VZCZCXRO5329
OO RUEHGA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHHA #0039 1611340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 101340Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL HALIFAX
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1403
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 0617
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHHA/AMCONSUL HALIFAX 1495

UNCLAS HALIFAX 000039 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN AND INR/B 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR CA
SUBJECT: NOVA SCOTIA ELECTION RESULTS:  NDP MAKE HISTORY IN OUSTING 
NOVA SCOTIA TORIES 
 
REF: Halifax 0028 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  A new, historic era is set to begin in Nova 
Scotia politics now that the New Democratic Party has scored a 
decisive win in the June 9 provincial election--the first time 
the NDP has won a provincial election east of Ontario.  Pending 
any reversals on recounts, the NDP will have 31 seats in the 
52-seat legislature, the Liberals 11, and the once-governing 
Tories relegated to third place with 10 seats.  Premier-elect 
Darrell Dexter is anxious to start implementing a 
domestically-focused agenda, one which post anticipates will not 
affect U.S. interests in the province.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2.  (U) The New Democratic Party triumphantly redrew Nova 
Scotia's political map on June 9 with its history-making victory 
in the provincial election.  Party leader Darrell Dexter guided 
his troops to a decisive finish, making this the first time that 
the NDP has formed a provincial government east of Ontario (and 
the province's first majority government since the 1999 
election).  The outcome became clear just half an hour after the 
polls closed, with Tory Premier Rodney MacDonald conceding 
defeat shortly after.  MacDonald's Tories ended up in third 
place behind the Liberals who will now form the official 
opposition with rookie leader Stephen McNeil at the helm.  The 
tally shows the NDP with 31 seats, the Liberals 11 and the 
Tories 10, although these results are not yet final pending any 
possible recounts.  The NDP also scored big in the popular vote, 
taking 45 percent of the votes cast, compared to the Liberals' 
27 percent and the Tories' 24 percent.  The Green Party and 
other independent candidates took the remainder of the vote. 
 
¶3.  (U) When the MacDonald government fell on May 4 the Tories 
held 21 seats, the NDP 20, and the Liberals nine.  One seat was 
held by an independent and another was vacant.  However, as one 
of post's Tory contacts confided, it became clear early on in 
the election campaign that Nova Scotians were looking for a 
change.  The Tories had been in power since the July 1999 
provincial election when former Premier John Hamm scored an 
upset victory over the then incumbent Liberals.  Hamm won 
re-election in 2003 and when he retired two years later 
MacDonald took over the Premier's job and continued the Tory 
reign with a very narrow win in the 2006 election.  Since then 
MacDonald has been clinging to power and, as the Tories learned 
on June 9, the electorate was looking for a new government with 
solid support that did not need forced alliances with the other 
parties to stay afloat. 
 
¶4.  (U) As NDP leader Darrell Dexter emerges from a campaign 
dominated by local issues, he must now figure out how to deliver 
on his many campaign promises (focused on generalities such as 
better stewardship of the economy and greater prosperity for 
Nova Scotians).  His first order of business will be to bring 
the legislature into session with the ultimate goal of bringing 
in a balanced budget next year.  As for ex-Premier Rodney 
MacDonald, observers expect him to resign as leader to clear the 
way for a new, fresh face.  The Liberals' McNeil, however, can 
be assured of a united and spirited caucus who will be grateful 
for their leader's success in moving the party out of its 
previous third-place slot. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Comment:  As one of post's political contacts 
observed, the NDP's climb from its third-place position in Nova 
Scotia politics, to official opposition status, and culminating 
in victory on June 9, was due to a patient and persistent 
softening of the party's sharp socialist edges.  This, combined 
with Dexter's strategy to move the party to a more centralist 
position on the political spectrum, was an easy sell to the 
electorate who were clearly looking for a change.  Beyond the 
borders of Nova Scotia, election-watchers are waiting to see 
what impact the historic NDP win will have on national politics 
here in Atlantic Canada.  Of the region's 32 seats in the 
federal House of Commons, only four are held by the NDP.  (The 
Liberals have 17, the Conservatives 10 and there is one 
vacancy.)  As with the other three Atlantic Provinces, federal 
and provincial politics are often intertwined so there could be 
dividends for federal NDP candidates whenever the next federal 
election campaign unfolds.  While that effect might take some 
time to play out, for now it's Premier-elect Dexter's moment in 
the spotlight as he gets ready to take over the reins of power 
in Nova Scotia.  Post has had an ongoing, easy, and cordial 
relationship with Dexter, his party officials and also with 
those re-elected NDP members who can be expected to fill key 
cabinet positions.  Given the centralist and domestic focus of 
the new government, post does not anticipate any changes in U.S. 
interests in the province. END COMMENT 
 
¶6.  (U) Post will transmit a bio report on Premier-elect Darrell 
Dexter via septel. 
 
FOSTER