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Kim Campbell
Kim Campbell
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Avril Phaedra Douglas "Kim" Campbell (born March 10, 1947) is a Canadian politician who was the 19th prime minister of Canada from June to November 1993. Campbell is the first and only female prime minister of Canada. Prior to becoming the final Progressive Conservative (PC) prime minister, she was also the first woman to serve as minister of justice in Canadian history and the first woman to become minister of defence in a NATO member state.[1]

Key Information

Campbell was first elected to the British Columbia Legislative Assembly as a member of the British Columbia Social Credit Party in 1986 before being elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a PC in 1988. Under Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, she occupied numerous cabinet positions including minister of justice and attorney general, minister of veterans affairs and minister of national defence from 1990 to 1993. Campbell became the new prime minister in June 1993 after Mulroney resigned in the wake of declining popularity. In the 1993 Canadian federal election in October of that year, the Progressive Conservatives were decimated, losing all but two seats from a previous majority, with Campbell losing her own. Her 132-day premiership is the third-shortest in Canadian history.[a]

Campbell was also the first baby boomer to hold the office, as well as the only prime minister born in British Columbia.[2] She was the chairperson for the Canadian Supreme Court advisory board.[3][4]

Early life

[edit]

Campbell was born in Port Alberni, British Columbia, the daughter of Phyllis "Lissa" Margaret (née Cook; 1923–2013) and George Thomas Campbell (1920–2002), a barrister who had served with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in Italy.[5] Her father was born in Montreal, to Scottish parents from Glasgow.[6]

While she was in her preteens, Campbell and her family moved to Vancouver. Campbell was one of five co-hosts and reporters on the CBC children's program Junior Television Club, which aired in May and June 1957.[7]

Her mother left when Campbell was 12, leaving Kim and her sister Alix to be raised by their father. As a teenager, Campbell nicknamed herself Kim. In Vancouver, Campbell attended Prince of Wales Secondary School and was a top student. She became the school's first female student president, and graduated in 1964.

University and early career

[edit]

Campbell earned an honours bachelor's degree in political science from the University of British Columbia, graduating in 1969. She was active in the student government and served as the school's first female president of the freshman class. She then completed a year of graduate study at that school, to qualify for doctoral-level studies.[8] Campbell entered the London School of Economics in 1970 to study towards her doctorate in Soviet government and spent three months touring the Soviet Union from April to June 1972. She had spent several years studying the Russian language and claimed she was nearly fluent,[9] although when asked to say a few words of welcome by a reporter to Boris Yeltsin during his visit to Canada in 1993, she could not and could only say "Hello Mr. Yeltsin".[10] Campbell ultimately left her doctoral studies, returning to live in Vancouver after marrying Nathan Divinsky, her longtime partner, in 1972. She earned an LL.B. from the University of British Columbia in 1983. She was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1984, and practised law in Vancouver until 1986.

Family and early political career

[edit]

During her marriage to Divinsky, Campbell lectured part-time in political science at the University of British Columbia and at Vancouver Community College. While still attending law school, she entered politics as a trustee on the Vancouver School Board, becoming, in 1983, the chair of that board and serving in 1984 as its vice-chair. She once claimed to have told the board to "back off", although others alleged that she said "fuck off".[11] In total, she was a trustee there from 1980 to 1984. Campbell and Divinsky were divorced in 1983, and Campbell married Howard Eddy in 1986, a marriage that lasted until shortly before she became prime minister. Campbell is the second prime minister of Canada to have been divorced, after Pierre Trudeau.

She briefly dated Gregory Lekhtman, the inventor of Exerlopers, during her term as prime minister, but the relationship was relatively private and she did not involve him in the 1993 election campaign.

She is currently married to Hershey Felder, an actor, playwright, composer, and concert pianist.[12] As of 2022, she lived outside Florence, Italy.[13]

Provincial politics

[edit]

Failed bid for the legislature

[edit]

In the 1983 British Columbia provincial election, Campbell and future Vancouver Mayor Philip Owen contested the dual-member electoral district of Vancouver Centre as British Columbia Social Credit Party candidates. They lost badly, each receiving less than about 12,500 votes against the close to 19,000 votes of each of the NDP incumbents, former NDP minister Gary Lauk and future speaker Emery Barnes.

In 1985, she joined the office of Premier Bill Bennett as an executive assistant and policy adviser.

Audacious bid for leadership

[edit]

In the summer of 1986, Campbell contested the leadership of the Social Credit party. Despite campaigning on a shoe-string budget, her substantive, audacious presence and strong podium speech performance at the Whistler leadership convention earned her notice among the political class and positive reviews in the press. The speech foreshadowed her unusually frank perspective about political leaders, a traits later noted to her detriment while prime minister.

To be credible, a leader must show an ability to grasp and understand... complex issues. In this day and age a leader cannot deceive the public with a simplistic vision of the past that can never be recaptured... The challenge of our leader is to raise the level of public understanding of the issues facing us today.

A great political leader is not someone who has all the answers. A great leader is someone who understands the questions and can lead the process of finding solutions.

Deeming she as a leadership contestant "did everything wrong", veteran journalist for the Victoria Times Colonist Jim Hume called Campbell "the star of the show" and her convention speech the "jewel of the convention".[14] She went extra length to contrast herself against the populist frontrunner Bill Vander Zalm. and was particularly remember for her prophetic zinger at the eventual winner and future Premier,[15]

It is fashionable to speak of leaders in terms of their charisma. Charisma without substance is a dangerous thing. It raises expectations that cannot be satisfied. Then comes disillusionment and bitterness that destroys not only the leader, but the party.

Campbell placed last in a field of twelve on the first ballot with just 14 votes out of 1,294 cast. She threw her support behind Vander Zalm's chief opponent Grace McCarthy.

Member of the Legislative Assembly

[edit]

In the 1986 election, Campbell contested neighboring Vancouver-Point Grey, a much more affluent electoral district that has traditionally been receptive to centre-right candidates. She took the place of retiring minister Garde Gardom and was on the ballot with Pat McGreer, another veteran minister and a former Liberal leader. At the end of a surprisingly competitive campaign, Campbell topped the poll with close to 20,000 votes, while McGeer was edged out by NDP candidate Darlene Marzari by 55 votes. It was the only time Vancouver-Point Grey as a dual-member district returned members of two different parties. It was also the only time a multi-member district returned only women in British Columbia electoral history

Consigned to the backbenches, she became disenchanted with Premier Bill Vander Zalm's leadership and broke with him and Social Credit over the issue of abortion, which Vander Zalm opposed. Campbell decided to leave provincial politics and enter federal politics.[16]

Federal politics

[edit]

Campbell was elected in the 1988 federal election as the member of Parliament (MP) for Vancouver Centre. She won the party nomination after the incumbent, Pat Carney, declined to stand for renomination. In 1989, Campbell was appointed to the cabinet as minister of state (Indian affairs and northern development), a junior role to the minister of Indian and northern affairs. From 1990 to 1993, she held the post of minister of justice and attorney general, overseeing notable amendments to the Criminal Code in the areas of firearms control and sexual assault. In 1990, following the Supreme Court's decision to invalidate the country's abortion law, Campbell was responsible for introducing Bill C-43 to govern abortions in Canada. Although it passed the House of Commons, it failed to pass the Senate, leaving Canada with no national law governing abortions.[17][18]

