List of female first ministers in Canada

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Map showing the number of female Premiers and Prime Ministers elected across the provinces and federally throughout their histories.
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Map showing the number of female Premiers and Prime Ministers elected across the provinces and federally throughout their histories.
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A total of sixteen women have served as the first minister of a Canadian government. Of these, one was prime minister of the country, eleven were premiers of a province and four were premiers of a territory. There are two current first ministers in Canada who are women: Danielle Smith, 19th premier of Alberta, who assumed office on 11 October 2022, and Susan Holt, 35th premier of New Brunswick, who assumed office on 2 November 2024.

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Women have been eligible to become premier since they first gained the right to vote, beginning in 1916 in Manitoba and extending to all jurisdictions when Quebec allowed women to vote in 1940. Women soon began to be appointed to cabinet positions, starting with Mary Ellen Smith in British Columbia in 1921, but it was not until decades later that women began to serve as leaders of a major party. Hilda Watson became the first woman to lead her party to victory in a general election in 1978. However, Watson did not win her riding so her male successor became the first Government Leader of the Yukon. The first female premier was Rita Johnston in 1991 in British Columbia. Today, every Canadian jurisdiction has had at least one female premier except for Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.

The most women first ministers at any one time was six, for 277 days from 11 February to 15 November 2013. These six included the premiers of Canada's four most populated provinces; during that time, approximately 88% of Canadians had a female premier. The longest-serving female premier is Christy Clark, who served as premier of British Columbia for over six years, from 14 March 2011 to 18 July 2017.

Four of the sixteen women first ministers won the title by defeating an incumbent first minister in a general election, while three were chosen by a consensus of their legislative assembly. The rest won the title through a party leadership race between elections, although several of those went on to win a general election as the incumbent premier. No woman premier in Canadian history has ever been elected to more than one mandate. Christy Clark came closest by winning the most seats in the 2017 election, which would have been her second mandate, but she was not successful in forming government as the BC Liberals were defeated in a confidence vote shortly after. [1] [2]

First ministers

PortraitNameJurisdictionDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical partyLeadership history and electoral mandates
Rita Johnston British Columbia 2 April 19915 November 1991217 days British Columbia Social Credit Party Named as interim party leaderand therefore premierin 1991 upon the resignation of Premier Bill Vander Zalm in the Fantasy Gardens scandal. Confirmed as party leader in the 1991 party leadership election. Her party lost power in the following general election.
Nellie Cournoyea.jpg Nellie Cournoyea Northwest Territories 14 November 199122 November 19954 years, 8 daysNonpartisan (consensus government)Chosen as the premier of the nonpartisan government after the 1991 general election for one term.
Catherine Callbeck Prince Edward Island 25 January 19939 October 19963 years, 258 days Prince Edward Island Liberal Party Chosen as party leaderand therefore premierby the 1993 party leadership election upon the retirement of Premier Joe Ghiz. She then led her party to win the 1993 general election. She was the first provincial female party leader to lead a party to election or re-election. She resigned after dropping in the polls.
KimCampbell.jpg Kim Campbell Canada
(Federal)
25 June 19934 November 1993132 days Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Chosen as party leaderand therefore prime ministerby the 1993 party leadership election upon the retirement of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Her party lost power in the following general election.
Pat Duncan Yukon 5 June 20005 November 20022 years, 153 days Yukon Liberal Party Named party leader while her party was the third party opposition in 1998. Became leader of the opposition partway through the 29th Yukon Legislature. Led her party to victory and thereby became premier in the 2000 general election. She was the first woman to defeat a sitting premier. Her party lost power in the following general election.
Premier Eva Aariak cropped.jpg Eva Aariak Nunavut 19 November 200819 November 20135 years, 0 daysNonpartisan (consensus government)Chosen as the premier of the nonpartisan government after the 2008 general election for one term.
Kathy Dunderdale 31May2011.jpg Kathy Dunderdale Newfoundland and Labrador 3 December 201024 January 20143 years, 52 days Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador Chosen as interim party leaderand therefore premierin 2010 upon the retirement of Premier Danny Williams after serving as his deputy premier. Her party leadership was confirmed at the 2011 party leadership election. She then led her party to victory in the 2011 general election. She resigned after dropping in the polls.
Christy Clark 2014.jpg Christy Clark British Columbia 14 March 201118 July 20176 years, 126 days British Columbia Liberal Party Chosen as party leaderand therefore premier by the 2011 party leadership election upon the retirement of Premier Gordon Campbell. Led her party to victory in the 2013 general election. She won a plurality of seats in the 2017 general election, but immediately lost a confidence vote and resigned. As of 2024, she is the female premier who held office the longest.
Alison Redford 2012.jpg Alison Redford Alberta 7 October 201123 March 20142 years, 167 days Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta Chosen as party leaderand therefore premier by the 2011 party leadership election upon the retirement of Premier Ed Stelmach. Then led her party to victory in the 2012 general election. She resigned after dropping in the polls due to a number of damaging scandals. [3] [4]
Photographie officielle de Pauline Marois.png Pauline Marois Quebec 19 September 201223 April 20141 year, 216 days Parti Québécois Chosen as party leader while her party was the third party opposition by the 2007 party leadership election. Led her party to become the official opposition in the 2008 general election and later led her party to victoryand thereby became premierin the 2012 general election. She was the first female party leader to defeat a sitting premier in a province, and the first to achieve victory without having previously inherited premiership from a previous provincial party leader. Her party lost power in the following general election.
Kathleen Wynne March 2015.jpg Kathleen Wynne Ontario 11 February 201329 June 20185 years, 138 days Ontario Liberal Party Chosen as party leaderand therefore premierby the 2013 party leadership election upon the retirement of Premier Dalton McGuinty. Then led her party to victory in the 2014 general election. Lost re-election in the 2018 general election.
Wynne was also the first lesbian woman to serve as a premier in Canada.
Rachel Notley crop.jpg Rachel Notley Alberta 24 May 201530 April 20193 years, 341 days Alberta New Democratic Party Chosen as party leader while her party was the fourth party in opposition by the 2014 party leadership election. Led her party to victory in the 2015 general election. Defeated in the 2019 general election and became Leader of the Opposition.
Caroline Cochrane.jpg Caroline Cochrane Northwest Territories 24 October 20198 December 20234 years, 45 daysNonpartisan (consensus government)Chosen as the premier of the nonpartisan government after the 2019 general election. Did not run for a second term.
Heather Stefanson (cropped).jpg Heather Stefanson Manitoba 2 November 202118 October 20231 year, 350 days Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba Chosen as party leader—and premier—by the 2021 party leadership election upon the retirement of Premier Brian Pallister. Her party was defeated in the 2023 Manitoba general election.
Danielle Smith 2014.jpg Danielle Smith Alberta 11 October 2022incumbent 2 years, 323 days United Conservative Party of Alberta Chosen as party leader—and premier—by the 2022 United Conservative Party leadership election upon the resignation of Jason Kenney. She was re-elected in the 2023 Alberta general election.
Susan Holt Quispamsis 2024.jpg Susan Holt New Brunswick 2 November 2024incumbent296 days New Brunswick Liberal Association Chosen as party leader while her party was the official opposition by the 2022 party leadership election. Led her party to victory in the 2024 general election.

