Johnston ministry | |
---|---|
29th ministry of British Columbia | |
Date formed | April 2, 1991 |
Date dissolved | November 5, 1991 |
People and organisations | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Lieutenant Governor | David Lam |
Premier | Rita Johnston |
Member party | Social Credit |
Status in legislature | Majority |
Opposition party | New Democratic Party |
Opposition leader | Mike Harcourt |
History | |
Legislature term | 34th Parliament of British Columbia |
Predecessor | Vander Zalm ministry |
Successor | Harcourt ministry |
The Johnston ministry was the combined Cabinet (formally the Executive Council of British Columbia) that governed British Columbia from April 2, 1991, to November 5, 1991. It was led by Rita Johnston, the 29th premier of British Columbia, and consisted of members of the Social Credit Party.
The Johnston ministry was in office for the last seven months of the 34th Parliament of British Columbia. Johnston was Deputy Premier of British Columbia in the preceding Vander Zalm ministry; following Bill Vander Zalm's resignation, the Social Credit caucus selected her to be the interim leader (and thus premier) while the party could organize a leadership convention. Johnston successfully stood for the permanent leadership. She was the first woman to serve as a first minister in Canada. [1]
Following the 1991 election, which the Social Credit Party lost, the ministry was replaced by the Harcourt ministry. [1]
Portfolio | Minister | Tenure | |
---|---|---|---|
Start | End | ||
Premier of British Columbia | Rita Johnston | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Advanced Education, Training and Technology | Bruce Strachan | April 2, 1991 | May 7, 1991 |
Stan Hagen | May 7, 1991 | May 29, 1991 | |
Peter Albert Dueck | May 29, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Harry de Jong | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Larry Chalmers | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Attorney General | Russell Fraser | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Crown Lands | Dave Parker | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Minister of Development, Trade and Tourism | Howard Dirks | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Education | Stan Hagen | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources | Jack Weisgerber | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Environment | Clifford Serwa | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
David Mercier | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister responsible for Families | Carol Gran | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Finance and Corporate Relations | Elwood Veitch | April 2, 1991 | April 8, 1991 |
Mel Couvelier | April 8, 1991 | May 7, 1991 | |
John Jansen | May 7, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister of Forests | Claude Richmond | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Government Management Services | Carol Gran | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Minister of Health | John Jansen | April 2, 1991 | May 7, 1991 |
Bruce Strachan | May 7, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister of International Business and Immigration | Elwood Veitch | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Minister of Labour and Consumer Services | James Rabbitt | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Lands and Parks | Dave Parker | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister responsible for Multiculturalism and Immigration | Elwood Veitch | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture | Lyall Hanson | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Graham Bruce | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister of Native Affairs | Jack Weisgerber | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
John Savage | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister of Parks | John Savage | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Provincial Secretary | Howard Dirks | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Elwood Veitch | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister of Regional and Economic Development | Bud Smith | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Minister responsible for Seniors | John Jansen | April 2, 1991 | May 7, 1991 |
Bruce Strachan | May 7, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister of Social Services and Housing | Norman Jacobsen | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Solicitor General | Ivan Messmer | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
Minister of Tourism | Cliff Michael | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Minister of Transportation and Highways | Rita Johnston | April 2, 1991 | April 15, 1991 |
Lyall Hanson | April 15, 1991 | November 5, 1991 | |
Minister of Women's Programs and Government Services [a] | Carol Gran | April 2, 1991 | November 5, 1991 |
On April 8, Johnston reappointed Mel Couvelier as finance minister. Couvelier had previously been finance minister under Vander Zalm, but had resigned on March 6 as a protest against Vander Zalm's conflict-of-interest investigation. Elwood Veitch, who had taken over the finance ministry after Couvelier's resignation, remained in cabinet as minister of international business and immigration. [2]
Johnston shuffled her cabinet on April 15. Three new members joined: Graham Bruce, Larry Chalmers and David Mercier. Notably, Bruce and Mercier were two of the four MLAs who had quit the party caucus in 1989 in protest of Vander Zalm's leadership. Meanwhile, four ministers left cabinet: Harry de Jong, Cliff Michael, Cliff Serwa and Bud Smith. Several portfolios were reconfigured or merged to accommodate the slightly smaller cabinet. The new Ministry of Lands and Parks was created by joining the Ministry of Parks and Ministry of Crown Lands; the tourism and international business portfolios were combined as the new Ministry of Development, Trade and Tourism; and the remaining immigration portfolio was expanded to include multiculturalism. [3]
On May 7, Johnston fired Couvelier from cabinet for allegedly breaching the confidentiality provisions of the Financial Institutions Act. Couvelier's departure caused a mini-shuffle: John Jansen was named the new finance minister, Bruce Strachan moved into Jansen's old role as health minister, and Stan Hagen took over Strachan's old portfolio of advanced education (while remaining education minister). [4]
On May 29, Peter Albert Dueck was appointed Minister of Advanced Education. Dueck had previously been in Vander Zalm's cabinet until being forced to resign in May 1990 over an expenses scandal; after an RCMP investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing, Johnston invited him back to cabinet. [5]
William Nicholas Vander Zalm is a Dutch-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as the 28th premier of British Columbia and leader of the British Columbia Social Credit Party from 1986 to 1991. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the riding of Surrey from 1975 to 1983, and the riding of Richmond from 1986 to 1991.
