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George Johnson (Manitoba Politician)The Honourable George Johnson, O.C., M.D. (November 18, 1920 - July 8, 1995) was a Manitoba politician. He served as a Cabinet Minister in the governments of Dufferin Roblin and Walter Weir, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba in 1967. He also served as the province's Lieutenant-Governor (a largely ceremonial position) between 1986 and 1993. Johnson was born in Winnipeg, to a family of Icelandic heritage. He received a B.Sc. and M.D. from the University of Winnipeg, served with the Royal Canadian Navy in 1941 and 1942, and worked as a general practitioner. Johnson was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1958, for the riding of Gimli, north of Winnipeg. A Progressive Conservative, he was appointed Minister of Health and Public Welfare in the minority government of Dufferin Roblin, who had personally recruited him to run for the party. He retained the health portfolio when the Tories won a majority government in 1959, and oversaw a policy of hospital expansions in the province. On December 9, 1963, Johnson was transferred to the Ministry of Education. He held this position until September 24, 1968, and was responsible for introducing a policy of "shared services" for public and separate schools (allowing children in separate schools to access public programs for busing, textbooks and the like). In 1968, Johnson was appointed Minister of Health again. Ideologically, Johnson was a Red Tory with beliefs similar to those held by Premier Roblin. He supported government intervention in such fields as public utility management, education and road service. When Roblin shifted to federal politics in 1967, Johnson was the only candidate from the party's left wing to seek its leadership. He promised increased government spending, but received only 73 votes and was eliminated after the first ballot. Johnson did not seek re-election in 1969, and returned to active medical practice. In 1978, he was appointed Acting Deputy Minister and Vice-Chairman of the Health Services Commission, a position that he retained until 1982. He continued to advise the Manitoba government in a non-political capacity until December 11, 1986, when he was appointed as the province's Lieutentant-Governor by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He retained this position until March 5, 1993, and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1994. Johnson died in 1995. Johnson, George Johnson, George Johnson, George Johnson, George Johnson, George
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