Party Leader: Wade MacLauchlan
Founded: 1873
Current Number of Seats: 18
Website: http://www.liberalpei.ca/
The Prince Edward Island Liberal Association is one of the two major political parties in the province. The party is affiliated with the Liberal Party of Canada.
The party was founded in 1873 and, since then, has alternated in power with the Progressive Conservatives. In the province’s history, there have been 23 Liberal premiers.
The party was created during the reform movement in the Maritimes, when British colonists demanded responsible government and their demands were eventually granted by the British crown. George Coles, a Liberal, became the first premier of Prince Edward Island in 1851.
The party has government the province for prolonged periods of time, most notably between 1891-1911 and 1935-1959. The party won four straight elections under the leadership of Alexander B. Campbell between 1966 and 1978, and Joe Ghiz won two consecutive elections for the party in 1986 and 1989.
Leader Catherine Callbeck became Canada’s first elected female premier when she won the 1993 provincial election.
Under leader Robert Ghiz, the party won provincial elections in 2007 and 2011, receiving more than 50 per cent of the popular vote on both occasions.
Ghiz announced his resignation in November 2014 and was replaced by current Premier Wade MacLauchlan in February 2015.
MacLauchlan led the party to victory in 2015, winning a majority government with 18 seats.