Canada: First lesbian provincial premier elected

Kathleen Wynne

Kathleen Wynne of the Canadian Liberal party. Photo: REUTERS/Mark Blinch

BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS
Washington Blade

An Ontario legislator on Saturday became the first gay person elected provincial premier in Canada. Kathleen Wynne defeated Sandra Pupatello to succeed Premier Dalton McGuinty after three rounds of voting at the Ontario Liberal Party’s convention that took place at a Toronto arena. She will formally take office before the provincial legislature reconvenes on Feb. 19.

Wynne, a former Ontario education and aboriginal affairs minister whom voters first elected to the provincial legislature in 2003, will be among the handful of lesbians around the world who have achieved prominent political office. These include Icelandic Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

Read more at Washington Blade

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