In 1993, Campbell was transferred to the posts of minister of national defence and minister of veterans affairs. Notable events during her tenure included dealing with the controversial issue of replacing shipborne helicopters for the navy and for search-and-rescue units. The actions by Canadian Airborne Regiment in the scandal known as the Somalia Affair also first emerged while Campbell was minister.[19][20] When the Liberal Party of Canada took power, the incident became the subject of a lengthy public inquiry, continuing to focus attention on Campbell and the PCs, but with significant blame being placed with the military's, not government's, leadership.[21]

David Milgaard

[edit]

Upon assumption of the Justice portfolio, Campbell was handed the petition for a new trial in the case of David Milgaard, a man who had been wrongfully convicted for murder in 1970 and spent decades trying to clear his name before being exonerated in 1993. In her autobiography, Time and Chance, Campbell wrote that she came under "considerable pressure" from the public and was "bombarded with questions from the media and [from opposition MPs] in Question Period" about the case before she was even officially assigned to Milgaard's petition to direct a new trial in the case.[22] She said that her decision was delayed by Milgaard's legal team's repeated addition of new submissions to the appeal, which she was not allowed to review until all such submissions were complete.[22] In mid-January 1991, she informed Milgaard's legal team that evidence was insufficient to grant the petition.[22] When later Mulroney was confronted by Milgaard's mother, he had "saluted her courage and determination and ... show[n] his concern for her son's health", which "blindsided" and "floored" Campbell and was interpreted by media and some MPs as evidence that the prime minister had taken sides in the case.[22] Campbell says she "told the press [that] Mulroney was much too good a lawyer to intervene improperly" and "never breathed a word" to her about it, nor did anyone in his office attempt to influence her decision.[22] Despite this, she wrote, Milgaard's mother "is convinced he did, and the media accepted this view," which made it difficult for her to convince others that her officials were motivated solely by "a desire to make the right decision."[22]

Prime Minister (June–November 1993)

[edit]
Campbell speaking with then U.S. president Bill Clinton at a news conference during the G7 Summit in Tokyo, July 1993.

Mulroney entered 1993 facing a statutory federal election. By then, his popularity had markedly declined, and polls suggested that the Tories would be heavily defeated if he led them into that year's election. In February 1993, Mulroney announced his retirement from politics, to take effect after his successor had been chosen. Campbell entered the party leadership race to succeed Mulroney. Campbell had served in four cabinet portfolios prior to running for the party leadership, including three years as minister of justice, and garnered the support of more than half the PC caucus when she declared for the leadership.

She defeated Jean Charest at the Progressive Conservative leadership convention that June, and Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn appointed her prime minister on June 25. As a concession to Charest, Campbell appointed him to the posts of deputy prime minister and minister of industry, science, and technology—the first largely symbolic, and the second a significant cabinet portfolio position.

After becoming party leader and prime minister, Campbell set about reorganizing the cabinet. She cut it from 35 to 23 ministers; she consolidated ministries by creating three new ministries: Health, Canadian Heritage, and Public Security. Campbell extensively campaigned during the summer, touring the nation and attending barbecues and other events. In August 1993, a Gallup Canada poll showed Campbell as having a 51% approval rating, which placed her as Canada's most popular prime minister in 30 years.[23][24] By the end of the summer, her personal popularity had increased greatly, far surpassing that of Liberal Party leader Jean Chrétien.[25] Support for the Progressive Conservative Party had also increased to within a few points of the Liberals, while the Reform Party had been reduced to single digits.

Campbell was the first Canadian prime minister not to have resided at 24 Sussex Drive since that address became the official home of the prime minister of Canada in 1951. Mulroney remained at 24 Sussex while renovations on his new home in Montreal were being completed. Campbell instead took up residence at Harrington Lake, the PM's summer and weekend retreat, located in rural Quebec, north of Ottawa, and she did not move into 24 Sussex after Mulroney left.

1993 federal election

[edit]

Campbell waited as long as she could before asking Hnatyshyn to dissolve Parliament on September 8, only weeks before Parliament was due to expire. The election was scheduled for October 25, the latest date it could be legally held under Section 4 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Progressive Conservatives (PCs) were optimistic that they would be able to remain in power, and if not, would at least be a strong opposition to a Liberal minority government.

Campaign

[edit]

Campbell's initial popularity declined after the election was called. When she was running for the party leadership, Campbell's frank honesty was seen as an important asset and a sharp contrast from Mulroney's highly polished style. However, this backfired when she told reporters at a Rideau Hall event that the deficit or unemployment was unlikely to be much reduced before the "end of the century". During the election campaign, she further stated that discussing a complete overhaul of Canada's social policies in all their complexities could not be done in just 47 days; this statement was reduced to her having stated that an election is no time to discuss important issues.

The PCs' support tailed off as the campaign progressed. By October, polls showed the Liberals were well on their way to at least a minority government, and would probably win a majority without dramatic measures. Even at this point, Campbell was still considerably more popular than Liberal leader Jean Chrétien. In hopes of stemming the tide, the PC campaign team put together a series of ads attacking the Liberal leader. The second ad appeared to mock Chrétien's Bell's palsy facial paralysis and generated a severe backlash from the media,[26] with some PC candidates calling for the ad to be pulled from broadcasts. Campbell disavowed direct responsibility for the ad and claimed to have ordered it off the air over her staff's objections.[27]

During the campaign, the PC support plummeted into the tens, while the Liberals, the Reform Party, and the Bloc Québécois gained in the polls. This assured that the Liberals would win a majority government.

Election defeat

[edit]

On election night, October 25, the PCs were swept from power in a Liberal landslide. Campbell herself was defeated in Vancouver Centre by rookie Liberal Hedy Fry. She conceded defeat with the remark, "Gee, I'm glad I didn't sell my car."[28]

It was only the third time in Canadian history that a prime minister lost his or her own riding at the same time that his or her party lost an election (the first two times both happened to Arthur Meighen, who lost his seat in 1921 and then again in 1926). The PC caucus was reduced to two seats compared to Reform's 52 and the Bloc's 54. All PC Members of Parliament running for re-election lost their seats, with the lone exception of Jean Charest, who was also the only surviving member of Campbell's cabinet. Charest was joined by the newly elected Elsie Wayne. The PCs' previous support largely bled to the Liberals in Atlantic Canada and Ontario, while Reform inherited virtually all of the former Tory support in the West. The Bloc Québécois inherited most soft-nationalist Tory support in Quebec, and in some cases pushed cabinet ministers from Quebec into third place.

The PCs still finished with over two million votes, taking third place in the popular vote, and falling only two percentage points short of Reform for second place. However, as a consequence of the first-past-the-post voting system, PC support was not concentrated in enough areas to translate into victories in individual ridings. It was the worst showing in party history, and the worst defeat ever suffered by a Canadian governing party at the federal level. Like Charles Tupper and John Turner, Campbell never faced a Parliament during her brief tenure, as her term was filled by the summer break and the election campaign.

