▁party ▁ranks ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁vote ▁against ▁the ▁Liber als ▁minor ity ▁government ▁budget . ▁In ▁October , ▁he ▁quit ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁c au cus ▁to ▁sit ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁member , ▁before ▁crossing ▁the ▁floor ▁in ▁November ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁New ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁He ▁ran ▁for ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁but ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁John ▁Ch ata way . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁B itter - Su ermann ▁announced ▁his ▁candid acy ▁for ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁New ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁At ▁the ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁convention , ▁B itter - Su ermann ▁finished ▁last ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁ball ot ▁with ▁ 3 1 ▁votes . ▁ ▁B itter - Su ermann ▁ran ▁again ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁election , ▁but ▁lost ▁to ▁Ch ata way ▁by ▁ 3 9 ▁votes . ▁Following ▁Ch ata way ' s ▁death ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁B itter - Su ermann ▁was ▁nominated ▁as ▁the ▁N DP ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁by e lection ▁to ▁replace ▁him . ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁B itter - Su erman ▁finished ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁by e lection , ▁losing ▁to ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁candidate ▁Jud y ▁Stre atch . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