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Events on April 2 in history

1991Apr, 2

Rita Johnston becomes the first female Premier of a Canadian province when she succeeds William Vander Zalm (who had resigned) as Premier of British Columbia.

William Nicholas Vander Zalm (born Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie van der Zalm; May 29, 1934) is a politician and entrepreneur in British Columbia, Canada. He was the 28th premier of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991.

Rita Margaret Johnston (born April 22, 1935, née Leichert) is a Canadian politician in British Columbia. Johnston became the first female premier in Canadian history when she succeeded Bill Vander Zalm in 1991 to become the 29th premier of British Columbia, serving for seven months.

The daughter of John Leichert and Annie Chyzzy, she was educated in Vancouver. In 1951, she married George Johnston.Much of her early life was spent running a trailer park in the city of Surrey, British Columbia.

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Events on 1991

  • 15Jan

    Gulf War

    The United Nations deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from occupied Kuwait expires, preparing the way for the start of Operation Desert Storm.
  • 16Jan

    Gulf War

    Coalition Forces go to war with Iraq, beginning the Gulf War.
  • 17Jan

    Operation Desert Storm

    Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm begins early in the morning. Iraq fires eight Scud missiles into Israel in an unsuccessful bid to provoke Israeli retaliation.
  • 9Apr

    Soviet Union

    Georgia declares independence from the Soviet Union
  • 5Oct

    Jakarta

    An Indonesian military transport crashes after takeoff from Jakarta killing 137.