Some have pointed to gender inequality as a major contributing factor to her historic loss. University of New Brunswick professor Joanna Everitt writes that while the media simply reported the facts about rival male leaders such as Jean Chrétien, Campbell's actions were usually interpreted as having some motive (drawing up support, appealing to a group, etc.)[29]

Additionally, Mulroney left office as one of the most (and according to Campbell, the most)[30] unpopular prime ministers since opinion polling began in the 1940s. He considerably hampered his own party's campaign effort by staging a very lavish international farewell tour at taxpayer expense, and by delaying his retirement until only 2+12 months were left in the Tories' five-year mandate.

Canadian humourist Will Ferguson suggested that Campbell should receive "some of the blame" for her party's losses, but that "taking over the party leadership from Brian (Mulroney) was a lot like taking over the controls of a 747 just before it plunges into the Rockies".[31]

On December 13, 1993, Campbell resigned as party leader; Jean Charest succeeded her. Due to the brevity of her tenure as both prime minister (less than four months) and federal MP (less than six years), Campbell did not qualify for a prime ministerial or even a federal parliamentary pension.[32][33][34]

Post-political career

[edit]

Despite her dramatic loss in the election, Canadian women's magazine Chatelaine named Campbell as its Woman of the Year for 1993.[35] She published an autobiography, Time and Chance, (ISBN 0-770-42738-3) in 1996. The book became a Canadian bestseller and is in its third edition from the University of Alberta Bookstore Press (ISBN 000010132X).

She was briefly rumoured to be sent to Moscow as the ambassador to Russia,[36] but in 1996, Campbell was appointed consul general to Los Angeles by the Chrétien government, a post in which she remained until 2000. While she was there, she collaborated with her husband, composer, playwright, and actor Hershey Felder, on the production of a musical, Noah's Ark.

From 1999 to 2003, she chaired the Council of Women World Leaders, a network of women who hold or have held the office of president or prime minister. She was succeeded by former Irish president Mary Robinson. From 2003 until 2005, she served as president of the International Women's Forum, a global organization of women of prominent achievement, with headquarters in Washington, DC. From 2001 to 2004, she was with the Center for Public Leadership and lectured at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She has served as a director of several publicly traded companies in high technology and biotechnology and currently sits on the board of Athenex, a biopharmaceutical company that had its initial public offering on June 14, 2017, and trades under the ticker symbol ATNX.

Campbell chaired the steering committee of the World Movement for Democracy from 2008 to 2015. She served on the board of the International Crisis Group, a non-government organization (NGO) that aims to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts. She served on the board of the Forum of Federations, the EastWest Institute, and is a founding trustee of The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence at King's College London. She was a founding member of the Club de Madrid, an independent organization whose main purpose is to strengthen democracy in the world. Its membership is by invitation only and consists of former heads of state and government. At different times, Campbell has served as its interim president, vice president, and from 2004 to 2006, its secretary general. Campbell was the founding chair of the International Advisory Board of the Ukrainian Foundation for Effective Governance, an NGO formed in September 2007 with the aid of businessman Rinat Akhmetov.[37]

During the 2006 election campaign, Campbell endorsed the candidacy of Tony Fogarassy, the Conservative candidate in Campbell's former riding of Vancouver Centre; Fogarassy went on to lose the election, placing a distant third. At that time, Campbell also clarified to reporters that she was a supporter of the new Conservative Party (formed in 2003 as a result of a merger of the Canadian Alliance with the party that Campbell had formerly led, the Progressive Conservatives); however, she later clarified in 2019 that she had, in fact, never joined the Conservative Party as an official member.[38]

While testifying in April 2009 at the Mulroney–Schreiber Airbus inquiry, Campbell said she still followed Canadian politics "intermittently".[39]

In April 2014, Campbell was appointed the founding principal of the new Peter Lougheed Leadership College at the University of Alberta.[40]

She has appeared on the CBC Television program Canada's Next Great Prime Minister, a show that profiles and selects young prospective leaders, and has also been an occasional panellist on Real Time with Bill Maher.

On August 2, 2016, Liberal prime minister Justin Trudeau announced that Campbell had agreed to chair a seven-person committee to prepare a short list of candidates to succeed Thomas Cromwell on the Supreme Court of Canada.[41] In mid-October 2016, the committee announced that it would recommend the appointment of Malcolm Rowe to the court, and he was sworn in on October 31 as the first Supreme Court justice to hail from Newfoundland and Labrador.[42]

In August 2019, Campbell faced controversy when she said that she hoped that Hurricane Dorian would directly hit U.S. president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The President's son Eric responded to Campbell, saying that his family was "rooting for the safety" of those impacted by the hurricane. Campbell soon deleted the tweet and apologized for the remarks.[43][44]

Campbell courted controversy on Twitter by claiming that female newscasters who expose their "arms" on TV are taken less seriously,[45] despite having once posed with bare shoulders herself in a famously suggestive photograph.[46]

Campbell revealed to Maclean's in 2019 that she could not survive in the Conservative Party. She said: "It's too intolerant; it's too right-wing."[47] She later argued after the 2019 federal election that Conservative leader Andrew Scheer was untrustworthy, stating "He's hard to trust, and that's really it."[48]

In September 2022, Campbell attended Elizabeth II's state funeral, along with other former Canadian prime ministers.[49]

On the eve of International Women's Day in March 2024, Campbell revealed on the "Beyond a Ballot" podcast that while she believes that there are good people in the Conservative Party, she could not support current leader, Pierre Poilievre, because she believes that he is a "liar and a hate-monger".[50]

Legacy

[edit]

As justice minister, Campbell brought about a new sexual assault law that clarified sexual assault and whose passage firmly entrenched that in cases involving sexual assault, "no means no". She also introduced the rape shield law, legislation that protects a person's sexual past from being explored during trial. Her legacy of supporting sexual victims has been confirmed through her work with the Peter Lougheed Leadership College at the University of Alberta, where the inaugural cohort of scholars proposed that the college immediately implement mandatory education regarding sexual assault for students, which Campbell readily accepted.[51][52]

Since Parliament never sat during Campbell's four months as a prime minister,[53] she was unable to bring forth new legislation, which must be passed by Parliament. She did implement radical changes, though, to the structure of the Canadian government. Under her tenure, the federal cabinet's size was cut from over 35 cabinet ministers and ministers of state to 23. This included the redesign of eight ministries and the abolition or merging of 15 others.[54][55] The Chrétien government retained these new ministries when it took office. The number of cabinet committees was reduced from 11 to five. Her successors have continued to keep the size of the federal cabinet to about 30 members. She was also the first prime minister to convene a First Ministers' conference for consultation prior to representing Canada at the G7 Summit. Due to her brief time in office, Campbell holds a unique spot among Canadian prime ministers in that she made no Senate appointments.

Campbell harshly criticized Mulroney for not allowing her to succeed him before June 1993. In her view, when she became prime minister, she had very little time or chance to make up ground on the Liberals once her initial popularity faded. In her memoirs, Time and Chance, and in her response to The Secret Mulroney Tapes, Campbell suggested that Mulroney knew the Tories would be defeated in the upcoming election, and wanted a "scapegoat who would bear the burden of his unpopularity" rather than a viable successor. The cause of the 1993 debacle remains disputed, with some arguing that the election results were a vote against Mulroney rather than a rejection of Campbell, and others suggesting that the poorly run Campbell campaign was the key factor in the result.

