George Johnson (Manitoba politician)

For other people with the same name, see George Johnson (disambiguation).

George Johnson, OC (November 18, 1920 – July 8, 1995) was a medical doctor and is seen by historians as one of the leading political reformers of the twentieth century in Manitoba. He served as a Cabinet Minister in the governments of Dufferin Roblin and Walter Weir and as the province's 20th Lieutenant Governor from 1986 to 1993.

The Honourable George Johnson OC
20th Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
In office December 11, 1986 – March 5, 1993
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governors‑General	Jeanne Sauvé Ray Hnatyshyn
Premier	Howard Pawley Gary Filmon
Preceded by	Pearl McGonigal
Succeeded by	Yvon Dumont
Manitoba Minister of Health1
In office September 24, 1968 – July 15, 1969
Premier	Walter Weir
Preceded by	Charles Witney
Succeeded by	Sidney Green (as Minister of Health and Social Development)
In office June 30, 1958 – December 9, 1963
Premier	Dufferin Roblin
Preceded by	Robert Bend
Succeeded by	Charles Witney
Manitoba Minister of Education
In office December 9, 1963 – September 24, 1968
Premier	Dufferin Roblin Walter Weir
Preceded by	Stewart McLean
Succeeded by	Donald Craik (as Minister of Youth and Education)
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
In office June 16, 1958 – June 25, 1969
Preceded by	Steinn O. Thompson
Succeeded by	John Gottfried
Constituency	Gimli
Personal details
Born	(1920-11-18)November 18, 1920 Winnipeg, Manitoba
Died	June 8, 1995(1995-06-08) (aged 74) Gimli, Manitoba
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Spouse	Doris Blondal
Alma mater	University of Manitoba
Profession	Physician
Military service
Branch/service	Royal Canadian Navy
Years of service	1941–1945
Rank	Captain
1 Minister of Health and Public Welfare from June 30, 1958, to October 25, 1961

Early life

Johnson was born in Winnipeg, to a family of Icelandic heritage. He received a B.Sc. and M.D. from the University of Manitoba and served as a Lieutenant (later, Captain) with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1941 to 1945.

Political career

Johnson was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1958, for the riding of Gimli, north of Winnipeg. A Progressive Conservative, he was appointed Minister of Health and Public Welfare in the minority government of Dufferin Roblin, who had personally recruited him to run for the party. He retained the health portfolio when the Progressive Conservatives won a majority government in 1959, and oversaw a policy of major hospital expansions in the province and other significant reforms between 1959 and 1963.

On December 9, 1963, Johnson moved to the Ministry of Education as the government sought to cope with the educational requirements of a rapidly expanding baby-boom population. He held this position until September 24, 1968, and was responsible for, among other achievements, the establishment of the universities of Winnipeg and Brandon, respectively, and the Manitoba Institute of Technology (later 'Red River Community College'), and for introducing the policy of "shared services" for public and separate schools (allowing children in separate schools to access public programs for busing, textbooks and the like). In 1968, Johnson returned to his old portfolio as Minister of Health, to oversee an historic change in the provision of medical services: the implementation of medicare in Manitoba.

Ideologically, Johnson was a progressive, often referred to as (somewhat erroneously) a Red Tory with beliefs similar to those held by Premier Roblin. Along with Roblin, he is considered by historians to be the leading political reformer of his generation and among the most influential cabinet ministers in Manitoba history. Although generally a free marketeer, Johnson supported government intervention in the economy in certain areas, for example, in such areas as public utility management, education, major infrastructure projects and certain medical services. When Roblin shifted to federal politics in 1967, Johnson was the only candidate from the Progressive Conservative Party's progressive wing to seek its leadership. A late entry into the leadership race hurt his campaign and while he was the alternative choice for leader among many delegates, the fact that Johnson did not survive to the later balloting prevented him from emerging as the possible compromise choice for party leader among delegates.

Break from politics

Johnson did not seek re-election in 1969, and returned to medical practice in Winnipeg. An experienced physician, within a few years he had one of the largest medical practices in Manitoba.

Lieutenant governorship

Leaving medicine again for the public arena in 1978, Johnson served for the subsequent eight years as a special consultant to the Manitoba government, providing strategic advice and counsel to the government in various areas of health policy. On December 11, 1986, in "recognition of his services to the people of Manitoba", he was appointed as the province's lieutenant governor by Governor General Jeanne Sauvé, on the advice of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He served in this position until March 5, 1993.

Honours

In his career, the governments of Canada and Iceland conferred on Johnson the highest civilian honours that can be bestowed on their respective citizens: the Order of Canada in 1994, and the Icelandic Order of the Falcon in 1992. He was also awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from three universities: Manitoba, Winnipeg and Royal Roads (1992–95).

George Johnson Middle School in Gimli was named in his honour.

Death

Johnson died in 1995 in Gimli. His wife, the former Doris Blondal, died the following year. They had six children and ten grandchildren. Their daughter Janis was a Manitoba senator for twenty six years.

Arms

Coat of arms of George Johnson

Adopted December 16, 1991 Crest Issuant from a coronet érablé Argent a falcon Azure wings addorsed Argent and Gules wearing a coronet of crosses patté Argent bearing in its dexter talon six ears of wheat leaved Or Escutcheon Azure an Icelandic falcon (Falco rusticolus islandicus) displayed Argent gorged with a leather thong pendant therefrom a winged heart Gules bearing in its dexter talon a rod of Aesculapius Or and in its sinister talon a bishop's crozier also Or Supporters Dexter a horse Argent crined, langued, queued and unguled Gules gorged with a collar Azure pendant therefrom a hurt charged with an artist's palette Or and paintbrush Gules Sinister a buffalo Argent langued, horned and unguled Gules gorged with a collar Azure pendant therefrom a hurt charged with an anchor Or Compartment A grassy mound scattered with Prairie crocus flowers proper Motto NEVER UNPREPARED

External links

• "The Honourable George Johnson, M.D." Naval Museum of Manitoba. Retrieved 2013-09-22.