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Johnson ministry
24th ministry of British Columbia
Date formed	December 29, 1947 (1947-12-29)
Date dissolved	August 1, 1952 (1952-08-01)
People and organisations
Monarch	George VI (1947–1952) Elizabeth II (1952)
Lieutenant Governor	Charles Arthur Banks (1946–1950) Clarence Wallace (1950–1952)
Premier	Boss Johnson
Member parties	Liberal   Progressive Conservative (1947–1952)
Status in legislature	Majority (coalition) (1947–1952) Minority (1952)
Opposition party	Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation (1947–1952) Progressive Conservative Party (1952)
Opposition leader	Harold Winch (1947–1952) Herbert Anscomb (1952)
History
Election	1949
Legislature terms	21st Parliament of British Columbia 22nd Parliament of British Columbia
Predecessor	Hart ministry
Successor	W. A. C. Bennett ministry

The Johnson ministry was the combined Cabinet (formally the Executive Council of British Columbia) that governed British Columbia from December 29, 1947, to August 1, 1952. It was led by Boss Johnson, the 24th premier of British Columbia, and was a coalition government that comprised members of both the Liberal Party and Progressive Conservative Party.

The Johnson ministry was established part-way through the 21st Parliament of British Columbia, after John Hart resigned as premier and leader of the Liberal Party. Johnson was elected as the Liberal Party's new leader at the party's 1947 convention, and outgoing premier Hart pledged to recommend Johnson to the lieutenant governor of British Columbia to be the province's next premier. However, the Hart ministry had been a coalition between the Liberal and Conservative parties, and in the immediate aftermath of Johnson's leadership victory, it was uncertain if the two parties would renew their coalition arrangement. Johnson and Herbert Anscomb, leader of the Conservatives, agreed to continue the coalition on December 27, 1947. The new cabinet, comprising six Liberals and four Conservatives, was sworn in two days later.

The cabinet governed through the remainder of the 21st Parliament and, following the 1949 election, into the 22nd Parliament. On January 18, 1952, the Progressive Conservatives left the coalition and moved to the opposition benches, becoming the Official Opposition. For the last six months of the 22nd Parliament, the Johnson ministry continued as a minority government, consisting only of Liberal ministers but supported by a few independent members. After the 1952 election, it was replaced by the W. A. C. Bennett ministry.

The Johnson ministry was the last time the Liberals formed government until the Campbell ministry in 2001. It is also the most recent coalition government in the province and the most recent time that the Conservative Party was in cabinet.

List of ministers

References

1. "Hart Will Recommend New Liberal Leader As Premier". Vancouver Sun. December 10, 1947. pp. A1.
2. "New Coalition Gov't In Office Monday". Vancouver Sun. December 27, 1952. pp. A1–A2.
3. "Premier Johnson Formally Sworn In With Cabinet". Victoria Daily Times. December 29, 1947. pp. A1.
4. "B.C. Government Re-Elected In Verdict Against Socialism". Vancouver Daily Province. June 16, 1949. pp. A1.
5. McCallum, Gordon (January 18, 1952). "B.C. Coalition Collapses As Conservatives Quit". Vancouver Daily Province. pp. A1.
6. "Byron Ingemar Johnson | The Canadian Encyclopedia". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 17, 2023.

Sources

• Executive Council of British Columbia
• BC United
• Conservative Party of British Columbia
• Ministries of George VI
• Ministries of Elizabeth II
• 1940s in British Columbia
• 1950s in British Columbia
• Coalition governments
• 1947 establishments in British Columbia
• Cabinets established in 1947
• 1952 disestablishments in British Columbia
• Cabinets disestablished in 1952