Helen Johns
Encyclopedia
Helen Johns is a politician
in Ontario, Canada
. She was born in Toronto
, Ontario
She was a Progressive Conservative
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1995 to 2003, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris
and Ernie Eves
.
Johns has a Bachelor of Arts
degree from York University
, a Bachelor of Commerce
degree from the University of Windsor
and an M.B.A. from Simon Fraser University
. She worked as a controller of small and medium-sized businesses for fifteen years before entering public life, and was also the Director and Treasurer of the Huron United Way.
Johns was elected to the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1995
, defeating Liberal
John Jewitt and incumbent New Democrat Paul Klopp in the riding of Huron. For the next four years, she served as a backbench government member.
In the 1999 provincial campaign
, Johns defeated fellow Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Barb Fisher
for the Tory nomination in the redistributed riding of Huron—Bruce
, and narrowly defeated Liberal candidate Ross Lamont in the general election. On June 17, 1999, she was named Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. Following a cabinet shuffle on February 8, 2001, she was named Associate Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, under Tony Clement
.
When Ernie Eves
replaced Harris as Premier
on April 15, 2002, he named Johns his Minister of Agriculture and Food. She held this position until the 2003 election
, and also served as interim Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in early 2003.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She was born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
She was a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1995 to 2003, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
and Ernie Eves
Ernie Eves
Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Eves was the 23rd Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003.-Beginnings:...
.
Johns has a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
degree from the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
and an M.B.A. from Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
. She worked as a controller of small and medium-sized businesses for fifteen years before entering public life, and was also the Director and Treasurer of the Huron United Way.
Johns was elected to the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1995
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, defeating Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
John Jewitt and incumbent New Democrat Paul Klopp in the riding of Huron. For the next four years, she served as a backbench government member.
In the 1999 provincial campaign
Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, Johns defeated fellow Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Barb Fisher
Barb Fisher
Barbara Fisher is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 1999, and ran as a Conservative for the Canadian House of Commons in 2004....
for the Tory nomination in the redistributed riding of Huron—Bruce
Huron—Bruce
Huron—Bruce is a federalelectoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1953.-History:...
, and narrowly defeated Liberal candidate Ross Lamont in the general election. On June 17, 1999, she was named Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. Following a cabinet shuffle on February 8, 2001, she was named Associate Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, under Tony Clement
Tony Clement
Tony Peter Clement, PC, MP is a Canadian federal politician, President of the Treasury Board, Minister for the Federal Economic Initiative for Northern Ontario and member of the Conservative Party of Canada....
.
When Ernie Eves
Ernie Eves
Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Eves was the 23rd Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003.-Beginnings:...
replaced Harris as Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
on April 15, 2002, he named Johns his Minister of Agriculture and Food. She held this position until the 2003 election
Ontario general election, 2003
The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, and also served as interim Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in early 2003.