Claudia Chender

Canadian politician

Claudia Chender

MLA

Leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party

Incumbent

Assumed office
June 25, 2022
Preceded by| Gary Burrill
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Dartmouth South

Incumbent

Assumed office
May 30, 2017
Preceded by| Marian Mancini
Personal details
Born|  (1976-07-29) July 29, 1976 (age 48)
Political party| New Democratic Party
Spouse| Jamie MacLellan
Residence(s)| Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Occupation| Lawyer

Claudia Chender (born July 29, 1976)[1] is a Canadian politician, and leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party since June 25, 2022. She was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2017 general election, and re-elected in the 2021 general election. She represents the electoral district of Dartmouth South.[2]

## Leader of the NSNDP

[edit]

After the 2021 Nova Scotia general election, then-party leader Gary Burrill appointed Chender as the House Leader for the NSNDP caucus.[3] She returned to her role as the spokesperson for Justice and Status of Women as well as the critic for Economic Development and Natural Resources and Renewables.[3]

On November 9, 2021, Burrill announced that he would resign as leader once a successor was chosen at a future convention.[4] On February 14, 2022, Chender declared her candidacy to replace Burrill as leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party (NSNDP).[5] On May 21, 2022 registration closed for the leadership race, with Chender being the sole candidate.[6]

Chender was elected leader of the Nova Scotia NDP after a general membership vote on June 25, 2022.[7][8] She is the third female leader of the NSNDP, with the previous female leaders being Alexa McDonough and Helen MacDonald; fourth leader, if interim leader Maureen MacDonald is included.[9] Aside from her responsibilities as leader of the third party, Chender also serves as the NDP caucus spokesperson for Intergovernmental Relations (as of September 22, 2024).

## Early life and education

[edit]

Chender is a lawyer by training and has worked in the not for profit and private sectors. Three of Chender's grandparents were Holocaust survivors and she was taught about the Holocaust by her Polish-Jewish grandmother. Many of her relatives died in the Holocaust, including some at Auschwitz.[10][11] She graduated from Dalhousie University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts and then from the University of Victoria in 2004 with a Bachelor of Laws. She lives in Dartmouth South with her husband and three children.

## Electoral record

[edit]

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2021 Nova Scotia general election: Dartmouth South

Party  | Candidate  | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures
| New Democratic | Claudia Chender | 4,209 | 58.13 | +18.48 | $56,622.56
| Liberal | Lesley MacKay | 1,603 | 22.14 | -15.31 | $18,386.71
| Progressive Conservative | Chris Curtis | 1,262 | 17.43 | +1.57 | $31,677.39
| Green | Skylar Martini | 167 | 2.31 | -3.35 | $200.00
Total valid votes/Expense limit  | 7,241 | 99.64 | – | $80,768.46
Total rejected ballots  | 26 | 0.36
Turnout  | 7,267 | 52.96
Eligible voters  |  13,721
| New Democratic hold | Swing | +16.90
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[12]

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2017 Nova Scotia general election: Dartmouth South

Party  | Candidate  | Votes | % | ±%
| New Democratic | Claudia Chender | 3,545 | 39.65% | +4.40
| Liberal | Vishal Bhardwaj | 3,348 | 37.45% | +3.46
| Progressive Conservative | Jad Crnogorac | 1,418 | 15.86% | -7.30
| Green | June Trenholm | 506 | 5.66% |
| Atlantica | Jim Murray | 123 | 1.38% |
Total valid votes  | 9,007 | 99.26
Total rejected ballots  | 67 | 0.74
Turnout  | 9,074 | 51.56
Eligible voters  | 17,598
| New Democratic hold | Swing | +0.47
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[13][14]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ The Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia: a biographical directory from 1984 to the Present: Chender, Claudia, page 41 Nova Scotia Legislature
2. ^ "Nova Scotia election: NDP Claudia Chender elected in Dartmouth South riding". Global News, May 30, 2017.
3. ^ a b Cooke, Alex (September 8, 2021). "Nova Scotia NDP leader Gary Burrill announces new caucus roles". Global News. Halifax, Nova Scotia. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
4. ^ Doucette, Keith (November 9, 2021). "Nova Scotia NDP Leader Gary Burrill to step down once party chooses successor". CTV News. Halfax, Nova Scotia. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
5. ^ Renić, Karla (February 14, 2022). "Claudia Chender announces her bid for leadership of Nova Scotia NDP Party". Global News. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
6. ^ The Canadian Press (May 21, 2022). "Claudia Chender sole candidate running as leader of Nova Scotia's NDP". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
7. ^ Ramesar, Vernon (May 21, 2022). "Claudia Chender unopposed in run for Nova Scotia NDP leadership". CBC News. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
8. ^ Fairclough, Ian (June 25, 2022). "Chender comes out swinging in first speech as Nova Scotia's NDP leader". The Chronicle Herald. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
9. ^ Doucette, Keith (June 25, 2022). "Nova Scotia NDP officially confirms Claudia Chender as new party leader". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
10. ^ "Nova Scotia MLA whose grandparents fled Holocaust condemns Nazi graffiti". Canadian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
11. ^ "Tweets". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
12. ^ "Provincial General Election 2021-08-17- Official Results". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
13. ^ "Statement of Votes & Statistics, Volume I" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
14. ^ "May 30th, 2017 - 40th Nova Scotia Provincial General Election". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved July 17, 2021.

