Sarah Jean "Jeannie" Lea is a former

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

politician. She was elected to the

Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island (french: Assemblée législative de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard) is the sole chamber of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. The Legislative Assembly meets at Province House, which is locate ...

in the 1993 provincial election. She represented the electoral district of

6th Queens 6th Queens was an electoral district in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, which elected two members to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 1966 to 1993. The district comprised the western half of the city of Charlo ...

and was a member of the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

. She was born Sarah Jean Robidoux, the daughter of Maurice D. Robidoux and Dorther E. Fraser, and was educated in Moncton, at

Mount Allison University Mount Allison University (also Mount A or MtA) is a Canadian primarily undergraduate liberal arts university located in Sackville, New Brunswick, founded in 1839. Like other liberal arts colleges in North America, Mount Allison does not parti ...

and

Holland College Holland College is the provincial community college for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island (PEI). It is named after the British Army engineer and surveyor Captain Samuel Holland. History It was formed by the Government of Prince E ...

. She worked as a substitute teacher in

Charlottetown Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, Charlottetown was an unincorporated town until it was incorporated as a city in ...

and also as a craftsperson. She has served as a member of the Unit Three school board and was also president of the Prince Edward Island Spinners and Weavers Guild. Lea was president of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of PEI and a director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. She served only a single term in office and resigned a few months before the 1996 election. Lea was a member of the province's Executive Council, serving as a

minister without portfolio A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister who does not head a particular ministry. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet w ...

, Minister Responsible for Government Reform and the Status of Women and Minister Responsible for Higher Education, Adult Training and Literacy. Since her retirement from office, she has been actively involved in the electoral reform movement in Canada and has been promoting the involvement of women in politics. She is married to James Lea, the grandson of Walter Maxfield Lea, who was Premier of Prince Edward Island from 1930 to 1936.

References

* 1950 births Living people Members of the Executive Council of Prince Edward Island Mount Allison University alumni People from Moncton Prince Edward Island Liberal Party MLAs Women MLAs in Prince Edward Island Women government ministers of Canada {{PrinceEdwardIsland-politician-stub