Although the Progressive Conservatives survived as a distinct political party for another decade after the 1993 debacle, they never recovered their previous standing. During that period they were led by Jean Charest (1993–1998), Elsie Wayne (1998) and then, for the second time, by Joe Clark (1998–2003) (who had been opposition leader and briefly prime minister 20 years earlier). By 2003, the party under new leader Peter MacKay had voted to merge with the Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative Party of Canada, thus ceasing to exist, despite MacKay having promised not to pursue a merger. Joe Clark continued to sit as a "Progressive Conservative" into 2004. The new generation of right-leaning Conservatives gained power in the election of 2006, ensuring the "Tory" nickname's survival in the federal politics of Canada. A PC "rump" caucus continued to exist in the Senate of Canada (consisting of certain Clark, Mulroney and Paul Martin appointees); Elaine McCoy of Alberta was the last Progressive Conservative Senator, redesignating herself as an "Independent Progressive Conservative" in 2013 before launching the Independent Senators Group in 2016.

Campbell remains one of the youngest women to have ever assumed the office of Prime Minister in any country, and thus also one of the youngest to have left the office.

Campbell was ranked number 20 out of the first 20 prime ministers of Canada (through Jean Chrétien) by a survey of 26 Canadian historians used by J. L. Granatstein and Norman Hillmer in their 1999 book Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders. A follow-up article co-authored by Hillmer alongside Stephen Azzi in 2011 for Maclean's magazine broadened the number of historians surveyed; in this new survey of over 100 Canadian historians, Campbell again finished last, this time coming at number 22 out of Canada's first 22 prime ministers (through Stephen Harper).[56] A 2016 follow-up poll by the same team, now expanded to cover the first 23 prime ministers (through Justin Trudeau), again ranked Campbell last.[57]

In 2004, she was included in the list of 50 most important political leaders in history in the Almanac of World History compiled by the National Geographic Society.[58] She was cited for her status as the only woman head of government of a North American country (defined variously), but controversy ensued among academics in Canada over the merit of this honour since her brief term in office was marked by very few, if any, major political accomplishments.

On November 30, 2004, Campbell's official portrait for the parliamentary prime minister's gallery was unveiled. The painting was created by Victoria, BC artist David Goatley. Campbell said she was "deeply honoured" to be the only woman to have her picture in the prime ministers' corridor, stating: "I really look forward to the day when there are many other female faces." The painting shows a pensive Campbell sitting on a chair with richly coloured Haida capes and robes in the background, symbolizing her time as a cabinet minister and as an academic.[59]

Honours

[edit]



Honours
Ribbon Description Notes
Companion of the Order of Canada (C.C.)
  • Awarded on April 10, 2008; and
  • Invested on September 3, 2010 [60]
Member of the Order of British Columbia (O.B.C.)
125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for Canada
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Canada

According to Canadian protocol, as a former prime minister, she is styled "The Right Honourable" for life.

Scholastic

[edit]

Chancellor, visitor, governor, and fellowships

Location Date School Position
 Massachusetts 2001 – Center for Public Leadership John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University Honorary Fellow[64]
 England  – London School of Economics Honorary Fellow [65]
 Ontario  – Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto Distinguished Senior Fellow [66]

Honorary Degrees

Location Date School Degree
 Ontario 1992 Law Society of Upper Canada Doctor of Laws (LL.D) [67]
 Ontario June 13, 1998 Brock University Doctor of Laws (LL.D) [68]
 Massachusetts June 19, 1999 Northeastern University Doctor of Public Service (DPS) [69]
 British Columbia November 23, 2000 University of British Columbia Doctor of Laws (LL.D) [70]
 Massachusetts 2004 Mount Holyoke College Doctor of Laws (LL.D) [71]
 Pennsylvania 2005 Chatham College Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
 Arizona December 15, 2005 Arizona State University Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) [72][73]
 Alberta Fall 2010 University of Alberta Doctor of Laws (LL.D) [74]
 Ontario 2011 Trent University Doctor of Laws (LL.D) [75]
 British Columbia June 11, 2014 Simon Fraser University Doctor of Laws (LL.D) [76]
 Nova Scotia May 13, 2018 Acadia University Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) [77]

Appointments

[edit]
Location Date Institution Position
 Canada January 30, 1989 – Queen's Privy Council for Canada Member (PC) [78]
 Canada  – Government of Canada Queen's Counsel (QC)
 Canada 1996–2000 Government of Canada Consul General to Los Angeles

Memberships and fellowships

[edit]
Location Date Organisation Position
 Spain 2001– Club of Madrid Member
 Spain 2003–2004 Club of Madrid vice President
 Spain 2004–2006 Club of Madrid Secretary General [64]
 District of Columbia 2003–2005 Council of Women World Leaders President [64]

Arms

[edit]
Coat of arms of Kim Campbell
Notes
The arms of Kim Campbell consist of:[79]
Crest
Upon a helmet mantled Azure doubled Or within a wreath of these colours issuant from a coronet the rim set with thistle heads Or on snowy mountain peaks Proper an eagle Azure head Argent its dexter leg resting on a closed book Rose clasped Or.
Escutcheon
Or the universal symbol for a woman pendant from its crosspiece a pair of scales Rose and in base three bars wavy Azure on a canton the mark of the Prime Ministership of Canada (Argent four maple leaves conjoined in cross at the stem Gules).
Supporters
Dexter a lion Or semé of fleurs-de-lys Azure gorged with a collar of poppy flowers Gules its dexter foreclaw resting on the pommel of a sheathed sword point downwards Azure embellished Or sinister a female bear Or semé of anchors Azure gorged with a like collar its dexter forepaw grasping a branch of cedar Vert embellished Or.
Compartment
On a grassy mound set with dogwood flowers, trillium flowers and Mayflowers Proper and pine cones Or rising above barry wavy Argent and Azure.
Motto
Seek Wisdom, Conquer Fear, Do Justice
Other elements
Mantling Or and Azure.

Electoral record

[edit]
1993 Canadian federal election: Vancouver Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hedy Fry 19,310 31.19 +8.38
Progressive Conservative Kim Campbell 15,510 25.05 −12.19
Reform Ian Isbister 10,808 17.46 +16.08
New Democratic Betty Baxter 9,397 15.18 −21.63
National Thorsten Ewald 4,949 7.99
Natural Law John Cowhig 643 1.04
Green Imtiaz Popat 586 0.95 +0.14
Christian Heritage Darren Lowe 242 0.39
Libertarian Tunya Audain 220 0.36 +0.11
Independent Brian Godzilla Gnu Salmi 114 0.18
Independent Scott Adams 83 0.13 −0.07
Commonwealth of Canada Lucille Boikoff 25 0.04
Independent Peter C. Nuthall 24 0.04
Total valid votes 61,911 100.0  
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +10.28
1993 Progressive Conservative leadership election[80]
Candidate 1st ballot 2nd ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast %
Kim Campbell 1,664 48.0% 1,817 52.7%
Jean Charest 1,369 39.5% 1,630 47.3%
Jim Edwards 307 8.8% Endorsed Campbell
Garth Turner 76 2.2% Withdrew; Did not endorse
Patrick Boyer 53 1.5% Endorsed Charest
Total 3,469 100.0% 3,447 100.0%
1988 Canadian federal election: Vancouver Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Kim Campbell 23,620 37.24 −5.99
New Democratic Johanna den Hertog 23,351 36.81 +4.38
Liberal Tex Enemark 14,467 22.81 +1.59
Reform Paula Folkard 876 1.38
Green Murray Gudmundson 514 0.81 −0.25
Rhinoceros Bob Nitestalker Colebrook 262 0.41 −0.56
Libertarian Duane H. Pye 156 0.25 −0.38
Independent Scott Adams 125 0.20
Independent Dorothy-Jean O'Donnell 58 0.09
Total valid votes 63,429 100.0  
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −5.18
34th British Columbia election, 1986: Vancouver-Point Grey
Party Candidate Votes % ± Expenditures
  Liberal Doreen Braverman 6,680 7.88%
  Liberal Thomas Airlie Brown 5,505 6.49%
Social Credit Kim Campbell 19,716 23.24%
Green Douglas Dunn 498 0.59%
New Democratic Richard J. {Dick) Gathercole 15,729 18.55%
Social Credit Patrick Lucey McGeer 18,256 21.52% unknown
New Democratic Darlene R. Marzari 18,311 21.59%
People's Front Allen Harvey Soroka 120 0.14%
Total valid votes 84,815
Total rejected ballots 682