Timeline of female first ministers

Susan HoltDanielle SmithHeather StefansonCaroline CochraneRachel NotleyKathleen WynnePauline MaroisAlison RedfordChristy ClarkKathy DunderdaleEva AariakPat DuncanKim CampbellCatherine CallbeckNellie CournoyeaRita JohnstonList of female first ministers in Canada

Opposition leaders

The following women have served as leaders of political parties represented in the House of Commons or a provincial legislature. Those women who served as both opposition leader and first minister at some point in their careers are listed in the above section.

Federal

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
AudreyMcLaughlin2012 1.png Audrey McLaughlin 5 December 198914 October 19955 years, 313 days New Democratic Party
Alexa McDonough cropped.jpg Alexa McDonough 14 October 199525 January 20037 years, 103 days New Democratic Party
Elsie Wayne 2 April 199814 November 1998226 days Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Deborah Grey.jpg Deborah Grey 27 March 20008 July 2000103 days Canadian Alliance
Elizabeth May in July 2014.jpg Elizabeth May 26 August 20064 November 201913 years, 70 days Green Party of Canada
Vivian Barbot 11 May 201111 December 2011214 days Bloc Québécois
Nycole Turmel 2011.jpg Nycole Turmel 22 August 201124 March 2012215 days New Democratic Party
Rona Ambrose at the 67th World Health Assembly - 2014 (cropped).jpg Rona Ambrose 5 November 201527 May 20171 year, 203 days Conservative Party of Canada
Martine Ouellet 2016-06-30 B.jpg Martine Ouellet 14 March 201711 June 20181 year, 89 days Bloc Québécois
Jo-AnnRoberts.jpg Jo-Ann Roberts 4 November 20193 October 2020334 days Green Party of Canada
Annamie Paul in Toronto Regent Park (cropped).jpg Annamie Paul 3 October 202014 November 20211 year, 42 days Green Party of Canada
Candice Bergen - 2017 (cropped).jpg Candice Bergen 2 February 202210 September 2022220 days Conservative Party of Canada
Elizabeth May in July 2014.jpg Elizabeth May 19 November 2022incumbent2 years, 279 days Green Party of Canada

Alberta

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Bettie Hewes 19941994 Alberta Liberal Party
Pam Barrett 8 September 19962 February 20003 years, 178 days Alberta New Democratic Party
Nancy MacBeth 18 April 199815 March 20012 years, 331 days Alberta Liberal Party
Eleanor Maroes 20052005 Alberta Alliance Party
MLA Heather Forsyth.jpg Heather Forsyth 22 December 201428 March 201596 days Wildrose Party

