Sharon Carstairs
Encyclopedia
Sharon Carstairs, PC
(born April 26, 1942) is a Canadian
politician and former Senator
.
, Nova Scotia
, the daughter of former Nova Scotia
Premier
Harold Connolly
and his wife Vivian. She was educated at Dalhousie University
, Smith College
, Georgetown University
, and the University of Calgary
.
, and was an unsuccessful Liberal
candidate for Calgary-Elbow in the 1975 Alberta provincial election
. She served as President of the Alberta Liberal Party
between 1975 and 1977, and was on the national executive of the Liberal Party of Canada
in the same period.
in 1984, at a time when the party held no seats in the legislature. She was defeated in a 1984 by-election
in Fort Garry, but was elected for River Heights in the 1986 provincial election
, defeating incumbent Tory
Warren Steen
. For the next two years, she was the only Liberal in the legislature.
Carstairs led the Liberal Party to a dramatic resurgence in the 1988 provincial election
. The New Democratic Party
had lost much of its support base, and Carstairs's Liberals managed to win the votes of many centre-left electors. The party won 20 of 57 seats for their best showing since 1953, and Carstairs became leader of the opposition
, the first woman to hold such a position in any Canadian legislature.
The 1988 election saw the election of a Progressive Conservative
minority government
under Gary Filmon
and the reduction of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba
from government to third party status. It initially seemed that Carstairs had a strong opportunity to lead the Liberals to victory in the following election. The 1990 election
, however, saw the Tories returned with a majority government
and a resurgent NDP under Gary Doer
regain official opposition status. The Liberals were reduced to only seven seats, and Carstairs was blamed by many in the party for squandering their best chance in years to form government.
A strong opponent of the Meech Lake Accord
s, Carstairs remained party leader and, in 1992, campaigned for the "No" side on the Charlottetown Accord
, with financial assistance from former Manitoba Liberal Party
leader Israel Asper. Her efforts were opposed by others in the Liberal Party, and she frequently argued with Lloyd Axworthy
on constitutional matters. Carstairs resigned as party leader in 1993, and the party has continued to decline since her departure. Also in 1993, Carstairs published an autobiography entitled Not One of the Boys.
Jean Chrétien
, Governor General
Ray Hnatyshyn
appointed Carstairs to the Canadian Senate
. Carstairs had supported Chrétien's campaign to become party leader in 1990.
She held the position of Leader of the Government in the Senate from January 2001 to December 2003, and also served as Minister with Special Responsibility for Palliative Care in Chretien's cabinet
.
She did not serve in the cabinet of Chretien's successor, Paul Martin
, when he took office in December 2003.
From April 2006 until December 2009, Carstairs continued her earlier work in cabinet by serving as chairperson of the Special Committee on Aging which issued a report that helped get palliative care added to the core curriculum in Canadian medical schools. She also helped create the Canadian Virtual Hospice, a website with information on palliative care.
In retirement, she and her husband intend to remain in Ottawa in order to be close to their children and Carstairs intends to chair a board for a network centre of excellence on caring for the frail elderly, pending the approval of a grant from the federal government.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(born April 26, 1942) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and former Senator
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
.
Early life
Carstairs was born in HalifaxCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, the daughter of former Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
Premier
Premier of Nova Scotia
The Premier of Nova Scotia is the first minister for the Canadian province of Nova Scotia who presides over the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. Following the Westminster system, the premier is normally the leader of the political party which has the most seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly...
Harold Connolly
Harold Connolly
Harold Joseph Connolly was a Nova Scotia journalist, newspaper editor, and politician who served as the province's 15th Premier in 1954....
and his wife Vivian. She was educated at Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
, Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
, Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, and the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
.
Alberta politics
She later moved to Western CanadaWestern Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
, and was an unsuccessful Liberal
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
candidate for Calgary-Elbow in the 1975 Alberta provincial election
Alberta general election, 1975
The Alberta general election of 1975 was the eighteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 25, 1975 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. She served as President of the Alberta Liberal Party
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
between 1975 and 1977, and was on the national executive of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in the same period.
