Lynda Haverstock

The Honorable Lynda Maureen Haverstock CM SOM
19th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
In office 2000–2006
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Jack Wiebe
Succeeded by	Gordon Barnhart
Leader of the Opposition
In office 1995
Preceded by	Bill Boyd
Succeeded by	Ron Osika
MLA for Saskatoon Greystone
In office 1991–1999
Preceded by	first member
Succeeded by	Peter Prebble
Personal details
Born	September 16, 1948 ( 1948-09-16) Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Political party	Liberal (1989-1996 Independent 1996-1999
Spouse(s)	Harley Olsen

Lynda Maureen Haverstock, CM, SOM (born September 16, 1948) is the former leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and was the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan from 2000 until 2006.

Born and raised in Swift Current, Haverstock dropped out of high school after grade 10 and became a teenage mother. As an adult, she went back to school to finish her education, and ultimately earned bachelor and master's degrees in education from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD in psychology. Haverstock became leader of the provincial Liberals in 1989, and was the first woman to lead a political party in the province. She led the party to a healthy increase in support in the 1991 provincial election, taking over 23 percent of the vote. However, the Liberals' support was too spread out across the province to translate into seats. Haverstock, however, was elected for Saskatoon Greystone.

Under Haverstock, the party grew significantly: in the 1995 provincial election, the party increased its caucus in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from one (Haverstock's own seat) to 11 and became the Official Opposition. The Liberals won over one-third of the popular vote.

Faced with of a coalition of Regina Liberals and former Tories who had unsuccessfully challenged her leadership then withdrew their support in the legislature, Haverstock resigned as leader in 1995. She quit the party a few months later and remained as an independent MLA until 1999, when she retired from politics.

The Liberal Party continued to be divided by internal fighting and several members of the Legislative Assembly, including those who had opposed Haverstock, left in 1997 to join the Saskatchewan Party. The 1999 provincial election reduced the Liberals to three seats in the legislature.

After leaving politics, Haverstock worked briefly as a radio host before being appointed lieutenant governor in 2000. As the Queen's representative in Saskatchewan, Haverstock was instrumental in organising the province's centennial celebrations in 2005. In late 2004, her time in office was extended by one year, a tribute to her energy and grace with people. Haverstock granted patronage to many community-based organisations throughout Saskatchewan, including the Monarchist League of Canada's North and South Saskatchewan Branches.

On April 28, 2006, her successor was announced. Dr. Gordon Barnhart was sworn in as 20th lieutenant governor on August 1, 2006, at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.

On November 14, 2007, Shaw Communications announced the appointment of Haverstock to the board of directors of the corporation.

Haverstock and her husband Harley Olsen (CEO of the Office of the Provincial Capital Commission and former Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs) have four children and eight grandchildren.

External links

• Public Tribute to Lieutenant Governor, 2006
• Premier's Farewell Speech to Lieutenant Governor, 2006
• Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers – Lynda Haverstock