The Johnston ministry was the combined Cabinet (formally the Executive Council of British Columbia) that governed British Columbia from April 2, 1991, to November 5, 1991. It was led by Rita Johnston, the 29th premier of British Columbia, and consisted of members of the Social Credit Party.
The Johnston ministry was in office for the last seven months of the 34th Parliament of British Columbia. Johnston was Deputy Premier of British Columbia in the preceding Vander Zalm ministry; following Bill Vander Zalm's resignation, the Social Credit caucus selected her to be the interim leader (and thus premier) while the party could organize a leadership convention. Johnston successfully stood for the permanent leadership. She was the first woman to serve as a first minister in Canada.
Following the 1991 election, which the Social Credit Party lost, the ministry was replaced by the Harcourt ministry.
List of ministers +Johnston ministry by portfolioPortfolioMinisterTenureStartEndPremier of British ColumbiaRita JohnstonApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Advanced Education, Training and TechnologyBruce StrachanApril 2, 1991May 7, 1991Stan HagenMay 7, 1991May 29, 1991Peter Albert DueckMay 29, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodHarry de JongApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Larry ChalmersApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Attorney GeneralRussell FraserApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Crown LandsDave ParkerApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Minister of Development, Trade and TourismHoward DirksApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of EducationStan HagenApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum ResourcesJack WeisgerberApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of EnvironmentClifford SerwaApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991David MercierApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister responsible for FamiliesCarol GranApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Finance and Corporate RelationsElwood VeitchApril 2, 1991April 8, 1991Mel CouvelierApril 8, 1991May 7, 1991John JansenMay 7, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of ForestsClaude RichmondApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Government Management ServicesCarol GranApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Minister of HealthJohn JansenApril 2, 1991May 7, 1991Bruce StrachanMay 7, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of International Business and ImmigrationElwood VeitchApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Minister of Labour and Consumer ServicesJames RabbittApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Lands and ParksDave ParkerApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister responsible for Multiculturalism and ImmigrationElwood VeitchApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and CultureLyall HansonApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Graham BruceApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Native AffairsJack WeisgerberApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991John SavageApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of ParksJohn SavageApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Provincial SecretaryHoward DirksApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Elwood VeitchApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Regional and Economic DevelopmentBud SmithApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Minister responsible for SeniorsJohn JansenApril 2, 1991May 7, 1991Bruce StrachanMay 7, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Social Services and HousingNorman JacobsenApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991Solicitor GeneralIvan MessmerApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of TourismCliff MichaelApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Minister of Transportation and HighwaysRita JohnstonApril 2, 1991April 15, 1991Lyall HansonApril 15, 1991November 5, 1991Minister of Women's Programs and Government ServicesCarol GranApril 2, 1991November 5, 1991
Cabinet shuffles
On April 8, Johnston reappointed Mel Couvelier as finance minister. Couvelier had previously been finance minister under Vander Zalm, but had resigned on March 6 as a protest against Vander Zalm's conflict-of-interest investigation. Elwood Veitch, who had taken over the finance ministry after Couvelier's resignation, remained in cabinet as minister of international business and immigration.
Johnston shuffled her cabinet on April 15. Three new members joined: Graham Bruce, Larry Chalmers and David Mercier. Notably, Bruce and Mercier were two of the four MLAs who had quit the party caucus in 1989 in protest of Vander Zalm's leadership. Meanwhile, four ministers left cabinet: Harry de Jong, Cliff Michael, Cliff Serwa and Bud Smith. Several portfolios were reconfigured or merged to accommodate the slightly smaller cabinet. The new Ministry of Lands and Parks was created by joining the Ministry of Parks and Ministry of Crown Lands; the tourism and international business portfolios were combined as the new Ministry of Development, Trade and Tourism; and the remaining immigration portfolio was expanded to include multiculturalism.
On May 7, Johnston fired Couvelier from cabinet for allegedly breaching the confidentiality provisions of the Financial Institutions Act. Couvelier's departure caused a mini-shuffle: John Jansen was named the new finance minister, Bruce Strachan moved into Jansen's old role as health minister, and Stan Hagen took over Strachan's old portfolio of advanced education (while remaining education minister).
On May 29, Peter Albert Dueck was appointed Minister of Advanced Education. Dueck had previously been in Vander Zalm's cabinet until being forced to resign in May 1990 over an expenses scandal; after an RCMP investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing, Johnston invited him back to cabinet.
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