Iona Campagnolo
Iona Victoria Campagnolo, PC OC OBC (née Hardy, born October 18, 1932) is a Canadian politician, and was the 27th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and the first woman to hold the office. Prior to becoming Lieutenant Governor she was a Cabinet member in the Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
Iona Campagnolo | |
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27th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia | |
In office September 25, 2001 – September 30, 2007 | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Governor General | Adrienne Clarkson Michaëlle Jean |
Premier | Gordon Campbell |
Preceded by | Garde Gardom |
Succeeded by | Steven Point |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Skeena | |
In office July 8, 1974 – May 22, 1979 | |
Preceded by | Frank Howard |
Succeeded by | James Fulton |
Personal details | |
Born | Iona Victoria Hardy October 18, 1932 Galiano Island, British Columbia, Canada |
Nationality | Canadian |
Political party | Liberal |
Spouse(s) | Louis Campagnolo |
Profession | radio broadcaster, politician |
Career
Born Iona Victoria Hardy on Galiano Island, she got her start in politics in 1966 when she was elected an alderwoman in the city council of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. In 1974, she turned to federal politics, running successfully as a Liberal Party candidate for the House of Commons of Canada in the riding of Skeena. In 1976, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau appointed her to the Cabinet as Minister of Amateur Sport. She lost her seat to NDP challenger Jim Fulton in the 1979 election.
In 1982, Iona became president of the Liberal Party, a largely administrative position. During the 1984 convention which elected John Turner as Party leader, Campagnolo created a minor furor within the party when she said that second-place leadership candidate Jean Chrétien was "second in the balloting, but first in our hearts".
When John Turner became Liberal leader in 1984, a television camera caught Turner patting Campagnolo's bottom. Although Campagnolo herself dismissed it (and patted Turner right back), the incident was used to paint Turner as being out of touch with contemporary women's issues.[1]
Campagnolo ran in North Vancouver—Burnaby in the September 1984 election but was defeated in the Mulroney landslide that reduced Turner's Liberals to 40 seats. She did not run for re-election as party president at the next Liberal convention in 1986.
In 1973, Iona Campagnolo was made a Member of the Order of Canada and promoted to Officer in 2008. In 1998, she received the Order of British Columbia.
In 1992, Iona Campagnolo was elected as the founding chancellor of the University of Northern British Columbia and served in the position until 1998. She received an honorary degree from UNBC in 1999.[2]
In 2001, on the advice of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, she was appointed by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson as British Columbia's first female Lieutenant Governor. At her swearing-in, Campagnolo concluded her remarks in Chinook, saying, "konoway tillicums klatawa kunamokst klaska mamook okoke huloima chee illahie" - meaning: "everyone was thrown together to make this strange new country (British Columbia)."[3]
As the Queen's viceroy in British Columbia, she is styled The Honourable for life. However, as she was already a Member of The Queen's Privy Council for Canada before she became Lieutenant-Governor, she was already styled The Honourable.
In 2003 the Chief Herald of Canada granted armorial bearings to Campagnolo.
Honours and awards
Ribbon | Description | Notes |
![]() | Order of Canada (OC) |
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![]() | Order of St. John (D.stJ) |
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![]() | Order of British Columbia (OBC) |
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![]() | Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal |
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![]() | 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal |
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![]() | Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal |
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![]() | Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
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Honorary degrees
Iona Campagnolo has received many honorary degrees in recognition of her distinguished career in politics and her service as Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia; these include:
Province | Date | School | Degree |
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![]() | June 8, 1995 | Simon Fraser University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[4][5] |
![]() | June 11, 1997 | Brock University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[6] |
![]() | May 28, 1999 | University of Northern British Columbia | Doctorate[2] |
![]() | June 2007 | University of Victoria | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[7] |
![]() | 2009 | University of British Columbia | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[8] |
![]() | 2009 | Trent University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[9] |
![]() | June 18, 2010 | Royal Roads University | Doctorate[10] |
Arms
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Further reading
References
- https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/former-prime-minister-john-turner-dead-at-91-1.1496362
- "Iona Campagnolo To Be Awarded Honorary Degree" (press release). University of Northern British Columbia. February 10, 1999.
- Klassen, Nicholas (January 10, 2006). "Can We Still Speak Chinook?: A language 'thrown together to make a strange new country.'". The Tyee.
- "Honorary Degree Citations: The degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, conferred on Dr. Iona Campagnolo, Thursday, June 8, 1995" (PDF). Simon Fraser University. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
- "Past Honorary Degree Recipients". Simon Fraser University.
- "Brock University Honorary Degree and Award Recipients". Brock University. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
- "Honorary degree recipients: in chronological order". University of Victoria. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
- "Graduation, Vancouver campus: 2009 honorary degree recipients: Dr. Iona Campagnola, O.C., O.B.C." The University of British Columbia. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
- "Trent University Honorary Graduates" (PDF). Trent University. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
- "Spring 2010 convocation: Former lieutenant-governor, renowed(sic) artist and popular philanthropist honoured with graduates". Royal Roads University. June 18, 2010.
- Canadian Heraldic Authority, IV, Ottawa, 2003
External links
- Former Lieutenant Governor Biography
- Iona Campagnolo – Parliament of Canada biography
- The Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada
- Audio interview on her role as Lieutenant Governor
- The Honourable Iona Campagnolo fonds (2009.6) at Northern BC Archives
Party political offices | ||
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Preceded by Norman MacLeod |
President of the Liberal Party of Canada 1982–1986 |
Succeeded by Michel Robert |
Order of precedence | ||
Preceded by Robert J. Bauman as Chief Justice of British Columbia |
Order of precedence in British Columbia as of 2018 |
Succeeded by Steven Point as 28th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia |