High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! In the federal election of 1958, the national Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was reduced to only eight seats in the Canadian House of Commons. The CCF's leadership restructured the party during the next three years, and in 1961 it was formally merged with the Canadian Labour Congress to create the New Democratic Party. Most provincial wings of the CCF also transformed themselves into "New Democratic Party" organizations before the year was over, with Saskatchewan as the only exception. There was very little opposition to the change in Manitoba, and the Manitoba NDP was formally constituted on November 4, 1961. Future Manitoba NDP leader Howard Pawley was one of the few CCF members to oppose the change. Outgoing CCF leader Russell Paulley easily won the new party's leadership, defeating two minor figures who offered little in the way of policy alternatives.