(Held on July 29–30, 1986.)

First Ballot:

1983 British Columbia general election: Vancouver Centre
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
New Democratic Emery Oakland Barnes 18,960 28.70 Green tickY
New Democratic Gary Vernon Lauk 18,743 28.37 Green tickY
Social Credit Avril Kim Campbell 12,740 19.28
Social Credit Philip W. Owen 12,415 18.79
Liberal Shirley McLoughlin 2,084 3.15
Progressive Conservative Kevin Baden Bruce 880 1.33
Communist Maurice Rush 244 0.37
Total valid votes 66,066 99.87
Total rejected ballots 84 0.13
Total votes 66,150
Registered voters 53,512

See also

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Archives

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There is a Kim Campbell fond at Library and Archives Canada.[81][82] The archival reference number is R10052, former archival reference number MG26-S.[83] The fond covers the date ranges 1916 to 2004. It contains a variety of media including 58.13 meters of textual records, approximately 33542 photographs and 139 videocassettes among other media.

Notes

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References

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Further reading

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Avril Phædra Douglas Campbell, known as Kim Campbell (born March 10, 1947), is a Canadian and who served as the 19th from June 25 to November 4, 1993, becoming the first woman to hold the office. Succeeding as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, she inherited a government facing widespread public discontent after nearly a decade in power, leading to a swift but ultimately a resounding defeat in the 1993 federal election where her party secured only two seats in the House of Commons. Prior to her premiership, Campbell held key cabinet roles including Minister of Justice and Attorney General—the first woman in that position—and Minister of National Defence, marking her as the first female defence minister in a country, during which she oversaw responses to emerging military challenges like the Somalia deployment that later drew scrutiny. After leaving office, she served as Canadian Consul General in and later as Chancellor of the , while engaging in international diplomacy and advisory roles focused on global security and women's leadership.

Early Life and Education

Family background and childhood

Avril Phaedra Campbell was born on March 10, 1947, in , . Her father, George Thomas Campbell (1920–2002), served as a Canadian during before becoming a in . Her mother was Phyllis Margaret "Lissa" Cook (1923–2013). Campbell had one younger sister, Alix. The family relocated to when Campbell was very young, where her father practiced . In , at age 12, her parents divorced, after which Campbell and her sister lived primarily with their father; her mother subsequently left the family. This period marked a challenging transition for Campbell, who has described her father's strict but supportive influence shaping her resilience and independence during .

University education and early influences

Campbell earned a degree with honours in from the in 1969. During her undergraduate years at UBC, she engaged actively in student government, serving in leadership roles that honed her organizational skills and introduced her to political processes, laying foundational experiences for her later public service. After completing her , Campbell pursued advanced studies at the London School of Economics from 1970 to 1973, focusing on Soviet government and as part of a doctoral program, which she advanced to but did not complete. Her selection of as a major, and subsequent specialization in Soviet affairs amid tensions, stemmed from an early fascination with history and broader geopolitical dynamics rather than purely domestic issues. These academic pursuits exposed her to rigorous analysis of authoritarian systems and global power structures, influencing her pragmatic approach to policy and emphasis on evidence-based in subsequent roles.

Pre-Political Career

Campbell enrolled in the Faculty of Law after completing graduate studies in , receiving her (LL.B.) in 1983. She was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1984. Following her admission to the bar, Campbell practiced in from 1984 to 1986, working as an associate at a firm while maintaining part-time academic commitments in . Her legal practice concluded upon her successful entry into provincial in 1986, after which she did not return to private practice.

Academic and professional roles

Following her undergraduate studies, Campbell pursued advanced research in Soviet government and international politics at the London School of Economics before returning to . She then held academic positions in , teaching at the University of British Columbia's Department of Political Science from 1975 to 1978. Subsequently, from 1978 to 1981, she lectured in and at . These roles reflected her early interest in academia, though she did not secure a permanent university position and later shifted toward legal training.

Provincial Political Career

Entry into British Columbia politics

Following her tenure on the from 1983 to 1985, Kim Campbell served as Executive Director in the office of Premier . In 1986, amid Bennett's announcement of retirement, she entered provincial partisan politics by contesting the leadership of the Party, ultimately placing last in a field of twelve candidates; the position was won by William Vander Zalm. Campbell then ran as the Social Credit candidate in the Vancouver-Point Grey riding during the British Columbia general election held on October 22, 1986, securing victory and entry into the as a (MLA). This marked her transition from advisory and local roles to representing constituents in the provincial legislature under the governing administration.

Ministerial positions and key policy stances

Campbell served as a (MLA) for Vancouver-Point Grey from October 1986 until her resignation in 1988 to pursue federal politics. During this period, she held no formal ministerial positions in the cabinet under Bill Vander Zalm's government, though her brief tenure highlighted her as a moderate voice within the party's socially conservative ranks. Her key policy stances centered on and reproductive autonomy, positioning her at odds with party leadership. Campbell publicly opposed Vander Zalm's restrictive approach to , which included efforts to limit public funding and access, advocating instead for pro-choice policies that emphasized individual rights over government intervention. This stance reflected her broader feminist perspective, including calls for enhanced legal protections for victims of and , such as reforms to evidentiary rules that would prevent victim-blaming in proceedings—issues she continued to champion federally but raised provincially as an MLA. These positions alienated right-wing elements within the Social Credit Party, contributing to her reputation as an outlier and facilitating her recruitment by the federal Progressive Conservatives.

Federal Political Career

Election to the House of Commons

Kim Campbell resigned her seat in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, representing Vancouver-Point Grey, on October 27, 1988, to pursue a federal candidacy with the Progressive Conservative Party. She was selected as the party's candidate for the Vancouver Centre riding, a competitive urban constituency in . In the federal general election on November 21, 1988, Campbell won Vancouver Centre by a margin of 269 votes over candidate Johanna den Hertog, securing 15,502 votes or 37.9% of the popular vote. The Liberals placed third with 14,699 votes, reflecting the tight three-way race typical of West Coast ridings amid national debates over with the . Campbell's victory contributed to the Progressive Conservatives' under , which won 169 seats overall. She was sworn in as a shortly after the election and delivered her in the on April 4, 1989, focusing on issues of justice and . This marked her entry into federal politics following recruitment by the national party, leveraging her provincial experience and legal background.

