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
<sup>1</sup> "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:
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:
Brandon East:
Brandon West:
- Henry Carroll (NDP) 5069
- John Allen (PC) 4634
- David Campbell (L) 547
Burrows:
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:
Ellice:
- (incumbent)Brian Corrin (NDP) 4233
- Gavin Scott (PC) 1712
- Rod Cantiveros (L) 782
- Adam Klym (P) 222
- Bart Monaco (Ind) 56
Emerson:
Flin Flon:
Fort Garry:
- (incumbent)Bud Sherman (PC) 6227
- Hans Wittich (NDP) 3705
- Lil Haus (L) 1042
- James Goodridge (P) 203
Fort Rouge:
Gimli:
Gladstone:
Inkster:
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:
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:
Minnedosa:
Morris:
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:
Rhineland:
Riel:
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:
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:
St. Norbert:
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:
Sturgeon Creek:
- (incumbent)Frank Johnston (PC) 5546
- Robert Adams (NDP) 3253
- John Epp (L) 732
Swan River:
The Pas:
Thompson:
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:
Wolseley:
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:
Kildonan (dec. Mary Beth Dolin, April 10, 1985), October 1, 1985:
Portage la Prairie (dec. Lloyd Hyde, August 25, 1985)
See also
Further reading