Kim Campbell: Descriptive Biog Essay, Research Paper

Kim Campbell: Descriptive Biography

In a democracy, government isn’t something that a group of people do TO everybody else, it’s not even something they do FOR every body else, it should be something they do WITH everybody else.

“Kim Campbell, March 25th, 1993

Avril Phaendra Douglas Campbell was born in Port Albeni, B.C. SHortly after her birth her parents moved to Vancouver where her father was studying law. Her family life didn’t turn out to be succesful, so her parents divorced when she was 12. By the age of 13 she changed her name to Kim. She was always on top in her Prince Of Wales Secondary school and she marked the begining of her political career by being the first female student president.

In 1964, Kim went to the University Of British Columbia where she topped in Political Science. There again she was elected to be the first female freshman president. After graduation, she took some graduate courses at The Institute of International Relations, before she got a scholarship to London School Of Economics. She returned to Vancouver in 1973 and began lecturing at Simon Fraser University and Vancouver Community College.

In 1980 she returned to University of British Columbia to study law, at the same time she got involved in local politics. Later in 1983 she got elected into Vancouver School Board as a chairsperson. Her status caught the attension of the governing at that time Social Credit party and they asked her to run as a candidate in 1984 provincial elections. Even though she lost she was offered a job as a policy advisor to B.C. Premier Bill Bennett.

When Bennett resigned in 1989, Kim ran for a provincial leader Bill Vander Zalm. In the electionthat year she won a seat in legislature. Here she made herself recognized for opposing premier’s views on abortion. By 1988 Campbell was praised by the Conservative party. Conservative””’;;’”??/???s cabinet minister Pat Carney was about to retire, therefore he needed replacement. Kim campbell ran and won the 1988 election.

She was offered a positiion as a Minister of State for Indian and Northern Affairs. In 1989 she became the first female Minister of Justice. She prooved herself again as a politician. She introduced a bill overlooking gun laws. The 1989 Montreal massive killing forced her to propose more strict gun laws.

Kim Campbell was also praised when Bill C(49) was drafted after the Supreme Court announced the 1983 “‘rape sheild’ law as unconstitutional. Kim consulted women’s groups and law associations about making a new law. Bill C(49) passed it’s second reading with a positive vote from all three parties, therefore remaining a constitutional law.

In 1993 Kim became first female Minister of Defence. By that time Brian Mulrony was getting closer and closer to his retirment and Campbell was encouraged to run for a party leader. Her only strong competitor was Jean Charest. However, she won the elections in a close contest at the convention in June of the same year. Kim Campbell became Canada’s first female Prime Minister.

It was 1993 October election time that Kim made a big mistake that would destroy her and her party. She shose to have an American company make her a commercial that made fun of Jean Chretien’s disability, Bell’s palsy. It’s a muscle paralysis which paralyzed the right side of Jean’s face. However, Canaians answered by giving Jean Chretien sympathy and Kim’s party suffered because of it. Kim’s inexperience in politics was the reason she made a commercial about the leader of the Liberal party. The problem started before Kim took the leadership. Brian Molruney’s Goods and Services Tax and North American Free Trade Act was too much for Canadians so when Molruney resigned it would have been hard for Kim Campbell to earn popularity. After works of Campbell and Molruney there was not much left of the Progressive Conservative it was wiped out completely with only two seats left. So when all the fact are taken into account it is obvious that Brian Molruney was not alone in the effort of destructing the PC party.