Alex Johnston (Canadian businesswoman)

Last updated
Alex Johnston
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Business executive
  • author
  • political staffer
Political party Ontario Liberal Party
Children3
Parents

Barbara Alexandra Johnston [1] is a Canadian lawyer, author, policy advisor, women's advocate, and businesswoman as well as the daughter of David Johnston, the former Governor General of Canada from 2010 to 2017.

Contents

Early life

Johnston was born to David Johnston, later the 28th Governor General of Canada, and his wife, Sharon. [2] She was her parents' second of five children, having been born after her elder sister, Deborah, and preceding her younger sisters, Sharon, Jenifer, and Catherine. [1] [3] [4]

Johnston would spend her early years in Montreal, becoming bilingual in English and French. [2] Johnston attended Montreal's Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf and holds a BA in history as well as an LLB and a BCL from McGill University. [5]

Career

Johnston practiced corporate and commercial law at Goodmans LLP before joining the office of former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, where she was executive director of policy between 2003 and 2011. [2] [6] [7] In that role, Johnston worked alongside Gerald Butts, McGuinty's principal secretary. [2] Between 2012 and 2015, Johnston ran the Canadian office of Catalyst Inc., a global non-profit advocating for the advancement of women in business. [8] [9] [10] In her role at Catalyst, Johnston highlighted the persistence of gender inequalities in the workplace, including gender pay gap in Canada that was double the global average. [7] [11] In 2016, Johnston was appointed as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's VP of strategy and public affairs. [2] [8] [7] [12]

In 2021, Johnston published Inconceivable: My Life-Altering Eye-Opening Journey from Infertility to Motherhood, a book documenting her experiences overcoming infertility. [13] [14] [15] In the book, Johnston advocates for a more effective and inclusive approach to addressing infertility in Canada, as an increase in the average Canadian child-bearing age has led to an increase in age-related infertility. [15] [6]

Johnston is the CEO and a co-founder of 360 Concussion Care, a network of concussion treatment clinics. [16] [15] Johnston is on the board of directors of Desjardins General Insurance Group and Bishop's College School, is the co-chair of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, and is on the advisory board for the Women's College Hospital Institute for Health Systems Solutions and Virtual Care. [17]

Personal life

Johnston and her husband, David, are parents to three children: two daughters, Georgia and Sadie, and one son, Lucas. [18] Johnston and her family currently live in Toronto. [19] [20]

Arms

Coat of arms of Alex Johnston
Coat of Arms of Alex Johnston (Canada).svg
Adopted
September 24, 2010 (granted by the Canadian Heraldic Authority) [1]
Crest
A candle Argent enflamed and within a stand Or flanked by four closed books their spines palewise, two Gules and two Or, all set on a closed book bound Or its edge fesswise Argent
Escutcheon
Argent fretty Sable, on a pale Gules the Royal Crown between two open books Or
Motto
Contemplare meliora (Latin for 'To envisage a better world' / 'To envisage better things')

References

  1. 1 2 3 General, The Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "David Lloyd Johnston". reg.gg.ca. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 McFarl, Janet (9 February 2016). "CBC appoints women's advocate Alex Johnston VP of strategy, public affairs". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "David Johnston: Lawyer, academic, Canada's next GG". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. July 8, 2010. Archived from the original on July 11, 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
  4. ↑ Akin, David (July 9, 2010), "David Johnston Canada's next GG – Attended high school in Sault", Sault Star, archived from the original on December 9, 2012, retrieved July 9, 2010
  5. ↑ "Alex Johnston • Catalyst". womenworthwatching.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Weikle, Brandie (11 May 2021). "Opinion | Trying for a baby? Pandemic delays in fertility treatment 'terrifying and devastating' for many women". thestar.com. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Attfield, Paul (8 June 2016). "What other countries see as the top qualities of great leaders". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 February 10, Julianna Cummins. "CBC names new VP of strategy, public affairs" . Retrieved 25 March 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "Les ressources expliqueraient le manque de femmes sur les C.A." Finance et Investissement (in French). 9 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  10. ↑ Posadzki, Alexandra (8 March 2016). "Resource economy partly to blame for poor gender diversity on boards: CIBC CEO". CTVNews. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  11. ↑ Beach, Mary (5 May 2015). "Gender pay gap in Canada more than twice global average, study shows". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  12. ↑ February 10, Julianna Cummins. "CBC names new VP of strategy, public affairs" . Retrieved 11 April 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ Johnston, Alex (4 May 2021). Inconceivable. Canada: Sutherland House. p. 152. ISBN   9781989555392 . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  14. ↑ Reisman, Heather; Johnston, Alex. "Alex Johnston on Facing Infertility". Well Said Podcast/Chapters. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 Johnston, Alex; Dixon, Marjorie (8 May 2022). "Opinion: Canadians are suffering in silence from infertility". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "Alex Johnston – Sutherland House Publishing" . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  17. ↑ "The Right Honourable David Johnston - Canadian Club Toronto". www.canadianclub.org. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  18. ↑ Johnston, Alex (31 August 2023). "Here's What I Wish I Had Known Before I Spent 7 Heartbreaking Years Trying To Have A Baby". huffingtonpost.co.uk. Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 26 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  19. ↑ "About the Author". alexjohnston.ca. Archived from the original on 30 July 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  20. ↑ Mihalich-Levin, Lori (14 August 2021). "Inconceivable: Alex Johnston's Path to Parenthood through Infertility, IVF, and Surrogacy". mindfulreturn.com. Mindful Return. Archived from the original on 23 May 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
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