As Prince Edward Island and the Advisory Council on the Status of Women welcome a new Premier, Hon. Rob Lantz, and thank outgoing Premier Dennis King, some fun facts about PEI’s Premiers and our Council over the years!
- Alex B. Campbell (Premier from 1966-1978) was the Premier of PEI in 1975 when the Advisory Council on the Status of Women was created.
- Including Premier Lantz, 12 premiers have held office during the Council’s 50 years. One of the twelve, Premier Catherine Callbeck (Premier from 1993-1996), is the only woman who has been Premier of PEI. While Hon. Catherine Callbeck was leader, five women held five of the most important posts in provincial leadership, for the first and only time in Canadian history. Learn more about PEI’s Famous Five.
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PEI’s Famous Five, 1993. Back, left to right: Nancy Guptill, Pat Mella, and Hon. Elizabeth Hubley. Front: Hon. Marion Reid and Hon. Catherine Callbeck. Photo by Brian Simpson.
- While he was Premier, Joseph Ghiz (Premier from 1986-1993) also served as PEI’s Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. He was the only Premier to take on this role, the only person of non-European heritage, and the second-last man to hold the role.
- One of the most important ways the Advisory Council on the Status of Women connects with the Premier of PEI is through the Premier’s Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention. The Advisory Council is a founding and still active member of this group, which is 30 years old this year. Premier Catherine Callbeck established the Premier’s Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention in 1995, with a mission to prevent and eliminate abuse in Prince Edward Island, provide education, and promote a provincial family violence prevention strategy. The Premier’s Action Committee is now in its 6th mandate (2024–2029). The Committee and its work have been upheld by all Premiers who succeeded Hon. Catherine Callbeck.
Congratulations Premier Lantz, and thank you for your willingness to serve the people of Prince Edward Island at a crucial time in our history. The members and staff of the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women look forward to working collaboratively with you and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Jenn Redmond to achieve gender equality for the benefit of all Islanders.
