McDonough << muhk DON uh >>, Alexa Ann (1944-2022), served as leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) from 1995 to 2003. As a social democrat, she promoted the welfare state and favored a mixture of public (government) and private ownership in the economy. McDonough was a strong supporter of human rights and governmental social programs such as medicare, a tax-supported health care plan. Under McDonough’s leadership in the 1997 federal election, the NDP increased its vote and the number of seats it held in Canada’s House of Commons. However, the NDP vote and number of seats in the House declined following the 2000 federal election.
McDonough was born on Aug. 11, 1944, in Ottawa, Ontario, and grew up in Nova Scotia. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Dalhousie University in 1965 and a master’s degree from the Maritime School of Social Work in 1967. She became involved in public policy research, social work, and community development in Halifax, Nova Scotia. McDonough was elected leader of the Nova Scotia NDP in 1980. As such, she became the first woman to lead a major political party at the provincial level of government in Canada. She held a seat in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1981 to 1995. McDonough was elected to the federal House of Commons in 1997 and served as a member of Parliament until 2008. She stepped down as federal NDP leader in 2003 and was succeeded by Jack Layton. McDonough died on Jan. 15, 2022.
