories. Unlike most other political parties in Canada, the NDP's constitution defines their provincial and territorial counterparts to be affiliates or wings of the same greater political party, rather than independent organizations with a common name.[1]

The NDP has yet to form government at the federal level, but have won at least one election in six provinces and one territory since its establishment. This article is a list of all New Democratic leaders that have served as the prime minister of Canada or a premier in a Canadian province or territory. This list also includes first ministers of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, the predecessor to the NDP.

List

Portrait First minister Jurisdiction Term start date(s) Term end date(s) Time in office Elections won
Tommy Douglas Saskatchewan July 10, 1944 November 7, 1961 17 years, 120 days 5 (1944, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960)
Woodrow Lloyd  Saskatchewan November 7, 1961 May 22, 1964 2 years, 197 days
Edward Schreyer Manitoba July 15, 1969 October 24, 1977 8 years, 101 days 2 (1969, 1973)
Allan Blakeney  Saskatchewan June 30, 1971 May 8, 1982 10 years, 312 days 3 (1971, 1975, 1978)
Dave Barrett British Columbia September 15, 1972 December 22, 1975 3 years, 98 days 1 (1972)
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Howard Pawley  Manitoba November 30, 1981 May 9, 1988 6 years, 161 days 2 (1981, 1986)
Tony Penikett Yukon May 29, 1985 November 6, 1992 7 years, 161 days 2 (1985, 1989)
Bob Rae Ontario October 1, 1990 June 26, 1995 4 years, 268 days 1 (1995)
Roy Romanow  Saskatchewan November 1, 1991 February 8, 2001 9 years, 99 days 3 (1991, 1995, 1999)
Mike Harcourt  British Columbia November 5, 1991 February 22, 1996 4 years, 109 days 1 (1991)
Glen Clark  British Columbia February 22, 1996 August 25, 1999 3 years, 184 days 1 (1996)
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Piers McDonald  Yukon October 19, 1996 May 5, 2000 3 years, 199 days 1 (1996)
Dan Miller  British Columbia August 25, 1999 February 24, 2000 183 days – (interim party leader)
Gary Doer  Manitoba October 5, 1999 October 19, 2009 10 years, 14 days 3 (1999, 2003, 2007)
Ujjal Dosanjh  British Columbia February 24, 2000 June 5, 2001 1 year, 101 days
Lorne Calvert  Saskatchewan February 8, 2001 November 21, 2007 6 years, 286 days 1 (2003)
Darrell Dexter Nova Scotia June 19, 2009 October 22, 2013 4 years, 125 days 1 (2009)
Greg Selinger  Manitoba October 19, 2009 May 3, 2016 6 years, 197 days 2 (2011, 2016)
Rachel Notley Alberta May 14, 2015 April 30, 2019 3 years, 351 days 1 (2015)
John Horgan  British Columbia July 18, 2017 November 18, 2022 5 years, 123 days 2 (2017, 2020)
David Eby  British Columbia November 18, 2022 incumbent 3 years, 91 days 1 (2024)
Wab Kinew  Manitoba October 18, 2023 incumbent 2 years, 122 days 1 (2023)

Time in office by jurisidiction

Jurisdiction Time in office
(days)
# First ministers Ref(s)
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan 17,090 5 Tommy Douglas, Woodrow Lloyd, Allan Blakeney, Roy Romanow, and Lorne Calvert [2]
Manitoba Manitoba 12,319 5 Edward Schreyer, Howard Pawley, Gary Doer, Greg Selinger, and Wab Kinew (incumbent) [3]
British Columbia British Columbia 7,836 7 Dave Barrett, Mike Harcourt, Glen Clark, Dan Miller, Ujjal Dosanjh, John Horgan, and David Eby (incumbent) [4]
Yukon 4,014 2 Tony Penikett and Piers McDonald
Ontario 1,730 1 Bob Rae [5]
Nova Scotia 1,587 1 Darrell Dexter
Alberta 1,448 1 Rachel Notley

See also

References

  1. ^ Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada (PDF), New Democratic Party, 2011, p. 12, retrieved March 7, 2025
  2. ^ "SASKATCHEWAN PREMIERS" (PDF). saskarchives.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  3. ^ "Biographies of Living Members". Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. November 4, 2009. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  4. ^ "Premiers of British Columbia, 1871- today". British Columbia. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  5. ^ "Bob Keith Rae, MPP". Legislative Assembly website. Legislative Assembly on Ontario. Retrieved April 1, 2013.