Rita Margaret Johnston 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, serving for seven months.
The British Columbia Social Credit Party was a conservative political party in British Columbia, Canada. It was the governing party of British Columbia for all but three years between the 1952 provincial election and the 1991 election. For four decades, the party dominated the British Columbian political scene, with the only break occurring between the 1972 and 1975 elections when the British Columbia New Democratic Party governed. Party members were known as Socreds.
Grace Mary McCarthy, OC, OBC, LLD, DTech, FRAIC (Hon.) was a Canadian politician and florist in British Columbia. A high-ranking member of the Social Credit Party of British Columbia, she was largely responsible for rebuilding that party after its defeat in the 1972 provincial election.
The 1991 British Columbia general election was the 35th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on September 19, 1991, and held on October 17, 1991. The incumbent Social Credit Party of British Columbia, which had been beset by scandals during Bill Vander Zalm's only term as premier, was defeated by the New Democratic Party of Mike Harcourt. Liberal Party leader Gordon Wilson surprised observers by leading his party to winning one-third of the votes cast, and forming the official opposition in the legislature after having held no seats at all since 1979. The new legislature met for the first time on March 17, 1992.
The British Columbia Social Credit Party was a conservative political party in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The provincial Social Credit movement was divided in its early years and was largely under the influence of the Alberta Social Credit League; it did not have a functional leadership before 1952.
Stanley Brian Hagen was a Canadian politician who served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia on two separate occasions. He was the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the riding of Comox from 1986 to 1991 as part of the British Columbia Social Credit Party (Socred), and MLA for the riding of Comox Valley as part of the British Columbia Liberal Party from 2001 until his death. During his political career, he served as minister for 10 different ministries; he was the Minister of Agriculture and Lands when he died.
Surrey-Newton is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.
Claude Harry Richmond is a former Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the riding of Kamloops from 1981 to 1991 as part of the British Columbia Social Credit Party (Socred), and from 2001 to 2009 as part of the British Columbia Liberal Party. He held various cabinet positions under premiers Bill Bennett, Bill Vander Zalm, Rita Johnston and Gordon Campbell, and served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2005.
Brian Ray Douglas Smith is a Canadian politician and business executive. He served for a decade on Oak Bay municipal council and was mayor of Oak Bay from 1974 to 1979. Smith was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 1979 election to represent the riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head for the Social Credit Party. He was re-elected in the 1983 and 1986 election.
Graham Preston Bruce is a former Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the electoral district of Cowichan-Malahat from 1986 to 1991 as part of the Social Credit Party (Socred), and the district of Cowichan-Ladysmith from 2001 to 2005 as a BC Liberal. He was a cabinet minister under premiers Rita Johnston and Gordon Campbell.
Stuart Douglas Boland "Bud" Smith is a lawyer, businessman and former politician in British Columbia. He represented Kamloops in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991 as a Social Credit member, serving alongside Claude Richmond in a dual-member district.
Melville Bertram Couvelier was a businessman and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Saanich and the Islands from 1986 to 1991 in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a Social Credit member.
Peter Albert Dueck was a politician and cabinet minister in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Russell Gordon Fraser was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1983 to 1991, as a Social Credit member for the constituency of Vancouver South.
David Maurice Mercier was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991, as a Social Credit member for the constituency of Burnaby-Edmonds. In 1991, he served several months as British Columbia's Minister of Environment. He was a chartered accountant. Mercier was mayor of Burnaby, British Columbia from 1979 to 1981. He previously ran unsuccessfully in Burnaby-Edmonds in the 1966 provincial election as a Liberal candidate and in Burnaby-Willingdon in the 1972 provincial election as a Social Credit candidate.
John Jansen is a former Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991, as a Social Credit member for the constituency of Chilliwack.
Duane Delton Crandall was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991, as a Social Credit member for the constituency of Columbia River.
The Harcourt ministry was the combined Cabinet that governed British Columbia from November 5, 1991, to February 22, 1996. It was led by Mike Harcourt, the 30th premier of British Columbia, and consisted of members of the New Democratic Party (NDP).
The Vander Zalm ministry was the combined Cabinet that governed British Columbia from August 6, 1986, to April 2, 1991. It was led by Bill Vander Zalm, the 28th premier of British Columbia, and consisted of members of the Social Credit Party.