# 1993 Nova Scotia general election

The 1993 Nova Scotia general election was held on May 25, 1993, to elect members of the 56th House of Assembly of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Liberals under John Savage won a landslide victory over the unpopular Progressive Conservatives under Premier Donald Cameron, while Alexa McDonough's NDP remained a distant third, winning three seats.

## Campaign

The Progressive Conservatives, led by Donald Cameron, campaigned on his record of making 152 reforms since assuming office in 1991. Cameron slashed government spending, cutting out free coffee and rented plants in government offices. John Buchanan (served 1978 to 1990) suffered allegations of patronage which Cameron could not overcome during the election campaign. Cameron vowed to end patronage and balance the budget within three years or he would resign. However, Cameron made a controversial move by appointing two unelected women to his cabinet immediately prior to the election campaign.
Liberal leader John Savage promised to end pork-barrel politics and introduce a new style of governing focusing on job creation.

## Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level :
| Polling firm | Last day of survey | LANS | PCNS | NSNDP | Other | ME | Sample |
| Election 1993 | May 25, 1993 | 48.96 | 31.09 | 17.72 | 1.53 | | |
| Omnifacts | January 1992 | 54 | 28 | 16 | 2 | 3.9 | 645 |
| Omnifacts | December 1992 | 50 | 27 | 23 | — | — | 550 |
| Corporate Research Associates | December 1992 | 42 | 31 | 23 | — | — | — |
| Omnifacts | January 1992 | 32 | 33 | 35 | — | 4.0 | 550 |
| Election 1988 | September 6, 1988 | 39.37 | 43.21 | 15.67 | 1.19 | | |

## Results
### Results by party

| 40 | 9 | 3 |
| Liberal | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic |
Official results :
| Party | Party | Party leader | # of candidates | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote |
| Party | Party | Party leader | # of candidates | 1988 | Dissolution | Elected | Change | # | % | Change (pp) |
| | Liberal | John Savage | 52 | 21 | 21 | 40 | +19 | 237,493 | 48.96% | +9.59% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Donald Cameron | 52 | 28 | 24 | 9 | −19 | 150,862 | 31.09% | -12.12% |
| | New Democratic | Alexa McDonough | 52 | 2 | 3 | 3 | +1 | 85,946 | 17.72% | +2.05% |
| | Natural Law | Natural Law | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,647 | 0.34% | – |
| | Independent | Independent | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -1 | 5,758 | 1.19% | 0.00% |
| | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | 2 | | | | | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 481,706 | 99.30% | -0.15% |
| Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | 3,410 | 0.70% | +0.15% |
| Total | Total | Total | 180 | 52 | 52 | 52 | – | 485,116 | 100.00% | – |
| Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | 654,280 | 75.39% | -0.37% |
Popular vote
Liberal
48.96%
PC
31.09%
New Democratic
17.72%
Independent
1.19%
Natural Law
0.34% :
Seats summary
Liberal
76.92%
PC
17.31%
New Democratic
5.77% :

### Results by region

| Party name | Party name | Party name | HRM | C.B. | Valley | S. Shore | Fundy | Central | Total |
| Parties winning seats in the legislature: ||||||||||
| | Liberal | Seats: | 13 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 40 |
| | Liberal | Popular vote: | 40.99% | 65.94% | 46.70% | 52.22% | 50.20% | 48.93% | 49.67% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Seats: | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Popular vote: | 29.83% | 19.74% | 36.43% | 29.00% | 37.21% | 39.90% | 31.11% |
| | New Democratic Party | Seats: | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| | New Democratic Party | Popular vote: | 27.77% | 13.72% | 12.81% | 11.91% | 13.40% | 10.47% | 17.55% |
| Parties not winning seats in the legislature: ||||||||||
| | Natural Law | Popular vote: | 0.52% | N/A | 0.43% | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.34% |
| | Independents | Popular vote: | 0.89% | 0.60% | 3.62% | 2.24% | 0.27% | 0.69% | 1.18% |
| Total seats: | Total seats: | Total seats: | 17 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 52 |

