Janis Johnson (born April 27, 1946) is a retired Canadian politician who served as a senator, representing the province of Manitoba.
Serving her position for 26 years until her retirement, Johnson is the longest-serving senator of Manitoba. She is also the longest-serving Conservative member of Senate, and was the first woman to serve as the national director of the former Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.
Early life and education
Janis Johnson was born in Winnipeg on 27 April 1946, to Doris Marjorie Blöndal and George Johnson. George was the Minister of Health and Public Welfare in the Manitoba Legislature, later becoming the province's 20th Lieutenant Governor. Her mother was of Icelandic ancestry.
Johnson attended Kelvin High School and the University of Winnipeg Collegiate, where she graduated in 1965. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with honours standing in 1968 from the University of Manitoba.
In 2014, Johnson became the Honorary Chair of Nature Canada's Women for Nature Initiative.
In 2015, Johnson was named among 30 senators in an audit of Senate expenses. She criticized the report, but later repaid the $22,706 it said she owed in questionable travel expenses, maintaining that they were legitimate and the report was incorrect.
Johnson retired from the Senate on September 27, 2016, exactly 26 years after she was appointed. She was the longest-serving Conservative member of the Senate and Manitoba's longest-serving senator.
Volunteerism
Johnson has also been active in the volunteer sector. Active in the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, she founded the Gimli Film Festival in 2000, which she continues to chair.
She was also a founding member of the Manitoba Special Olympics board and sat on the Canadian Special Olympics board for 10 years.
She also contributed to the founding of the Mature Women's Health Clinic (now the Women's Health Centre) and assisted in the development of Qaumajuq at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
Personal life
Johnson was the second wife of Frank Moores, whom Johnson worked closely with and helped to organize his (successful) campaign for Premier of Newfoundland in 1971.
The two married in 1973, and had one son, Stefan Moores, in 1975.