Cabinet appointments under Brian Mulroney

Campbell entered the federal cabinet on 30 January 1989 as Minister of State for Indian Affairs and Northern Development, a junior portfolio under the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, where she addressed policy issues related to Indigenous communities and northern territories. This appointment followed her election as for Vancouver Centre in the 1988 federal election and reflected Mulroney's strategy to integrate rising Progressive Conservative talents into government amid ongoing constitutional and economic challenges. On 23 February 1990, Campbell was elevated to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of , succeeding Douglas Lewis in a ; she became the first woman to hold this senior legal role, overseeing federal prosecutions, reforms, and constitutional matters during a period of intense debate over the Meech Lake Accord's failure and preparations for further constitutional negotiations. In this capacity, she advanced amendments to on and firearms control, though these efforts faced criticism from both progressive and conservative factions for insufficient stringency or overreach. Her tenure emphasized pragmatic legal oversight without notable scandals, bolstering her profile as a competent administrator in Mulroney's increasingly beleaguered administration. Campbell's final promotion under Mulroney occurred on 4 January 1993, when she was appointed Minister of National Defence and Minister of in a major aimed at refreshing the cabinet ahead of anticipated leadership transition; this made her the first woman to lead the Department of National Defence, responsible for military procurement, commitments, and post-Cold War force restructuring amid budget constraints and Somalia Affair precursors. She retained these portfolios until Mulroney's resignation on 24 June 1993, during which she navigated early controversies over military discipline and defence spending cuts, positioning her as a frontrunner for party leadership. These successive appointments underscored Mulroney's reliance on Campbell's legal expertise and public appeal to stabilize key portfolios amid declining Progressive Conservative popularity.

Path to Premiership

Progressive Conservative leadership contest

Following Mulroney's announcement of his on February 24, 1993, amid declining popularity and economic challenges, the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada organized a leadership contest to select his successor, with Mulroney remaining in office until the process concluded. The contest culminated at a national convention held on June 13, 1993, in , where party delegates voted to choose the new leader, who would also assume the premiership. Three candidates entered the race: Kim Campbell, then Minister of and Attorney General; Jean Charest, a prominent Quebec MP and Minister of the Environment; and Jim Edwards, an Alberta MP focused on western conservative priorities. Campbell, leveraging her high-profile cabinet roles and public profile as a trailblazing female politician, secured victory in the contest against Charest, her primary rival, marking her as the first woman elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. The outcome reflected party efforts to refresh its image ahead of an anticipated federal election, with Campbell positioned as a modernizing figure untainted by Mulroney-era fatigue.

Assuming the office of Prime Minister

Kim Campbell was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party on June 13, 1993, at the party's national convention in Ottawa, defeating rivals including Jean Charest with 57 percent of the vote on the second ballot. This victory positioned her to succeed Brian Mulroney, who had announced his intention to resign as party leader and prime minister on February 24, 1993, amid low public approval ratings for his administration. Mulroney remained in office to ensure an orderly transition, tendering his formal resignation to Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn upon Campbell's leadership win. On June 25, 1993, Campbell was sworn in as Canada's 19th and the first woman to hold the position, taking the in a ceremony at . Her assumption of the premiership marked a brief interlude of optimism for the Progressive Conservatives, who hoped her relative freshness as a —having entered federal only in 1988—would revitalize the party's image ahead of the impending . Campbell retained much of Mulroney's cabinet initially but made targeted adjustments, including promoting loyalists and addressing key portfolios to signal continuity while injecting new energy. The transition occurred against a backdrop of economic challenges and fatigue with long-term Conservative governance, as Mulroney's nine-year tenure had been marked by unpopular policies such as the Goods and Services Tax and negotiations. Campbell's immediate priorities upon taking office included preparing for the federal election, which constitutional convention required within months of the leadership change, while attempting to distance the party from Mulroney-era controversies without alienating its base. Her term lasted 132 days, ending with the Progressive Conservatives' landslide defeat on November 4, 1993.

1993 Federal Election and Defeat

Campaign strategy and notable gaffes

Campbell's campaign for the 1993 federal election, launched after she dissolved on September 8 for a vote on , adopted a strategy centered on leveraging her high personal approval ratings—peaking around 50 percent in early polls—to distance the Progressive Conservative Party from Brian Mulroney's unpopularity amid economic stagnation and policy resentments like the 1991 Goods and Services Tax implementation. The short 47-day timeline aimed to capitalize on this "Campbellmania" before anti-incumbent sentiment solidified, with advertising expenditures totaling approximately $10 million focused on introductory spots portraying her as energetic and relatable rather than delving into fiscal or specifics. This personality-driven approach, however, largely sidestepped voter demands for concrete solutions to 11.2 percent and federal deficits, reinforcing critiques that the platform lacked depth on inherited challenges. Key missteps amplified these vulnerabilities. On the campaign's opening day, , Campbell remarked that pledging specific job creation targets would be "old politics," stating, "I could say how many jobs I'd like to create, but, I'm sorry, that's old politics," prioritizing deficit reduction over immediate employment assurances amid widespread joblessness. This drew immediate rebukes from Liberal leader , who contrasted it with his own job-focused pledges, and press coverage framed it as emblematic of fiscal over empathy, though some editorials lauded her candor. Further gaffes included an offhand dismissal of debates, encapsulated in her comment that "an election is no time to discuss serious issues," uttered in response to queries on potential social program adjustments, which critics seized upon as evidence of avoiding accountability for complex fiscal trade-offs. Compounding damage, a late-campaign television ad aired around —roughly 10 days before voting—questioned "Is this a ?" over distorted images highlighting Chrétien's facial paralysis from a prior , prompting swift public revulsion for exploiting a ; Campbell ordered its withdrawal "as soon as technically possible" and issued an apology, but the episode alienated undecided voters and PC candidates who decried it as desperate and tasteless. These incidents eroded her lead, contributing to the party's collapse from 169 seats to two, including Campbell's own defeat in Vancouver Centre.

Election results and party collapse

The 1993 Canadian federal election, held on October 25, 1993, delivered a devastating blow to the Progressive Conservative Party (PC) under Prime Minister Kim Campbell. The party secured just 2 seats in the expanded 295-seat House of Commons, plummeting from 169 seats held after the 1988 election, despite capturing 16.0% of the popular vote. This outcome represented one of the most severe electoral collapses in Canadian history, with the PCs losing official party status, which requires a minimum of 12 seats for parliamentary recognition, dedicated question periods, and proportional public funding. Voter turnout stood at 69.6%. The Liberals, led by , dominated with 177 seats and 41.3% of the vote, while new parties like the (54 seats, 13.5%) and Reform Party (52 seats, 18.7%) fragmented the right-wing vote, exacerbating the PCs' losses. The managed 9 seats with 6.9% support. Campbell herself was defeated in her Vancouver Centre riding, as were nearly all incumbent PC MPs and cabinet ministers, leaving the party's surviving members—Elsie Wayne in and one other in —as isolated holdouts.
PartySeats WonPopular Vote (%)
Liberal17741.3
Bloc Québécois5413.5
Reform5218.7
Progressive Conservative216.0
New Democratic Party96.9
The annihilation stripped the PCs of their governing infrastructure, plunging the party into financial distress, internal recriminations, and a decade-long wilderness period that culminated in its dissolution and merger with the Canadian Alliance to form the modern Conservative Party in 2003. Campbell resigned as party leader on December 13, 1993, following a brief interim period, amid widespread acknowledgment that the Mulroney-era government's accumulated scandals, economic woes, and constitutional failures had rendered the brand toxic.

