| Kara Johnson (Ontario)
Kara was first elected to the Conservative Party of Canada’s National Council as one of four Ontario-wide representatives in March of 2005 at the party’s founding convention held in Montreal. In her first term (2005 to 2008), Kara served for several years on the National Candidate Selection Committee, and, then, from June of 2008, as Chair of the Secretariat. Kara was re-elected to National Council at the party’s November 2008 convention in Winnipeg. A few months later, in February 2009, she was selected by the National Council to the position of Vice-President. She was succeeded as Secretary by Alberta NC member Vitor Marciano. Upon the appointment of long-time CPC National Council President Don Plett to the Senate of Canada in August, 2009, Kara also served for several months as the CPC’s acting President. She was a supporter of the candidacy of her fellow Ontarian John Walsh, who was elected as the new President of the National Council in December 2009. Upon Walsh’s election, Kara announced her intention to step down as Vice-President in order to allow the National Council to select a new Vice-President from one of the other regions of the country. She was succeeded as Vice-President by Saskatchewan NC member Sam Magnus in January 2010. Kara continues to serve on the CPC National Council and works closely with her fellow Ontario NC members Simon Chapelle, Mark Dotzert and John Walsh in representing her province and in assisting CPC Members of Parliament, candidates, and party members in whatever way possible. Kara first became active in politics at the age of 12 as a volunteer for Ontario P.C. MPP Nick Leluk in her home riding in Etobicoke. Later, she would volunteer for local P.C. MP the Hon. Michael Wilson in his successful campaign in Etobicoke Centre in 1984. After graduating from high school, Kara spent most of the next decade abroad, attending university in the United States and in Italy. Upon her return to Canada, Kara resumed her involvement in politics and served as a director on the local Canadian Alliance board in her new riding of St. Paul’s, where she still resides. The Conservative Party is not the only organization for which Kara volunteers. She has been involved in mentoring teenaged and young professional women for fifteen years, in school, church and community settings. Kara's interest in education led to a Master’s degree in English from the University of Toronto and nine years as a teacher and school administrator as Assistant Head of School and Director of Character Education at an independent girls’ school in Toronto. Currently Kara is the Director of Special Projects for a Toronto-based public affairs and public policy consulting group. A native Montrealer who was raised in Etobicoke, Kara is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and conversant in Italian. |
