Introduction
Iona Victoria Campagnolo, PC OC OBC (born October 18, 1932) is a Canadian politician, and was the 27th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and the first woman to hold the office. Prior to becoming Lieutenant Governor she was a Cabinet member in the Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
Career
Born Iona Victoria Hardy on Galiano Island, she got her start in politics in 1966 when she was elected an alderwoman in the city council of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. In 1974, she turned to federal politics, running successfully as a Liberal Party candidate for the Canadian House of Commons in the riding of Skeena. In 1976, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau recommended her appointment to the Cabinet as Minister of Amateur Sports. She lost her seat to NDP challenger Jim Fulton in the 1979 election.
In 1982, she became president of the Liberal Party, a largely administrative position. During the 1984 convention which elected John Turner as Party leader, Campagnolo created a minor furor within the party when she said that second-place leadership candidate Jean Chrétien was "second in the balloting, but first in our hearts".
When John Turner became Liberal leader in 1984, a television camera caught Turner patting Campagnolo's bottom. Although Campagnolo herself dismissed it (and patted Turner right back), the incident was used to paint Turner as being out of touch with contemporary women's issues.
Campagnolo ran in North Vancouver—Burnaby in the September 1984 election but was defeated in the Mulroney landslide that reduced Turner's Liberals to 40 seats. She did not run for re-election as party president at the next Liberal convention in 1986.
In 1973, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada and promoted to Officer in 2008. In 1998, she received the Order of British Columbia.
In 1992, she was elected as the founding chancellor of the University of Northern British Columbia and served in the position until 1998. She received an honorary degree from UNBC in 1999.
In 2001, on the advice of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, she was appointed by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson as British Columbia's first female Lieutenant Governor. At her swearing-in, Campagnolo concluded her remarks in Chinook, saying, "konoway tillicums klatawa kunamokst klaska mamook okoke huloima chee illahie" - meaning: "everyone was thrown together to make this strange new country (British Columbia)."
As the Queen's Vice-Regal Representative in British Columbia, she is styled The Honourable for life. However, as she was already a Member of The Queen's Privy Council for Canada before she became Lieutenant-Governor, she was already styled The Honourable.
In 2003 the Chief Herald of Canada granted armorial bearings to Campagnolo.
Honours and awards
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
 | Order of Canada (OC) |
|
 | Order of St. John (D.stJ) |
|
 | Order of British Columbia (OBC) |
|
 | Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal |
|
 | 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal |
|
 | Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal |
|
 | Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
|
Honorary degrees
Iona Campagnolo has received many honorary degrees in recognition of her distinguished career in politics and her service as Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia; these include:
| Province | Date | School | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
 British Columbia | June 8, 1995 | Simon Fraser University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
 Ontario | June 11, 1997 | Brock University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
| British Columbia | May 28, 1999 | University of Northern British Columbia | Doctorate |
| British Columbia | June 2007 | University of Victoria | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
| British Columbia | 2009 | University of British Columbia | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
| Ontario | 2009 | Trent University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
| British Columbia | June 18, 2010 | Royal Roads University | Doctorate |
Arms
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