The party was founded in 1969 by Tom Burgess, a disaffected former Liberal MHA who crossed the floor to become an independent when he was passed over for a cabinet seat.
Burgess initially indicated that he would support the opposition Progressive Conservative Party's bid to form a government and unseat Premier Joey Smallwood's Liberals but, days after Conservative leader Frank Moores was sworn in as Premier, Burgess was enticed to rejoin the Liberals under the false promise that he would succeed Joey Smallwood as Liberal leader and Premier.
Feelings among Labradorians that the region has been neglected by the Newfoundland and Labrador government led to the party's refounding in 2003 with Ern Condon as leader.
[4] The party received 12% of the vote in Labrador West, 8% in Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, and 5% in Torngat Mountains.
[7][8] Jimmy Tuttauk, the party's only candidate, earned almost 8% of the vote in the district of Torngat Mountains.