After serving as the Premier of British Columbia for five years, Bill Vander Zalm resigned from his position as a result of a conflict of interest in 1991. Rita Johnston, MLA for Surrey-Newton, succeeded him as the interim leader of the Social Credit Party on April 2, 1991, becoming the first woman Premier in Canadian history. On July 20, 1991, she was officially elected as party leader at the Social Credit leadership convention and served as Premier until October 17, 1991 - the date of the provincial election in which Johnston’s Social Credit Party was defeated. She lost her seat and returned to private life.
Johnston entered provincial politics in 1983. During her career, she had been the Minister of Municipal Affairs and served as the Minister of Transportation and Highways prior to becoming Premier.