Post-Premiership Activities

Immediate transition and advisory roles

Following the Progressive Conservative Party's landslide defeat in the federal election on October 25, 1993—which reduced the party to two seats in the and resulted in Campbell's personal loss in Vancouver Centre—she continued as party leader and de facto despite lacking a parliamentary seat. On December 13, 1993, Campbell resigned from the leadership, citing the need for the party to rebuild under new direction amid internal pressures and the scale of the electoral collapse; was elected as her successor on December 18. In the immediate aftermath, Campbell expressed interest in contributing to the party's reconstruction but ultimately stepped away from formal political involvement to avoid hindering renewal efforts. She transitioned to academia, accepting a fellowship at Harvard University's Institute of Politics in 1994, where she engaged in discussions and reflected on her brief tenure. This role marked her initial post-premiership advisory engagement, focusing on leadership and governance rather than partisan activities. In 1995, she extended her Harvard affiliation as a fellow at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and , analyzing media dynamics in elections based on her recent campaign experience.

International and academic engagements

Following her brief tenure as Prime Minister, Campbell served as a fellow at Harvard University's Institute of Politics in spring 1994 and at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. She later held the position of Canadian Consul General in Los Angeles from 1996 to 2000, where she focused on promoting bilateral trade, cultural exchanges, and consular services between Canada and the southwestern United States. In 2001, Campbell joined the Center for Public Leadership at as one of its inaugural fellows, teaching courses on democratic transitions, gender and power dynamics in politics, and public until 2004; she has remained an honorary fellow since. From 1999 to 2003, she chaired the , an organization supporting female heads of state and government in advancing global policy initiatives on , , and women's . These roles underscored her ongoing commitment to international and on , drawing on her experience as Canada's first female .

Recent public commentary and involvements (2023–2025)

In September 2023, Campbell contributed to a initiative focused on strategies to mitigate risks from potential overshoot of the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C warming limit, advocating for proactive global preparations in case emissions reduction targets are missed. On October 17, 2023, she delivered a public address at the on the influence of women's perspectives in governance and policy-making. Following the death of former on February 29, 2024, Campbell publicly reflected on his contributions to Canadian politics, highlighting his role in advancing and during a CPAC on March 1, 2024. In a March 8, 2024, , she sharply criticized Conservative Party leader , labeling him "a liar and a hate-monger" and indicating she would withhold her vote from the party in the forthcoming federal election due to its perceived shift away from traditional progressive conservative values. On April 23, 2024, she participated in an at the Rondeli Security Conference in Georgia, discussing and leadership challenges. On February 12, 2025, Campbell co-signed an open letter with Canada's four other living former prime ministers—, , , and —urging citizens to display the national flag prominently as a symbol of unity amid political divisions. In a March 10, 2025, analysis co-authored with strategist , she assessed the Liberal minority government's vulnerability after the withdrew confidence-and-supply support, predicting a likely non-confidence vote and . During the May 27, 2025, in , where King Charles III read the address, Campbell remarked to media that the sovereign's participation underscored the historical and constitutional roots of Canada's .

Controversies

David Milgaard wrongful conviction case

As Minister of Justice from April 1990 to June 1993, Kim Campbell oversaw the federal review process for 's 1970 conviction for the first-degree murder of Gail Miller in , . Milgaard, aged 16 at the time of his arrest, had maintained his innocence, with his Joyce Milgaard campaigning publicly for over two decades to highlight inconsistencies in witness testimony, including from a paid and acquaintances who later recanted or altered statements. In early 1991, following a 1988 application under section 696 of the Criminal Code (formerly section 690) for a ministerial review of potential miscarriage of justice, Campbell's office issued a letter denying reopening the case, nine months after Joyce Milgaard's cross-Canada tour to draw attention to new leads implicating suspect Larry Fisher. The letter cited insufficient new evidence to warrant federal intervention, despite forensic re-evaluations and public advocacy, prompting Joyce Milgaard to publicly confront Campbell on television and accuse the government of indifference. By December 1991, amid mounting pressure—including direct appeals to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney—Campbell referred the matter to the Supreme Court of Canada for an advisory opinion on whether a miscarriage of justice had occurred, marking a reversal from the prior denial. Mulroney later claimed in his 2019 memoirs that he instructed Campbell to pursue the reference after Joyce Milgaard approached him personally, portraying her initial reluctance as overridden by executive directive. The Supreme Court's 1992 report found no conclusive proof of innocence based on available evidence but recommended parole consideration, leading to Milgaard's release on parole in 1992; however, his conviction persisted until DNA evidence in 1997 definitively linked Fisher to the crime, resulting in Milgaard's formal exoneration and compensation. Critics, including Joyce Milgaard during the 2006-2008 Commission of Inquiry into the wrongful conviction, highlighted Campbell's initial rejection as emblematic of systemic delays in addressing potential injustices, with the emotional toll of the 1991 letter cited as exacerbating family suffering after years of advocacy. The episode drew scrutiny to federal oversight of provincial convictions, though Campbell's defenders noted the constraints of evidentiary thresholds under section 696, which require compelling new facts beyond doubt. Milgaard received $10 million in compensation from in 1999, underscoring the case's broader implications for wrongful conviction reforms.

Other political missteps and public criticisms

As Minister of in 1990, Campbell posed for a black-and-white photograph by Barbara Woodley in which she stood bare-shouldered while holding her judicial robes in front of her body, creating an impression of ; the image, intended as artistic, sparked a minor public and criticism for perceived impropriety from a high-ranking . In her brief tenure as Minister of National Defence from January to June 1993, Campbell faced criticism for downplaying the neo-Nazi affiliations of a soldier under investigation in connection with a racist , describing the ties as "youthful folly" despite acknowledging broader issues of within the Canadian Armed Forces. This occurred amid the emerging , involving the torture and killing of a Somali teenager by Canadian peacekeepers on March 4, 1993, for which Campbell ordered an inquiry but drew accusations of inadequate oversight and delayed accountability from military critics and opposition figures. During the Progressive Conservative leadership race in May , Campbell referred to opponents of the government's deficit-reduction measures as "enemies of ," prompting backlash from political rivals, affected interest groups, and analysts who deemed the intemperate, intolerant, and divisive; buttons reading "Enemy of Kim's " appeared in protest, highlighting perceptions of her naivety in debates. In post-premiership years, Campbell's public statements have occasionally invited criticism for partisanship or insensitivity. In August 2019, amid Hurricane Dorian's approach, she tweeted support for the storm to make "a direct hit" on U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, eliciting widespread condemnation for callousness toward potential disaster impacts before she apologized, attributing it to frustration with Trump. Later that month, she compared oil industry executives to perpetrators of "crimes against humanity" deserving Nuremberg-style trials for environmental impacts, a remark decried by energy sector advocates and conservative commentators as hyperbolic and inflammatory. In 2018, her criticism of female television anchors wearing sleeveless dresses as "demeaning" was highlighted for hypocrisy given her own 1990 photograph, fueling debates on consistency in feminist advocacy.

