Shirley Eleanor McLoughlin (June 25, 1930 – July 20, 2018) was a Canadian politician, who was the leader of the

British Columbia Liberal Party BC United (BCU), known from 1903 until 2023 as the British Columbia Liberal Party or BC Liberals, is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party has been described as conservative, neoliberal, and occupying a centre-right ...

from 1981 to 1983. She was the first woman ever to lead a political party in the province."B.C. Liberal Party elects woman to lead its seatless, divided ranks". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...

'', May 25, 1981.

Life and career

Shirley Eleanor McLoughlin was born on June 25, 1930."Liberal fortunes rising: leader". ''

'', October 17, 1983. Prior to assuming the leadership, McLoughlin worked as a teacher, and served as the party's president. She ran as the

Liberal Party of Canada The Liberal Party of Canada (LPC; , ) is a federal political party in Canada. The party espouses the principles of liberalism,McCall, Christina; Stephen Clarkson"Liberal Party". ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''. and generally sits at the Centrism, ...

's candidate in Comox—Powell River in the 1980 federal election, losing to Ray Skelly. She was elected leader of the BC Liberals at their

leadership convention {{Politics of Canada In Politics of Canada, Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leadership, leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader. Overview In Canada, ...

on May 25, 1981, over lawyer Tom Finkelstein and farmer Roland Bouwman. McLoughlin took over the leadership at a time when the party was in unprecedented crisis; under her predecessor Jev Tothill, the party had run just five candidates provincewide in the 1979 election, and had failed to win a single seat in the

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia () is the deliberative assembly of the Legislature of British Columbia, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The other component of the Legislature is the lieutenant governor of British Columbi ...

for the first time in its history. She led the party to a modest resurgence, running 52 candidates in the 1983 provincial election and increasing the party's popular vote total by over 600 per cent compared to 1979, but again failed to win a seat. She was defeated in her own dual-member district of Vancouver Centre by New Democrats

Emery Barnes Emery Oakland Barnes (December 15, 1929 – June 1, 1998) was a Canadian professional football player and politician. Background Born in Louisiana and moved to Oregon at the age of 12, Barnes was a gifted athlete, and was an alternate high ...

and Gary Lauk. McLoughlin announced her resignation as party leader in August 1983. She was succeeded by Art Lee at the party's 1984 leadership convention. McLoughlin later served two terms on the municipal council of Comox. McLoughlin died at her home in Comox on July 20, 2018, at the age of 88.

Electoral record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McLoughlin, Shirley 1930 births 2018 deaths Female Canadian political party leaders Leaders of BC United Candidates in the 1980 Canadian federal election British Columbia municipal councillors Women municipal councillors in British Columbia People from Comox, British Columbia BC United candidates in British Columbia provincial elections 20th-century Canadian women politicians Liberal Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons