Lois Mitchell

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For the American computer scientist, see Lois B. Mitchell (Haibt).

The Honourable
Lois Mitchell
CM AOE
18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
In office
June 12, 2015 – August 26, 2020
MonarchElizabeth II
Governors General
Premier
Preceded byDonald Ethell
Succeeded bySalma Lakhani
Personal details
Born
Lois Elizabeth Boulding

(1939-06-22) June 22, 1939 (age 84)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1961; died 2022)​
Children4
Residence(s)Calgary, Alberta
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia
Professionbusinesswoman, philanthropist
consultant, organizer

Lois Elizabeth Mitchell CM AOE (née Boulding; June 22, 1939) is a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who was the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from 2015 to 2020. Her appointment as Lieutenant Governor was made by Governor General of Canada David Lloyd Johnston on the Constitutional advice of Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper, effective June 12, 2015. A former teacher and founder of a consulting firm, Mitchell is also a longtime organizer of events and active volunteer in the Calgary community, along with her late husband, Doug Mitchell.

Career[edit]

Mitchell was born on June 22, 1939[1][2] and raised in Vancouver. She attended the University of British Columbia and studied physical education, graduating around 1961. She later worked as a teacher in British Columbia for two years before moving to Calgary.[3][4] She is the founder of and a senior partner at Rainmaker Global Business Development, a marketing and consulting firm based in Calgary and the president of Amherst Consultants.

Considered one of the most prominent people in Calgary,[5][6] she is also a member of the boards of directors of UBS Bank Canada, Mitacs and Canada World Youth, the governor of the Canadian Women's Hockey Association, a co-founder of the Global Business Forum, and one of twelve founders of Crime Stoppers Calgary.[7] She has also been a board member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce (also a former chair), International Institute for Olympic, Paralympic and Sport Pedagogy, Special Olympic Foundation, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hockey Canada Foundation.[8] Mitchell also is the chair of the Latin American Research Centre at the University of Calgary and in 1997 was named an honorary consul of Colombia to Alberta by the Colombian ambassador to Canada.[5][9] She and her husband, Doug, donated to and organized many hockey and sport-related events.[10]

The Doug and Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award was established in 2012 from contributions from her and her husband.[11] She established the Hayley Wickenheiser Thunderbird Ice Hockey Endowment in 2007 to support the UBC Women's Ice Hockey team.[10]

Lieutenant governor[edit]

On May 20, 2015, Mitchell was appointed by Governor General of Canada David Johnston on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to be lieutenant governor of Alberta, replacing Donald Ethell.[2][12] She was sworn in on June 12. As the viceregal representative in Alberta, she is styled "Her Honour" while in office and has the style "the Honourable" for life.

Personal life[edit]

She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2012 when she also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 1998, she won the Calgary Women of Distinction Award[13] and, in 2008, she was named Citizen of the Year by the City of Calgary.[14] She was married to Douglas Mitchell, whom she met while at school in British Columbia, from 1961 until Doug's death in 2022.[4][15] Doug was a lawyer, a Canadian football player in his youth, and later a commissioner of the Canadian Football League.[16] They had four children: two daughters and two sons.[4][17] Her grandfather, Tom Mackie, served as the chief of the Calgary Police Service from 1909 to 1912. She is of Scottish heritage.[5]

Arms[edit]

Coat of arms of Lois Mitchell
Crest
A garden wall Azure masoned Argent its portal irradiated Proper doors open Azure flanked by two roses Gules slipped barbed and seeded Proper.
Escutcheon
Azure on a saltire Argent surmounted by a bezant charged with two hockey sticks in saltire Sable four eighth notes Sable.
Supporters
Two mares Proper each crined unguled and collared Or pendent therefrom a bezant charged with a football palewise Azure standing on a grassy mount Vert issuant from waves Azure crested Argent.
Motto
Love Truth Courage[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Lois & Doug Mitchell
  2. ^ a b "Alberta's new Lieutenant Governor 'honoured' to follow Ethell". Edmonton Sun. May 21, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  3. ^ "Board of Directors". Canada World Youth. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Bacon, Dick (April 14, 1989). "New league boss brings boardroom success to CFL". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal, Quebec. p. H4. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Mr.& Mrs. Calgary:: [Final Edition] Teel, Gina. Calgary Herald [Calgary, Alta] August 13, 2005: E1 Front.
  6. ^ Networking in Calgary:: [Final Edition] Calgary Herald [Calgary, Alta] November 6, 2003: D5.
  7. ^ "Consulting firm founder appointed as new Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  8. ^ "Lois Mitchell, Chair". University of Calgary. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  9. ^ Meet Lois Mitchell: one-woman dynamo: [Final Edition] Parker, David. Calgary Herald [Calgary, Alta] December 30, 2001: B10.
  10. ^ a b "UBC Thunderbird Sports Centre named in honour of hockey builder Doug Mitchell". UBC News. August 21, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  11. ^ "Doug and Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award". mayorslunch.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  12. ^ "Lois Mitchell appointed as Alberta's new lieutenant-governor". CBC News. May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  13. ^ "The Honourable Lois E. Mitchell". The Alberta Order of Excellence. Government of Alberta. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2024. In 1998 she received the Calgary Women of Distinction Award in the category of Arts and Culture.
  14. ^ "Previous Calgary Awards recipients". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  15. ^ Press release (July 21, 2022). "Statement on the passing of former CFL Commissioner Doug Mitchell". Canadian Football League. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  16. ^ Football icon's cup comes home Fortney, Valerie. Calgary Herald [Calgary, Alta] November 2010: B.1.
  17. ^ James Wood. "Lois Mitchell appointed lieutenant-governor of Alberta". Calgary Herald. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  18. ^ "Lois Elizabeth Mitchell". Canadian Heraldic Authority. Retrieved September 6, 2023.


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