British Columbia

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Grace McCarthy 6 November 1993May 1994176 days British Columbia Social Credit Party
Joy MacPhail, 1994.jpg Joy MacPhail 16 May 200123 November 20032 years, 191 days British Columbia New Democratic Party
Carole James 2 (32732133464).jpg Carole James 23 November 200320 January 20117 years, 58 days British Columbia New Democratic Party
Jane Sterk.JPG Jane Sterk 20072013 Green Party of British Columbia
DawnBlack2011.PNG Dawn Black 20 January 201117 April 201187 days British Columbia New Democratic Party
SoniaFurstenauCampaignOffice2024 (cropped).jpg Sonia Furstenau 14 September 202028 January 20254 years, 167 days Green Party of British Columbia
Shirley Bond 23 November 20205 February 20221 year, 74 days British Columbia Liberal Party

Manitoba

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Sharon Carstairs 4 March 19845 June 19939 years, 93 days Manitoba Liberal Party
Ginny Hasselfield 19 October 199617 October 19981 year, 363 days Manitoba Liberal Party
Canadianbokhari.png Rana Bokhari 26 October 201324 September 20162 years, 334 days Manitoba Liberal Party
Flor Marcelino 7 May 201616 September 20171 year, 132 days New Democratic Party of Manitoba
Judy Klassen 21 October 201613 June 2017235 days Manitoba Liberal Party
Cindy Lamoureux 17 October 2023incumbent1 year, 312 days Manitoba Liberal Party

New Brunswick

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Shirley Dysart 19854 May 1985 New Brunswick Liberal Association
Elizabeth Weir 19912003 New Brunswick New Democratic Party
Susan Holt 20232024 New Brunswick Liberal Association

Newfoundland and Labrador

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Lynn Verge 29 April 19951996 Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Lorraine Michael NL NDP.jpg Lorraine Michael 28 May 20067 March 2015283 days Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party
Yvonne Jones 13 November 200714 August 20113 years, 274 days Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Alison Coffin 5 March 201919 October 20212 years, 228 days Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party

Nova Scotia

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Alexa McDonough cropped.jpg Alexa McDonough 16 November 198019 November 199414 years, 3 days Nova Scotia New Democratic Party
Helen MacDonald 17 July 200024 April 2001281 days Nova Scotia New Democratic Party
Karen Casey 20092010 Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia
Maureen MacDonald 23 November 201327 February 20162 years, 96 days Nova Scotia New Democratic Party
Karla MacFarlane 24 January 201827 October 2018276 days Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia
Claudia Chender 25 June 2022incumbent3 years, 61 days Nova Scotia New Democratic Party

Ontario

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Lyn McLeod 19921996 Ontario Liberal Party
Andrea Horwath September 2022 portrait (cropped).jpg Andrea Horwath 7 March 200928 June 202213 years, 113 days Ontario New Democratic Party
Marit Stiles - May 18, 2023 (cropped).jpg Marit Stiles 4 February 2023incumbent2 years, 202 days Ontario New Democratic Party
Bonnie Crombie 2 December 2023incumbent1 year, 266 days Ontario Liberal Party

Prince Edward Island

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Sharon Cameron 19 November 20226 April 2023138 days Prince Edward Island Liberal Party
Karla Bernard 21 July 20237 June 20251 year, 321 days Green Party of Prince Edward Island

Quebec

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Monique Gagnon-Tremblay 2 March 199830 April 199859 days Quebec Liberal Party
Louise Harel 6 June 200515 November 2005162 days Parti Québécois
Françoise David 4 February 200619 January 201710 years, 350 days Québec solidaire
Manon Massé 19 January 201726 November 20236 years, 311 days Québec solidaire
Dominique Anglade 11 May 202010 November 20222 years, 183 days Quebec Liberal Party
Émilise Lessard-Therrien 26 November 202329 April 2024155 days Québec solidaire
Christine Labrie 2 May 202416 November 2024198 days Québec solidaire
Ruba Ghazal 16 November 2024incumbent282 days Québec solidaire

Saskatchewan

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Lynda Haverstock 2 April 198912 November 19956 years, 224 days Liberal Party of Saskatchewan
Nicole Sarauer 20 June 20173 March 2018256 days New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan
Carla Beck at rally.jpg Carla Beck 26 June 2022incumbent3 years, 60 days New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan

Yukon

PortraitNameDate assumed officeDate departed officeDurationPolitical party
Hilda Watson 19781979 Yukon Progressive Conservative Party
Liz Hanson.jpg Elizabeth Hanson 26 September 20095 May 20199 years, 221 days Yukon New Democratic Party
Stacey Hassard 17 November 201623 May 20203 years, 188 days Yukon Party
Kate White 4 May 2019incumbent6 years, 113 days Yukon New Democratic Party

See also

References

  1. Paas-Lang, Christian (17 April 2019). "Rachel Notley the latest female premier who failed to win a second mandate. What's going on?". National Post . Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  2. McQuigge, Michelle (17 April 2019). "Notley's loss raises questions about disappearance of female premiers". CTV News. The Canadian Press . Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  3. Commisso, Christina (19 March 2014). "Alison Redford's approval rating plunges to 18 per cent: poll". CTV News . Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  4. Mason, Gary (19 March 2014). "Party infighting, low poll numbers led to Alberta Premier's resignation". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved 17 February 2021.