Significant ‘Firsts’ for Elected Women in British Columbia

Mary Ellen Smith

First woman elected to the Legislative Assembly (1918) and first woman in the British Empire to be appointed a cabinet minister – without portfolio (1921)

Nancy Hodges

First woman in the Commonwealth to be elected Speaker (1950) and first B.C. woman appointed to serve in the Senate of Canada (1953)

Tilly Rolston

First woman in Canada to be appointed a cabinet minister with portfolio (1952)

Grace MacInnis

First B.C. woman elected to the Canadian House of Commons (1965); elected provincially to the Legislative Assembly (1941)

Rosemary Brown

First black woman elected to a provincial legislature in Canada (1972)

Eileen Dailly

First woman to serve as Acting President of the Executive Council (1972)

Grace McCarthy

First woman in Canada to serve as Deputy Premier (1975)

Rita Johnston

First woman in Canada to serve as Premier (1991)

Judi Tyabji

First Indo-Canadian woman elected to the Legislative Assembly (1991) and first member to give birth while in office (1992)

Linda Reid

Longest serving woman in the Legislative Assembly (1991 - 2020)

Kim Campbell

First woman to serve as Prime Minister of Canada (1993); elected provincially to the Legislative Assembly (1986)

Ida Chong

With Jenny Wai Ching Kwan (elected same day), first Chinese-Canadian elected to the Legislative Assembly (1996)

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan

With Ida Chong (elected same day), first Chinese-Canadian elected to the Legislative Assembly (1996) and first Chinese-Canadian cabinet minister (1998)

Carole James

First woman to serve as Leader of the Official Opposition, first woman of Métis descent elected to the Legislative Assembly (2005) and first woman of Métis descent to serve in Cabinet (2017)