Alexa McDonough, former NDP leader and trailblazer for women in politics, has died

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Sat, 2022-01-15 10:57

Pondering

Alexa McDonough, whose leadership of the Nova Scotia NDP in 1980 made her the first woman to lead a major political party in Canada, has died at the age of 77.

McDonough, who also became the leader of the federal New Democratic Party in 1995, died at a care home in Halifax on Saturday after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer's disease, her family said.

Known affectionately as simply Alexa, McDonough changed the face of politics in Canada and paved the way for other women to take their places at the pinnacles of political power. She was an inspiration to generations of New Democrats even after her retirement from politics 14 years ago.

The one-time social worker's passion for social justice carried her first to the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia, where she helped craft the party's social policy platform in the 1970 provincial election. But by 1974, disenchanted with the government of then-premier Gerald Regan, she found a new home in the NDP and never left.

Sat, 2022-01-15 12:52

NDPP

The only NDP politician who publicly supported a public inquiry into the 1995 Gustafsen Lake crisis and the actions of the BC government. At a time when Svend Robinson MP publicly didn't.

Sat, 2022-01-15 20:40

Ken Burch

Long live Alexa McDonough!

Sat, 2022-01-15 21:27

jerrym

I was surprised. I still think of her as a 50 something. A fighter with a smile and determination.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/alexa-mcdonough-death-jan-15-...

Sat, 2022-01-15 21:49

laine lowe laine lowe's picture

I remember being involved in a campaign to elect Marion Dewar as the president of the NDP Party. I was very new to that level of campaigning having only volunteered to pass out leaflets and make canvassing calls for past provincial and federal NDP campaigns. I got to work on the Hill making calls in MP offices and got to attend the convention at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa.

It was exciting times and I remember Margaret Mitchell and her staff organizing support on the west coast and Alexa McDonough and her staff organizing east coast support. It really felt like a major push to break the glass ceiling and as a young woman I was very inspired. That was my first introduction to Alexa and I was pleased to see her eventually lead the NDP. Way too young to die and she was robbed of many great retirement years by Alzheimers.

Mon, 2022-01-17 05:59

Debater

I'm surprised there aren't more posts. McDonough helped keep the NDP alive during a dark decade for the party and also helped it establish a beachhead in Atlantic Canada which lasted for many years.

Mon, 2022-01-17 09:55

epaulo13

..i didn't get my political beginnings based on ndp..not exactly anyway. it came from a more left position and from ndy folks who had left the party because the party was not radical enough in their positions on what needed to change.

..i wasn't aware that mcdonough publicly had supported an inquiry into gustafsen lake. yet another attack on indigenous folk by an ndp gov.

..that took courage since she was alone in doing so and must have faced a lot of pressure. and for that i wish her long life and happiness in the netherworld.