▁leadership ▁on ▁February ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁over ▁Mike ▁L ec la ir ▁and ▁Jud y ▁Wh itt aker . ▁He ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁party ▁in ▁provincial ▁elections ▁in ▁both ▁Prince ▁Edward ▁Island ▁and ▁Nova ▁Scot ia . ▁ ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁party ▁into ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁election , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁party ' s ▁assembly man ▁candidate ▁in ▁ 4 th ▁Prince , ▁but ▁won ▁no ▁seats ▁on ▁election ▁day . ▁Following ▁the ▁election ▁loss , ▁he ▁took ▁a ▁three - month ▁un pa id ▁leave ▁of ▁absence ▁from ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁leader , ▁so ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁collect ▁un emp loyment ▁benefits ▁and ▁thus ▁save ▁the ▁party ▁money ▁through ▁not ▁having ▁to ▁pay ▁his ▁leader ' s ▁sal ary . ▁ ▁He ▁res igned ▁as ▁party ▁leader ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁and ▁was ▁succeeded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁by ▁Her b ▁Dick ies on . ▁ ▁He ▁ran ▁as ▁the ▁party ' s ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁district ▁of ▁Park dale - Bel ved ere ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁election , ▁but ▁was ▁again ▁not ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁legisl ature . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁federal ▁election , ▁he ▁ran ▁in ▁the ▁district ▁of ▁Card igan , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁win ▁the ▁seat . ▁ ▁Duch es ne ▁was ▁the ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁New ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁candidate ▁in ▁C umber land ▁South ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0