## Retiring incumbents
### Liberal

* Jack Hawkins, Hants East
* Harold Huskilson, Shelburne
* Vince MacLean, Cape Breton South

### Progressive Conservative

* Roger Stuart Bacon, Cumberland East
* Art Donahoe, Halifax Citadel
* Ron Giffin, Truro-Bible Hill
* Jerry Lawrence, Halifax-St. Margaret's
* Jack MacIsaac, Pictou Centre
* David Nantes, Cole Harbour
* R. Colin Stewart, Colchester South
* Roland J. Thornhill, Dartmouth South

## Nominated candidates

Legend bold denotes party leader † denotes an incumbent who is not running for re-election or was defeated in nomination contest

### Valley

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Natural Law | Natural Law | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Annapolis | | Greg Kerr 3,388 30.34% | | Earl Rayfuse 7,022 62.89% | | Margaret Wolfe 756 6.77% | | | | | New riding |
| Clare | | Guy LeBlanc 2,854 42.87% | | Wayne Gaudet 3,461 51.99% | | Christian Collin 342 5.14% | | | | | Guy LeBlanc |
| Digby—Annapolis | | Walter MacAlpine 1,521 18.72% | | Joseph H. Casey 5,805 71.46% | | Susan Jamieson 797 9.81% | | | | | Joseph H. Casey Digby |
| Hants West | | Ron Russell 4,152 40.41% | | Mike Doyle 4,106 39.96% | | Dana Harvey 1,881 18.31% | | | | Donald L. McKay 136 1.32% | Ron Russell |
| Kings North | | George Archibald 4,137 42.62% | | Jennifer Foster 3,980 41.01% | | Cameron Jess 1,505 15.51% | | Anne Dow 84 0.87% | | | George Archibald |
| Kings South | | Harry How 2,941 28.24% | | Robbie Harrison 3,069 29.46% | | Steve Mattson 2,064 19.82% | | Peter Cameron 102 0.98% | | Derrick Kimball 2,240 21.51% | Derrick Kimball |
| Kings West | | George Moody 4,895 53.08% | | Baden Thurber 3,178 34.46% | | Jacquie DeMestral 1,055 11.44% | | Christopher MacLean 94 1.02% | | | George Moody |

### South Shore

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Natural Law | Natural Law | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Argyle | | Neil LeBlanc 2,633 44.28% | | Allister Surette 3,091 51.98% | | Dee Dee Daigle 222 3.73% | | | | | Neil LeBlanc |
| Chester—St. Margaret's | | Aileen Heisler 2,867 29.49% | | Jim Barkhouse 5,025 51.69% | | Jack Ross 1,644 16.91% | | | | Malcolm Callaway 185 1.90% | Jim Barkhouse Lunenburg East |
| Lunenburg | | Al Mosher 3,709 38.26% | | Lila O'Connor 3,982 41.07% | | Wade Vernon Garrison 1,487 15.34% | | Walton Cook 517 5.33% | | | Al Mosher Lunenburg Centre |
| Lunenburg West | | Marie Dechman 2,910 28.09% | | Don Downe 6,276 60.59% | | Karen Reinhardt 1,172 11.31% | | | | | Marie Dechman |
| Queens | | John Leefe 3,529 47.11% | | Marilyn Large 3,266 43.60% | | Anne Corbin 696 9.29% | | | | | John Leefe |
| Shelburne | | Mary E. Rose 2,002 22.71% | | Clifford Huskilson 5,438 61.70% | | Kathleen K. Tudor 692 7.85% | | | | Kent A. Blades 507 5.75% James M. Harding 175 1.99% | Harold Huskilson † |
| Yarmouth | | Leroy Legere 3,138 32.08% | | Richie Hubbard 5,197 53.13% | | Ian MacPherson 1,447 14.79% | | | | | Leroy Legere |

