Christy Clark

Christina Joan Clark is a former Canadian politician who served as the 35th Premier of British Columbia, Canada from 2011 to 2017. Clark was sworn in as premier on March 14, 2011, after she won the leadership of the British Columbia Liberal Party in the 2011 leadership election on February 26, 2011. She was the second woman to serve as premier of British Columbia, after Rita Johnston in 1991; and the first female premier in Canada to lead her party to a plurality of seats in two consecutive general elections. While she lost her own seat in her first election, she led the BC Liberals to win an additional five seats for a larger majority in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Subsequently, an elected member of the Liberal Party caucus stepped aside so there could be a by-election in a riding, to provide her with a seat in the House. During her second election as leader, she led her party to win 43 out of 87 ridings. Due to a historic confidence and supply agreement between the NDP and BC Green Party, her party narrowly lost the confidence of the House, forcing her government's resignation. Clark tried unsuccessfully to have the BC Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon reject the NDP-Green Party combined majority and willingness to govern and to call another election. Her decision to leave politics followed shortly after this. Following a period of repose, Clark was hired by Bennett Jones, a law firm with offices in Vancouver, in May 2018, with more appointments to follow at other institutions and firms.