Tilly Rolston (February 23, 1887 – October 12, 1953) was a Canadian politician. Initially elected to the

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

provincial legislature as a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

, she crossed the floor and joined

W.A.C. Bennett William Andrew Cecil Bennett (September 6, 1900 – February 23, 1979) was a Canadian politician. He was the 25th premier of British Columbia from 1952 to 1972. With just over 20 years in office, Bennett was and remains the longest-serving prem ...

in the

British Columbia Social Credit Party The British Columbia Social Credit Party, whose members are known as Socreds, was the governing provincial political party of British Columbia, Canada, for all but three years between the 1952 provincial election and the 1991 election. For fou ...

before the watershed election in 1952. She was the second woman to be a cabinet minister in British Columbia, and the first woman in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

to have a portfolio. In her role as Minister of Education, she introduced a new method of school finance that came to be known as the "Rolston Formula

She was also instrumental in introducing what was effectively a sex-education program into the school curriculu

She was defeated in the 1953 British Columbia general election, 1953 election by

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

leader

Arthur Laing Arthur Laing, (9 September 1904 – 13 February 1975), a Canadian politician, was actively involved with the BC Liberals, but his primary achievements were federally as a Liberal member of parliament. He served in the cabinets of prime m ...

. Despite her defeat she remained Education Minister until her death from cancer four months later.

Sources

* British Columbia Social Credit Party MLAs Women MLAs in British Columbia 1887 births 1953 deaths 20th-century Canadian women politicians Women government ministers of Canada Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia {{BritishColumbia-MLA-stub, Rolston, Tilly