Canadian History for Kids: Kim Campbell

June 25th, 1993, Kim Campbell won a close leadership race over Jean Charest to become Canada’s 19th Prime Minister. This Canadian History for Kids, Sketches of Canada, looks at the life of Canada’s first female Prime Minister.

In 1993, Defence Minister Campbell was the front-runner for the Conservative leadership following Brian Mulroney’s resignation. She campaigned on the “politics of inclusion,” new-style politics intended to appeal to a party and country which had grown tired of politicians.

In a surprisingly close leadership race, Campbell outlasted Jean Charest to take office as Canada’s first female prime minister on June 25, 1993. Her first act was to reduce the size of Cabinet.

Ms. Campbell was the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from 1990 to 1993. During that time she amended the Criminal Code of Canada to make improvements in the areas of firearms control and sexual assault laws.

Kim Campbell was first elected to the House of Commons in 1988 and is a lawyer by profession. She was born on March 10, 1947, in Port Alberni, British Columbia.

The Conservative party suffered the worst defeat in Canadian history, as they fell from 154 seats to only two. Kim Campbell was unable to hold her own seat, Canada’s first female prime minister resigned as leader on December 13, 1993.

Canadians didn’t believe Kim Campbell in the 1993 election campaign, and they destroyed her government and her party in one of the greatest rejections in the history of politics.

Born: March 10, 1947 Port Alberni BC
Educated: UBC, University of Oregon; London School of Economics
Private Occupation: lecturer, lawyer, school board trustee and chairman
Political Party: Progressive Conservative
Term of Office: June 13, 1993 – October 25, 1993
Other Ministries: Indian Affairs and Northern Development 1989-90; Justice and Attorney General 1990-93; National Defence and Veterans Affairs 1993

And that’s this week Canadian History for Kids Sketches of Canada!
 

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