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
1 "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:
PC: Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
L: Manitoba Liberal Party
NDP: New Democratic Party of Manitoba
P: Progressive Party of Manitoba
Comm: Communist Party of Canada - Manitoba
Ind: Independent
M-L: Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada - Manitoba (see by-elections) WCC: Western Canada Concept Party of Manitoba (see by-elections; leader: Fred Cameron)
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:
Ric Nordman (PC) 4006
Max Melnyk (NDP) 2822
Peter Moss (L) 817
Fran Huck (P) 378
Brandon East:
(incumbent)Len Evans (NDP) 4941
Gary Nowazek (PC) 2626
Margaret Workman (L) 512
Brandon West:
Henry Carroll (NDP) 5069
John Allen (PC) 4634
David Campbell (L) 547
Burrows:
Conrad Santos (NDP) 4890
Mary Shore (PC) 1384
(incumbent)Ben Hanuschak (P) 728
Wayne Anderson (L) 617
Paula Fletcher (Comm) 144
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:
John Plohman (NDP) 4680
(incumbent)James Galbraith (PC) 4044
Bob Hawkins (L) 1049
Ellice:
(incumbent)Brian Corrin (NDP) 4233
Gavin Scott (PC) 1712
Rod Cantiveros (L) 782
Adam Klym (P) 222
Bart Monaco (Ind) 56
Emerson:
(incumbent)Albert Driedger (PC) 4376
Paul Dupuis (NDP) 4020
Stephen Zaretski (L) 308
Jack Thiessen (P) 116
Flin Flon:
Jerry Storie (NDP) 3557
Bob McNeil (PC) 2126
Fort Garry:
(incumbent)Bud Sherman (PC) 6227
Hans Wittich (NDP) 3705
Lil Haus (L) 1042
James Goodridge (P) 203
Fort Rouge:
Roland Penner (NDP) 4342
Perry Schulman (PC) 2843
(incumbent)June Westbury (L) 2415
(incumbent)Bud Boyce (P) 143
Gimli:
John Bucklaschuk (NDP) 4825
(incumbent)Keith Cosens (PC) 3995
Allan Chambers (L) 276
Pat Bazan (P) 127
Gladstone:
Charlotte Oleson (PC) 4447
Irvin Joel (NDP) 1650
Abe Suderman (L) 737
Inkster:
Don Scott (NDP) 6283
Bill Dueck (PC) 1561
(incumbent)Sidney Green (P) 783
Myroslaw Tracz (L) 364
Interlake:
(incumbent)Bill Uruski (NDP) 4599
Neil Dueck (PC) 2181
Bob Lundale (L) 372
Kildonan: