Sharon Johnston

Sharon Johnston
CC
55th Viceregal consort of Canada
In role
October 1, 2010 – October 2, 2017
Governor GeneralDavid Johnston
Preceded byJean-Daniel Lafond
Succeeded byWhit Fraser (2021)
Personal details
BornSharon Downey
1943 (age 82–83)
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
Spouse
​
(m. 1964)​
Children5 (including Alex)
Education
Occupation

Sharon Johnston CC (born 1943) is a Canadian author who was the 55th viceregal consort of Canada, due to being the wife of David Johnston, the 28th Governor General of Canada.

Life and career

A native of Sault Ste. Marie, she completed her studies in physiotherapy and occupational therapy at the University of Toronto and received a BSc degree at the University of Western Ontario and an MSc degree at McGill University. She also graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy in rehabilitation science at McGill.

The Johnstons married in 1964 and were high school sweethearts.

She began her medical career working for the Crippled Children's Centre in Toronto, now known as the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

Sharon Johnston (far right) and her husband with Cardinal Marc Ouellet and Jason Kenney the evening preceding the papal inauguration of Pope Francis

At the time of her husband's appointment as Governor General, she was taking a creative writing course at Humber College and writing a historical fiction novel. The novel, the first volume of a planned trilogy, was published by Dundurn Press as Matrons and Madams in April 2015.

She operates a horse training centre, Chatterbox Farm outside of Waterloo, Ontario, which she owns with her husband. They have five daughters together, including Alex Johnston.

Honours


Ribbon bars of Sharon Johnston

RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of Canada (CC)
  • Companion
    (September 5, 2010)
  • Extraordinary Companion
    (October 2, 2017)
Order of St. John (DStJ)
  • Dame of Justice
    (September 5, 2010)
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • Canadian version
    (February 6, 2012)

Honorary military appointments

Honorary educational appointments

Sharon Johnston has been nominated to many voluntary educational roles, such as the board of Collège international Marie de France in Montreal, and Bishop's College School in Lennoxville, Quebec.

Honorary degrees

LocationDateSchoolDegree
 British Columbia2015Vancouver Island UniversityDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 OntarioJune 7, 2016Carleton UniversityDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 ManitobaMay 18, 2017University of ManitobaDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 OntarioJune 21, 2017University of Western OntarioDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 Ontario2018Nipissing UniversityDoctor of Education (DEd)
 New Brunswick2019Mount Allison UniversityDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 OntarioJune 23, 2021University of Ontario Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Laws (LLD)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "David Johnston named UW president". University of Waterloo, October 7, 1998.
  2. ↑ "Media Advisory: Her Excellency Sharon Johnston to Give Keynote Address at the Third Edith Aston-McCrimmon Lecture Series at McGill University - Yahoo Finance". Yahoo! Finance. November 28, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  3. ↑ "David Johnston: Lawyer, academic, Canada's next GG". CBC News, July 8, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 "Wife of next Governor General likes to write, but shuns the spotlight, say friends" Archived July 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Montreal Gazette, July 8, 2010
  5. ↑ "Next governor-general unveiled". The Globe and Mail. July 8, 2010. Archived from the original on July 10, 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Of Matrons, madams and Rideau Hall traditions: Sharon Johnston talks about her new novel". Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 2015.
  7. ↑ "David Johnston to be Canada's next GG"[dead link]. canoe.ca, July 7, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Home - Office of the President" (PDF). February 7, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  9. ↑ GG-designate visits Queen. CBC News, September 5, 2010.
  10. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada". September 20, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  11. 1 2 "The Governor General of Canada". Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  12. ↑ "The Right Honourable David Johnston and Mrs. Sharon Johnston receive the Key to the City". ottawa.ca. April 19, 2018. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  13. ↑ 2018 Convention Distinguished Citizen: Sharon Downey Johnston, May 29, 2018, retrieved July 20, 2018
  14. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada". Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Her Excellency Sharon Johnston". forces.gc.ca. April 22, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  16. 1 2 "Her Excellency Sharon Johnston, CC - Honorary Captain (Navy) for Military Personnel Command - Biography". aem. June 6, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Record of Honorary Doctorate Recipients". www2.viu.ca. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Sharon Johnston Receives Honorary Doctorate from Carleton University". newsroom.carleton.ca. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Honorary Degrees Awarded Since 1954 - Senate". carleton.ca. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  20. ↑ "University of Manitoba - University Governance - Sharon J. Johnston, LL.D., May 18, 2017". umanitoba.ca. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Honorary Degrees Awarded, 1881 - Present" (PDF). University of Western Ontario. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Honorary Degree Recipients". Nipissing University.
  23. ↑ "Mount Allison University | Honorary degree recipients 21st century". mta.ca. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  24. ↑ "David and Sharon Johnston to be presented honorary degrees". SooToday.com. June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.