Audrey McLaughlin
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The Honourable Audrey McLaughlin OC, PC |
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McLaughlin at the 2012 NDP leadership convention
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| Leader of the New Democratic Party | |
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In office December 5, 1989 – October 14, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Ed Broadbent |
| Succeeded by | Alexa McDonough |
| Member of the House of Commons of Canada | |
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In office July 20, 1987 – June 2, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Erik Nielsen |
| Succeeded by | Louise Hardy |
| Constituency | Yukon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Audrey Marlene Brown November 7, 1936 Dutton, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | New Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Don McLaughlin (m. 1954; div. 1972) |
| Alma mater | MacDonald Institute |
| Occupation | Author, business consultant, researcher, social worker, teacher |
Audrey Marlene McLaughlin, OC PC (born November 8, 1936; née Brown) was leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP) from 1989 to 1995. She was the first female leader of a political party with representation in the Canadian House of Commons, as well as the first female federal political party leader to represent an electoral district in a Canadian territory.
McLaughlin was born as Audrey Marlene Brown in Dutton, Ontario, the daughter of Margaret Clark and William Brown, of Scottish and English descent. She worked as a social worker in Toronto, Ontario and in Ghana. In 1955, she graduated with a Diploma in Home Science from the MacDonald Institute (later a founding college of the University of Guelph ). In 1979, McLaughlin moved to Yukon and set up a consultancy business. In 1987, she ran in a by-election and won, the first federal NDP candidate to win in Yukon. In 1988, she was appointed caucus chair, and in 1989, she won the NDP 1989 leadership convention, replacing the retiring Ed Broadbent.
McLaughlin had taken over the NDP during one of its peaks. However, the party began a steady decline in the polls for several reasons. One was the NDP's provincial affiliates in British Columbia and Ontario, whose unpopularity in government reflected badly on the federal party. The rise of the Reform Party also sapped much NDP support in Western Canada. In the 1993 election, the NDP lost badly, and was left with only nine seats in Parliament. McLaughlin won her seat in the Yukon, but resigned as leader in 1995, and was succeeded by Alexa McDonough. McLaughlin did not run for re-election in the 1997 election.
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