### Fundy-Northeast

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Natural Law | Natural Law | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley | | Ken Streatch 4,221 45.74% | | John David Tilley 3,463 37.52% | | Roger J. Hunka 1,545 16.74% | | | | | R. Colin Stewart† Colchester South |
| Colchester North | | Tom Taggart 3,306 35.02% | | Ed Lorraine 5,123 54.27% | | Patsy Forrest 1,010 10.70% | | | | | Ed Lorraine |
| Cumberland North | | Ernie Fage 4,354 40.63% | | Ross Bragg 5,605 52.31% | | Curtis Leland Bird 756 7.06% | | | | | Ross Bragg Cumberland West |
| Cumberland South | | Mac Bennett 1,570 17.69% | | Guy Brown 6,713 75.63% | | Douglas Meekins 431 4.86% | | | | Philip T. Donkin 162 1.83% | Guy Brown Cumberland Centre |
| Hants East | | Stephen MacKeil 3,657 37.43% | | Bob Carruthers 4,295 43.97% | | Terry MacLean 1,817 18.60% | | | | | Jack Hawkins † |
| Truro—Bible Hill | | Jack Coupar 4,134 38.36% | | Eleanor Norrie 4,321 40.10% | | Rick Bowden 2,321 21.54% | | | | | Ron Giffin † |

### Central Halifax

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Natural Law | Natural Law | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Halifax Bedford Basin | | Joel Matheson 4,270 37.63% | | Gerry Fogarty 4,676 41.21% | | Clarrie MacKinnon 2,323 20.47% | | Pulkesh Lakhanpal 77 0.68% | | | Joel Matheson |
| Halifax Chebucto | | J. Clair Callaghan 2,903 27.07% | | Jay Abbass 3,906 36.42% | | Eileen O'Connell 3,800 35.43% | | Christopher Collrin 116 1.08% | | | Alexa McDonough |
| Halifax Citadel | | Terry Donahoe 4,584 39.23% | | Liz Crocker 4,505 38.55% | | Mary Sparling 2,433 20.82% | | Gilles Bigras 78 0.67% | | Jan Morrison 85 0.73% | Art Donahoe † |
| Halifax Fairview | | Rosanna Liberatore 2,078 19.75% | | Art Flynn 3,558 33.82% | | Alexa McDonough 4,789 45.52% | | Mark Hawkins 96 0.91% | | | New riding |
| Halifax Needham | | Ron Walter Milsom 1,852 18.48% | | Gerry O'Malley 4,527 45.18% | | Innis MacDonald 3,555 35.48% | | Ian Temple 85 0.85% | | | Gerry O'Malley |

### Suburban Halifax

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Natural Law | Natural Law | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Bedford—Fall River | | Peter J. Kelly 4,401 40.57% | | Francene Cosman 4,794 44.19% | | Ryan Kidney 1,653 15.24% | | | | | Ken Streatch Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley |
| Halifax Atlantic | | Kevin Umlah 2,731 25.16% | | Randy Ball 4,053 37.34% | | Robert Chisholm 4,071 37.50% | | | | | Robert Chisholm |
| Sackville—Beaver Bank | | Stephen Taylor 2,353 26.93% | | Bill MacDonald 3,620 41.43% | | Frank Sutherland 2,764 31.64% | | | | | New riding |
| Sackville—Cobequid | | George Mansfield 2,313 22.00% | | Don Boutilier 3,159 30.04% | | John Holm 5,044 47.97% | | | | | John Holm Sackville |
| Timberlea—Prospect | | Debi Forsyth-Smith 2,744 30.54% | | Bruce Holland 3,470 38.62% | | Bill Estabrooks 2,772 30.85% | | | | | Jerry Lawrence † Halifax-St. Margaret's |

### Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Natural Law | Natural Law | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Cole Harbour—Eastern Passage | | John Gold 3,409 34.89% | | Dennis Richards 4,702 48.13% | | Ash Shaikh 1,501 15.36% | | Helen Creighton 158 1.62% | | | New riding |
| Dartmouth—Cole Harbour | | Michael L. MacDonald 2,905 31.31% | | Alan Mitchell 4,079 43.97% | | Gail Cann 2,293 24.72% | | | | | David Nantes † Cole Harbour |
| Dartmouth East | | Gwen Haliburton 2,429 27.46% | | Jim Smith 4,912 55.53% | | Owen Hertzman 1,504 17.00% | | | | | Jim Smith |
| Dartmouth North | | Mike Brownlow 2,327 27.11% | | Sandy Jolly 3,301 38.46% | | Jerry Pye 2,878 33.53% | | Monique Poudrette 77 0.90% | | | Sandy Jolly |
| Dartmouth South | | Colin May 3,091 31.47% | | John Savage 4,346 44.25% | | Don Chard 2,221 22.61% | | Alexander J. Gillis 163 1.66% | | | Roland J. Thornhill † |
| Eastern Shore | | Tom McInnis 3,523 40.72% | | Keith Colwell 3,760 43.46% | | Gary Moore 1,369 15.82% | | | | | Tom McInnis Halifax Eastern Shore |
| Preston | | Darryl Gray 1,016 20.94% | | Wayne Adams 1,872 38.57% | | Yvonne Atwell 584 12.03% | | | | David Hendsbee 1,381 28.46% | New riding |

### Central Nova

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Natural Law | Natural Law | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Antigonish | | Liz Chisholm 3,196 28.26% | | Bill Gillis 7,292 64.48% | | Marion MacDonald 821 7.26% | | | | | Bill Gillis |
| Guysborough—Port Hawkesbury | | Chuck MacNeil 4,242 43.20% | | Ray White 5,487 56.55% | | Frank X. Fraser 982 10.12% | | | | | Chuck MacNeil Guysborough |
| Pictou Centre | | John Hamm 4,840 47.40% | | Mary Daley 4,364 42.73% | | Cecil MacNeil 1,008 9.87% | | | | | Jack MacIsaac † |
| Pictou East | | Donald Cameron 4,446 47.05% | | Wayne Fraser 3,729 39.46% | | Dave Peters 1,275 13.49% | | | | | Donald Cameron |
| Pictou West | | Donald P. McInnes 4,032 45.72% | | Rob McDowell 3,347 37.95% | | Sonny Campbell 1,097 12.44% | | | | Edward MacMaster 343 3.89% | Donald P. McInnes |

### Cape Breton

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Natural Law | Natural Law | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Cape Breton Centre | | Julien Frison 1,012 10.99% | | Russell MacNeil 5,644 61.28% | | Victor Tomiczek 2,554 27.73% | | | | | Russell MacNeil |
| Cape Breton East | | Greg Hicks 1,069 10.38% | | John MacEachern 7,566 73.50% | | Terry McVarish 1,659 16.12% | | | | | John MacEachern |
| Cape Breton North | | Brian Young 3,911 36.43% | | Ron Stewart 5,459 50.85% | | Archie MacKinnon 1,289 12.01% | | | | Ron Laffin 76 0.71% | Brian Young |
| Cape Breton Nova | | Joe Currie 443 5.34% | | Paul MacEwan 6,816 82.22% | | Blair Riley 1,031 12.44% | | | | | Paul MacEwan |
| Cape Breton South | | Norm Ferguson 2,015 20.59% | | Manning MacDonald 5,629 57.52% | | Peter Mancini 2,143 21.90% | | | | | Vince MacLean † |
| Cape Breton—The Lakes | | Lauchie G. Leslie 1,264 13.79% | | Bernie Boudreau 6,591 71.90% | | Helen MacDonald 1,312 14.31% | | | | | Bernie Boudreau |
| Cape Breton West | | Victor Hanham 2,055 19.56% | | Russell MacKinnon 7,355 70.01% | | Daniel O'Connor 777 7.40% | | | | Wendy MacKenzie 318 3.03% | Russell MacKinnon |
| Inverness | | Frank Crowdis 2,944 30.51% | | Charles MacArthur 5,804 60.15% | | Mary T. Goodwin 902 9.35% | | | | | Charles MacArthur Inverness North |
| Richmond | | Chuck Boudreau 1,587 21.70% | | Richie Mann 5,440 74.40% | | Wilf Cude 285 3.90% | | | | | Richie Mann |
| Victoria | | Walter S. Brett 1,488 28.78% | | Kennie MacAskill 3,119 60.32% | | Gerald Yetman 414 8.01% | | | | Stemer MacLeod 150 2.90% | Kennie MacAskill |