| Judith Jacobson Erola | |
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| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Nickel Belt |
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| In office 1980–1984 |
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| Preceded by | John Rodriguez |
| Succeeded by | John Rodriguez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 16, 1934 Sudbury, Ontario |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Occupation | broadcaster, sales executive |
Judith Erola, née Jacobson, PC (born January 16, 1934 in Sudbury, Ontario) is a former Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Nickel Belt in the Canadian House of Commons from 1980 to 1984. She was a member of the Liberal Party.
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Prior to her career in politics, she worked as a radio and television broadcaster in Sudbury. At CKSO-TV, she made history as the first woman employed by a Canadian television station as a weather reporter, and also presented segments on fashion.[1] She later became an account executive for CHNO, and married Vic Erola, the owner of a marina on Lake Panache.
Following the death of her husband Vic in 1977, Erola decided to pursue a career in politics. She ran in the 1979 election as the Liberal candidate in Nickel Belt, losing to incumbent New Democrat John Rodriguez.
Erola defeated Rodriguez in the 1980 election, however, and was named to Pierre Trudeau's final cabinet, holding the positions of Minister of State for Mines, Minister of State for Social Development, Minister responsible for the Status of Women and Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. She was also the first woman ever appointed to the cabinet's priorities and planning committee, which debates and decides on the direction of government policy.
After Trudeau's retirement, Erola continued to serve in the cabinet of John Turner. However, in the 1984 election, which saw the governing Liberals reduced to just 40 seats, Erola was defeated, again by Rodriguez.
In 1987, Erola became president of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association of Canada, a position she held until her retirement in 1998. She was an ex officio delegate to the Liberal Party of Canada leadership election, 2006, where she supported Stéphane Dion.
She is currently on the board of Equal Voice, an organization which seeks to assist Canadian women in running for political office.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by André Ouellet |
Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs 1983–1984 |
Succeeded by Michel Côté |
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