Iona Victoria Campagnolo PC OC OBC (née Hardy; October 18, 1932 – April 4, 2024)[2] was a Canadian politician who served as the 27th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 2001 to 2007; Campagnolo was the first woman to hold that office. Prior to becoming lieutenant governor, she was a Cabinet member in the Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
Iona Campagnolo | |
|---|---|
 Campagnolo in 2002 | |
| 27th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia | |
| In office September 25, 2001 – September 30, 2007 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governors General | Adrienne Clarkson Michaëlle Jean |
| Premier | Gordon Campbell |
| Preceded by | Garde Gardom |
| Succeeded by | Steven Point |
| Member of 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 |
| Died | April 4, 2024 (aged 91) |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse(s) | Louis Campagnolo (m. 1952, div.)[1] |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Profession | radio broadcaster, politician |
Life and career
editBorn 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. Frank King, the Chairman of the Calgary Olympic Development Organization credited Campagnolo as the first person to share the vision of Calgary hosting the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, assisting the group in securing $200 million in federal funding for the organization's bid.[3] She lost her seat to NDP challenger Jim Fulton in the 1979 election.
In 1982, she 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.[4]
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.[1] She did not run for re-election as party president at the next Liberal convention in 1986.
In 1973, Campagnolo was made a Member of the Order of Canada and promoted to Officer in 2008.[1] In 1998, she received the Order of British Columbia.
In 1992, 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.[5]
Campagnolo was the founding Chair of the non-profit Fraser Basin Council, serving from 1997 to 2001.
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.[1] 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)."[6] As the Queen's viceroy in British Columbia, she was 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.[citation needed] She served in that position until September 30, 2007.[1]
In 2003 the Chief Herald of Canada granted armorial bearings to Campagnolo.
Campagnolo died on April 4, 2024, at the age of 91.[2][7][8]
Personal life
editCampagnolo married Louis in 1952 with whom she had two children. The couple were later divorced.[1]
Honours and awards
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| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
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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
editIona Campagnolo received many honorary degrees in recognition of her distinguished career in politics and her service as Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia; these included:
| Province | Date | School | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
 British Columbia |
June 8, 1995 | Simon Fraser University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[9][10] |
 Ontario |
June 11, 1997 | Brock University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[11] |
| British Columbia |
May 28, 1999 | University of Northern British Columbia | Doctorate[5] |
| British Columbia |
June 2007 | University of Victoria | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[12] |
| British Columbia |
2009 | University of British Columbia | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[13] |
| Ontario |
2009 | Trent University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[14] |
| British Columbia |
June 18, 2010 | Royal Roads University | Doctorate[15] |
Arms
edit
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Further reading
edit- MacLean, Barbara Hutmacher (1997). I can't do what? voices of pathfinding women. Ventura, Calif: Pathfinder Pub. ISBN 978-0-934793-62-9. OCLC 34943352.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "The Honourable Iona Campagnolo fonds – Northern BC Archives".
- ^ a b "The Hon. Iona Campagnolo, P.C., M.P." Parlinfo. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ King, Frank W. (1991). It's how you play the game : the inside story of the Calgary Olympics. Calgary: Script, the Writers' Group. p. 14. ISBN 0-9694287-5-8.
- ^ "Former prime minister John Turner dead at 91 – BNN Bloomberg". September 19, 2020.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ Mackie, John (April 6, 2024). "Charming and charismatic, former B.C. Lt.-Gov. Iona Campagnolo dies at 91". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ Matassa-Fung, Darrian (April 5, 2024). "B.C.'s first female lieutenant-governor, Iona Campagnolo, dies". Global News. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "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. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. 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. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Canadian Heraldic Authority, vol. IV, Ottawa, 2003
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