Manitoba Liberal leader
Carstairs became leader of the Manitoba Liberal PartyManitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
in 1984, at a time when the party held no seats in the legislature. She was defeated in a 1984 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in Fort Garry, but was elected for River Heights in the 1986 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1986
The Manitoba general election of March 18, 1986 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which took 30 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party won 26 seats and formed the official opposition...
, defeating incumbent Tory
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
Warren Steen
Warren Steen
Warren Steen is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1975 to 1986, as a Progressive Conservative.- Biography :...
. For the next two years, she was the only Liberal in the legislature.
Carstairs led the Liberal Party to a dramatic resurgence in the 1988 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1988
The Manitoba general election of April 26, 1988 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It resulted in a minority government...
. The New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
had lost much of its support base, and Carstairs's Liberals managed to win the votes of many centre-left electors. The party won 20 of 57 seats for their best showing since 1953, and Carstairs became leader of the opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Manitoba)
A list of parliamentary opposition leaders in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, Canada, from 1870 to the present.William Alexander Macdonald was the first officially recognized Leader of the Opposition in Manitoba although Rodmond Roblin is considered to have been the de facto opposition leader...
, the first woman to hold such a position in any Canadian legislature.
The 1988 election saw the election of a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
under Gary Filmon
Gary Filmon
Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
and the reduction of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
from government to third party status. It initially seemed that Carstairs had a strong opportunity to lead the Liberals to victory in the following election. The 1990 election
Manitoba general election, 1990
The Manitoba general election of September 11, 1990 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative Party, which took 30 out of 57 seats...
, however, saw the Tories returned with a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
and a resurgent NDP under Gary Doer
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer, OM is a Canadian diplomat and politician from Manitoba, Canada. Since October 19, 2009, he has served as Canada's Ambassador to the United States...
regain official opposition status. The Liberals were reduced to only seven seats, and Carstairs was blamed by many in the party for squandering their best chance in years to form government.
A strong opponent of the Meech Lake Accord
Meech Lake Accord
The Meech Lake Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and ten provincial premiers. It was intended to persuade the government of the Province of Quebec to endorse the 1982 Canadian Constitution and increase...
s, Carstairs remained party leader and, in 1992, campaigned for the "No" side on the Charlottetown Accord
Charlottetown Accord
The Charlottetown Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada, proposed by the Canadian federal and provincial governments in 1992. It was submitted to a public referendum on October 26 of that year, and was defeated.-Background:...
, with financial assistance from former Manitoba Liberal Party
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
leader Israel Asper. Her efforts were opposed by others in the Liberal Party, and she frequently argued with Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...
on constitutional matters. Carstairs resigned as party leader in 1993, and the party has continued to decline since her departure. Also in 1993, Carstairs published an autobiography entitled Not One of the Boys.
Senate
On September 15, 1994, at the recommendation of Prime MinisterPrime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
, Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Ray Hnatyshyn
Ray Hnatyshyn
Ramon John Hnatyshyn , commonly known as Ray Hnatyshyn, was a Canadian politician and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 24th since Canadian Confederation....
appointed Carstairs to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
. Carstairs had supported Chrétien's campaign to become party leader in 1990.
She held the position of Leader of the Government in the Senate from January 2001 to December 2003, and also served as Minister with Special Responsibility for Palliative Care in Chretien's cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
.
She did not serve in the cabinet of Chretien's successor, Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, when he took office in December 2003.
From April 2006 until December 2009, Carstairs continued her earlier work in cabinet by serving as chairperson of the Special Committee on Aging which issued a report that helped get palliative care added to the core curriculum in Canadian medical schools. She also helped create the Canadian Virtual Hospice, a website with information on palliative care.
Retirement
In October 2011, Carstairs announced she was resigning from the Senate, six years earlier than required, in order to return to private life.In retirement, she and her husband intend to remain in Ottawa in order to be close to their children and Carstairs intends to chair a board for a network centre of excellence on caring for the frail elderly, pending the approval of a grant from the federal government.