Rita Johnston
| Rita Margaret Johnston | |
|---|---|
| 29th Premier of British Columbia | |
|
In office April 2, 1991 – November 5, 1991 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Brian Mulroney |
| Lieutenant Governor | David Lam |
| Preceded by | Bill Vander Zalm |
| Succeeded by | Mike Harcourt |
| Leader of the British Columbia Social Credit Party |
|
|
In office April 2, 1991 – March 7, 1992 |
|
| Preceded by | Bill Vander Zalm |
| Succeeded by | Jack Weisgerber |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs of British Columbia | |
|
In office August 14, 1986 – November 1, 1989 |
|
| Premier | Bill Vander Zalm |
| Preceded by | Jack Heinrich |
| Succeeded by | Lyall Hanson |
| Minister of State, Kootenay of British Columbia | |
|
In office October 22, 1987 – July 6, 1988 |
|
| Premier | Bill Vander Zalm |
| Minister of Transportation and Highways of British Columbia | |
|
In office November 1, 1989 – April 2, 1991 |
|
| Premier | Bill Vander Zalm |
| Preceded by | Neil Vant |
| Succeeded by | Art Charbonneau |
| Deputy Premier of British Columbia | |
|
In office August 10, 1990 – April 2, 1991 |
|
| Premier | Bill Vander Zalm |
| Preceded by | Grace McCarthy |
| Succeeded by | Anita Hagen |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Newton Surrey (1983-1986) |
|
|
In office May 5, 1983 – October 17, 1991 Serving with William Earl Reid (1983-1986) |
|
| Preceded by |
Bill Vander Zalm Ernest Hall |
| Succeeded by | Penny Priddy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rita Margaret Leichert April 22, 1935 Melville, Saskatchewan |
| Political party |
Social Credit Party (1983-?) BC Conservative (c. 2009-present) |
| Spouse(s) | George Johnston (m. 1951) |
Rita Margaret Johnston (born April 22, 1935; née Leichert) is a Canadian politician in British Columbia. Johnston became the first female premier in Canadian history when she succeeded Bill Vander Zalm in 1991 to become the 29th Premier of British Columbia.
The daughter of John Leichert and Annie Chyzzy, she was educated in Vancouver. In 1951, she married George Johnston.
Much of her early life was spent running a successful trailer park in the city of Surrey, British Columbia.
She first entered politics as a city councillor for Surrey City Council. In 1983, she was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as part of the Social Credit Party, representing the provincial riding of Surrey.
She was reelected in 1986 in the newly created riding of Surrey-Newton, and became a cabinet minister under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, serving in various portfolios. She had previously served under Vander Zalm when she was a councilor and he was the mayor of Surrey.
Vander Zalm appointed Johnston deputy premier in 1990. When Vander Zalm resigned on April 2, 1991, Johnston was named interim leader of the party. As such, she was appointed premier on April 2, 1991; making her Canada's first female premier.
At a Social Credit party convention in July 1991 she was formally elected leader of the BC Socreds in an upset, defeating the favoured front-runner Grace McCarthy. However, she had little time to implement any new programs, since she faced a statutory general election in October. The party was also bitterly divided due to the leadership contest, and had little time to repair the breach before the writs were dropped.
...
Wikipedia