Legacy and Assessments

Policy achievements and symbolic milestones

Campbell achieved a historic symbolic milestone by becoming Canada's first female prime minister on June 25, 1993, serving until November 4, 1993, following Mulroney's resignation. Her appointment marked only the second instance of a leading a nation at the time. Prior roles further underscored these breakthroughs: she was the first appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General in 1990, and the first female Minister of National Defence in 1993, making her the inaugural defence minister among countries. In her capacity as Justice Minister, Campbell directed key legislative reforms, including the 1991 Criminal Code amendments that expanded firearms storage, transport, and licensing requirements to curb gun-related violence. She also advanced 1992 updates to provisions, which removed spousal immunity defenses, corroborated the complainant's testimony less stringently, and emphasized consent while prohibiting evidence of the victim's sexual history. These measures aimed to bolster victim protections and evidentiary standards in prosecutions. As prime minister, Campbell initiated a comprehensive reorganization on her first day in office, reducing the Cabinet from 40 to 25 members, merging departments, and launching a program review to downsize the public service amid mounting deficits exceeding 7% of GDP. This restructuring, the most extensive since the , eliminated redundant ministries and set the stage for subsequent fiscal cuts, though much implementation occurred under the incoming Liberal .

Criticisms of leadership and electoral failure

Campbell's leadership tenure, spanning from June 25 to November 4, 1993, faced immediate scrutiny for failing to revitalize the Progressive Conservative Party amid widespread voter fatigue from the preceding Mulroney government's policies, including the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax in 1991 and the failed constitutional accords of Meech Lake (1990) and (1992). Critics argued that her decision to call a on September 8, 1993, just 73 days after assuming office, exacerbated the party's disarray by not allowing sufficient time to distance itself from Mulroney's unpopularity, which had eroded public support to the point where the PCs held only a plurality in polls despite her personal favorability. This timing contributed to the party's catastrophic defeat, reducing its representation from 156 seats to just 2 in the 295-seat , with a popular vote share plummeting to 16.0 percent, as voters fragmented toward the Liberal Party (177 seats), (54 seats), and Reform Party (52 seats). During the campaign, Campbell's communication missteps drew sharp rebukes for appearing detached from voter concerns. On August 14, 1993, she remarked that "whether or not we have 100 or 200 or 300 research scientists working in government labs ... elections are not decided on issues like that," a statement interpreted as dismissive of substance and reinforcing perceptions of insulation from everyday economic hardships amid a that saw peak at 11.4 percent in late 1992. Similarly, her early campaign assertion that promising specific job numbers represented "old politics" alienated working-class supporters, signaling a reluctance to commit to tangible economic pledges when remained a core issue, further eroding the party's credibility on fiscal recovery. A Liberal Party mocking Liberal leader Jean Chrétien's facial paralysis, aired briefly on October 14, 1993, and withdrawn within 24 hours under Campbell's campaign direction, backfired spectacularly by galvanizing sympathy for Chretien and highlighting perceived tone-deaf negativity in PC strategy. Leadership critiques extended to internal party management and strategic deficiencies, with detractors pointing to her pre-election on June 25, 1993, which demoted several Mulroney loyalists and installed less experienced allies, fostering resentment among MPs and contributing to disorganized messaging. Analysts attributed the collapse partly to Campbell's overreliance on her personal charisma—polls showed her individual approval at 50 percent in early —without addressing the structural toxicity of the PC brand, as regional vote splits favored insurgent parties like in the West and the Bloc in . Post-election assessments, including from former party insiders, faulted her for insufficient platform development, exemplified by vague commitments that failed to counter Liberal promises of deficit reduction without deep cuts, ultimately sealing the PCs' near-extinction for over a decade.

Long-term impact on Canadian conservatism

Campbell's brief premiership and the Progressive Conservative Party's catastrophic performance in the October 25, 1993, federal election—securing just 2 seats and 16% of the popular vote from a previous of 169 seats—marked a pivotal rupture in Canadian , accelerating the old party's obsolescence and necessitating a fundamental realignment on the right. The defeat, while predated by voter fatigue over Brian Mulroney's policies like the Goods and Services Tax and failed constitutional accords, was intensified by Campbell's campaign errors, including her September 1993 statement that promising specific job numbers represented "old politics," which underscored a perceived elite disconnect from economic hardships amid 11.2% . Additionally, a short-lived October 1993 mocking Liberal leader Jean Chrétien's facial paralysis backfired, eroding remaining support and symbolizing tactical ineptitude. The 1993 outcome fragmented the conservative vote, boosting the upstart Reform Party to 52 seats on 18.7% of the vote and enabling Liberal dominance under until 2006; this third-party surge exposed the Progressive Conservatives' vulnerability to populist challengers emphasizing fiscal restraint, , and Senate reform over the party's traditional centrism. Long-term, the annihilation compelled conservatives to confront internal divisions, culminating in the 2003 merger of the diminished Progressive Conservatives with the Canadian Alliance (Reform's successor) to form the , which governed from 2006 to 2015 under by prioritizing unified opposition to Liberal policies rather than the fractured brokerage of the Mulroney-Campbell era. Analyses attribute the Progressive Conservatives' demise partly to ideological drift—blending social progressivism with economic , alienating core voters on moral and fiscal grounds—but Campbell's leadership crystallized this as electoral suicide, paving the way for a more disciplined, market-oriented less tolerant of complacency. Her tenure thus inadvertently catalyzed a healthier , as the shock of near-extinction fostered strategic adaptation, evidenced by the new party's repeated competitiveness against the Liberals, though at the cost of the Progressive Conservative brand's erasure from federal politics.

Honours and Personal Details

Awards and distinctions

Campbell was appointed Companion of the (CC), the country's highest civilian honour, on April 10, 2008, in recognition of her pioneering role in Canadian politics as the nation's first female and her subsequent contributions to international and women's leadership. She received the in 2002, awarded to prominent Canadians marking the Queen's 50 years on the throne. In 2012, Campbell was invested as a Member of the (OBC), the province's highest honour, for her distinguished service as a native who advanced public policy and gender equity in governance. She also holds the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1993), the Queen Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), and other commemorative distinctions conferred on former prime ministers and public figures of note. Additionally, in 2018, she was awarded the YWCA Metro Vancouver's Icon Award as part of the Women of Distinction Awards, honouring her lifetime achievements in and advocacy for women.

Family life and relationships

Campbell was born Avril Phædra Douglas Campbell on March 10, 1947, in , , to George Thomas Campbell, a veteran who later became a , and Phyllis "Lissa" Cook. She has one older sister, Alix. Her parents divorced when she was 12 years old, after which her mother left the family; Campbell and her sister were then raised by their father in . Campbell's first marriage was to Nathan Divinsky, a University of British Columbia mathematics professor, on September 15, 1972, in , ; the couple separated in 1982 and divorced in 1983. Divinsky had three daughters from a previous , with whom Campbell maintained a positive relationship. Her second , to lawyer Howard Eddy, occurred in 1986 and ended in divorce shortly before she assumed the office of in June 1993. In 1997, Campbell married , a pianist, composer, actor, and playwright. The couple resides outside , , as of 2022. Campbell has no biological children.

References

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