Editing Labrador Party (section)

==New Labrador Party (1969–1975)==
{{Infobox political party
| name          = New Labrador Party
| native_name   = 
| _subheader    = Provincial political party
| logo          = 
| leader        = 
| president     = 
| chairman      = 
| chairperson   = 
| spokesperson  = 
| leader1_title =  
| leader1_name  =  
| foundation    = 1969
| dissolution   = 1975
| merger        = 
| split         = 
| predecessor   = 
| merged        = 
| successor     = 
| headquarters  = 
| ideology      = [[Labrador]] interests
| position      = 
| national      = 
| international = 
| student_wing  = 
| youth_wing    = 
| membership    = 
| membership_year = 
| colours       = 
| colors        = 
| colorcode     = #015521
| blank1_title  = Fiscal policy
| blank1        = 
| blank2_title  = Social policy
| blank2        = 
| seats1_title  = <--! Seats in the House of Commons -->
| seats1        = 
| seats2_title  = Seats in the Senate
| seats2        = 
| seats3_title  = Seats in [[Legislative Assemblies of Canadian provinces and territories|Legislature]]
| seats3        = 
| website       = 
| country       = Canada
| state         = Canada
| parties_dab1  = List of political parties in Canada
| elections_dab1= Elections in Canada
| footnotes     = 
}}
The party was founded in 1969 by [[Tom Burgess (Newfoundland politician)|Tom Burgess]], a disaffected former Liberal MHA who crossed the floor to become an independent when he was passed over for a cabinet seat. He was re-elected to the [[Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly]] from [[Labrador West (electoral district)|Labrador West]] in the [[1971 Newfoundland general election|1971 provincial election]] under the New Labrador Party banner. The election returned a [[hung parliament]]. Burgess initially indicated that he would support the opposition Progressive Conservative Party's bid to form a government and unseat Premier [[Joey Smallwood]]'s Liberals but, days after Conservative leader [[Frank Moores]] was sworn in as Premier, Burgess was enticed to rejoin the Liberals under the false promise that he would succeed Joey Smallwood as Liberal leader and Premier. Burgess joined the Liberals on January 31, 1972<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.heritage.nf.ca/law/changing_gov_timeline.html | title=Timeline: Changing Government 1971-72: Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage }}</ref> but was defeated in the party's leadership convention. His defection and that of a Progressive Conservative MHA was enough to bring down the Moores government and force an election; however, Burgess lost his seat and Moores formed a majority Conservative government.<ref name=bio>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/cns_enl/id/1688 |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador]] |page=288 |title=Burgess, Thomas William}}</ref>

[[Michael S. Martin (politician)|Mike Martin]] won a seat for the party in a 1972 [[by-election]] in Labrador South. However, the MHA retired prior to the [[1975 Newfoundland general election|1975 election]], and the party was dissolved.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
|+ Election results
|-
! scope="col" | Election year
! scope="col" | No. of<br />overall votes
! scope="col" | % of<br />overall total
! scope="col" | % of total<br />in Labrador
! scope="col" | No. of<br />candidates who ran
! scope="col" | No. of<br />seats won
! scope="col" | +/&minus;
! scope="col" | Government
|-
| [[1971 Newfoundland general election|1971]]
| 5,595
| 2.38
| 45.00
| {{Composition bar|3|42|hex=#3CB371}}
| {{Composition bar|1|42|hex=#3CB371}}
| {{steady}}
| {{No2|Third Party}}
|-
|[[1972 Newfoundland general election|1972]]
|2,548
|1.21
|22.58
|{{Composition bar|3|42|hex=#3CB371}}
|{{Composition bar|0|42|hex=#3CB371}}
|{{decrease}}1
|{{eliminated|No seats}}
|-
|}

{{CANelec/top|NL|August 31, 1972|by=yes|reason=Void election|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|NL|Labrador|[[Michael S. Martin (politician)|Michael S. Martin]]|1,057|50.65|+0.68}}
{{CANelec|NL|Liberal|[[Josiah Harvey]]|899|43.05|-6.98}}
{{CANelec|NL|PC|Edward F. Kearsey|132|6.30|–}}
{{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|2,088|99.24|–}}
{{CANelec/total|Total rejected ballots|16|0.76|–}}
{{CANelec/total|Turnout|2,104|94.01|+10.68}}
{{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|2,238}}
{{CANelec/gain|NL|Labrador|Liberal|+3.83}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: [[Elections Newfoundland & Labrador]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Labrador South By-Election, 1972 |url=https://www.elections.gov.nl.ca/elections/resources/pdf/electionreports/byelections/72.Labrador.South.aug.31.pdf |website=[[Elections NL]] |access-date=27 January 2025}}</ref>}}
{{end}}