List of female first ministers in Canada

A total of nine women have served, or are serving, as the first minister of a Canadian government. Of these, one was prime minister of the country, five were premiers of a province and three were premiers of a territory. Only four of the nine became a first minister as a result of a general election; the rest earned the position by winning a leadership race of their political party while it was already in power. The first female first minister in Canadian history, Rita Johnston, served as the 29th Premier of British Columbia for seven months in 1991 after she won the leadership of the governing party.

As of December 2011, the four female first ministers in Canada are Eva Aariak (2nd Premier of Nunavut), Kathy Dunderdale (10th Premier of Newfoundland & Labrador), Christy Clark (34th Premier of British Columbia) and Alison Redford (14th Premier of Alberta). The tenure of incumbents is accurate as of 17 March 2012.

Portrait Name of Premier Province/Territory Date Assumed Office Date Departed Office Duration Political Party Leadership history Electoral Mandates
Johnston, RitaRita Johnston British Columbia 01991-04-022 April 1991 01991-11-055 November 1991 &100000000000000000000000 years, &10000000000000217000000217 days British Columbia Social Credit Party 1991 interim leader
1991 party leadership election		 none
Cournoyea, NellieNellie Cournoyea Northwest Territories 01991-11-1414 November 1991 01995-11-2222 November 1995 &100000000000000040000004 years, &100000000000000080000008 days Nonpartisan (consensus government) 1991 selection 1991 general election
Callbeck, CatherineCatherine Callbeck Prince Edward Island 01993-01-2525 January 1993 01996-10-099 October 1996 &100000000000000030000003 years, &10000000000000258000000258 days Prince Edward Island Liberal Party 1993 party leadership election 1993 general election
Campbell, KimKim Campbell Canada (federal) 01993-06-2525 June 1993 01993-11-044 November 1993 &100000000000000000000000 years, &10000000000000132000000132 days Progressive Conservative Party of Canada 1993 party leadership election none
Duncan, PatPat Duncan Yukon 02000-06-055 June 2000 02002-11-055 November 2002 &100000000000000020000002 years, &10000000000000153000000153 days Yukon Liberal Party 1998 party leadership election 2000 general election
Aariak, EvaEva Aariak Nunavut 02008-11-1414 November 2008 Incumbent &100000000000000030000003 years, &10000000000000124000000124 days Nonpartisan (consensus government) 2008 selection 2008 general election
Dunderdale, KathyKathy Dunderdale Newfoundland and Labrador 02010-12-033 December 2010 Incumbent &100000000000000010000001 year, &10000000000000105000000105 days Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador 2010 interim leader
2011 party leadership election		 2011 general election
Clark, ChristyChristy Clark British Columbia 02011-03-1414 March 2011 Incumbent &100000000000000010000001 year, &100000000000000030000003 days British Columbia Liberal Party 2011 party leadership election none
Redford, AlisonAlison Redford Alberta 02011-10-077 October 2011 Incumbent &100000000000000000000000 years, &10000000000000162000000162 days Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta 2011 party leadership election none

See also

Canadian politics by time in office