* v
* t
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Current members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

64th General Assembly of Nova Scotia

Progressive Conservative|

* Houston
* Adams
* Bain
* Balser
* Barkhouse
* Boudreau
* Comer
* Corkum-Greek
* Craig
* Dunn
* Druhan
* Grosse
* Halman
* Harrison
* Johns
* C. LeBlanc
* Lohr
* MacDonald
* MacLeod
* MacMaster
* Maguire
* Masland
* Morrow
* Palmer
* Ritcey
* Rushton
* Sheehy-Richard
* Smith
* Taggart
* Thompson
* White
* Wong
* Young

Liberal|

* Churchill
* Arab
* Clark
* DiCostanzo
* Duale
* Ince
* Irving
* Jessome
* Kerr
* R. LeBlanc
* Mombourquette
* Nicoll
* Rankin
* Regan
* Tilley

New Democratic|

* Chender
* Burrill
* Coombes
* Hansen
* Lachance
* S. Leblanc

Independent|

* Smith-McCrossin

* v
* t
* e

New Democratic Party

Party wings|

| Federal|

* New Democratic Party

|

Provincial / Territorial|

* Alberta
* British Columbia
* Manitoba
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* Nova Scotia
* Ontario
* Prince Edward Island
* Saskatchewan
* Yukon

Historical|

* Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
* Manitoba
* Ontario
* Quebec
* Quebec
* Toronto

Federal level|

| Leaders|

* Woodsworth (CCF)
* Coldwell (CCF)
* Argue (CCF)
* Douglas
* Lewis
* Broadbent
* McLaughlin
* McDonough
* Layton
* Mulcair
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|

Leadership elections|

* 1961
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Parliamentary election
candidates|

* 1988
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Provincial level|

| Current leaders|

* Beck – SK
* Chender – NS
* Dinn – NL
* Eby – BC
* Stiles – ON
* Kinew – MB
* Neill – PEI
* Nenshi – AB
* A. White – NB
* K. White – YT

|

Upcoming or most recent
leadership elections|

* Alberta 2024
* British Columbia 2022
* Manitoba 2017
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* Newfoundland & Labrador 2023
* Nova Scotia 2022
* Ontario 2023
* Prince Edward Island 2022
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Shadow cabinets|

* 39th Parliament
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Factions|

* The Waffle (1969–1972)
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Key documents and events|

* Creation of Ginger Group (1924)
* Founding of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (1932)
* Regina Manifesto (1933)
* Winnipeg Declaration (1956)
* Statement of Principles (1983)

See also|

* Canadian Labour Congress
* History
* List of CCF/NDP members
* Alberta
* British Columbia
* Saskatchewan
* Manitoba
* Ontario
* Nova Scotia
* Yukon
* Presidents
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* Alberta
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* Leap Manifesto
* New Democratic Party of Quebec

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Leaders of the Nova Scotia CCF/NDP

* D. MacDonald
* Cunningham
* M. Macdonald
* Aitchison
* Akerman
* MacEachern*
* McDonough
* Holm
* Chisholm
* H. MacDonald
* Dexter
* M. MacDonald*
* Burrill
* Chender

* * Denotes Interim

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