Lynda Haverstock

Who is Lynda Haverstock?

The Honourable Lynda Maureen Haverstock, CM, SOM is the former leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party, was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, and served as the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan from 2000 until July 2006. In 2007, she was named President/CEO of Tourism Saskatchewan.

Born Lynda Maureen Ham and raised in Swift Current, Haverstock left high school after grade 10 to raise her infant daughter. As an adult, she returned to school to finish her education, and ultimately earned bachelor and master's degrees in education, as well as a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Saskatchewan. Haverstock rose to the forefront of the provincial Liberals in 1989 and was the first woman in Saskatchewan's history to lead a political party. She brought the Liberals to realize a healthy increase in support, taking over 23 per cent of the vote in the 1991 provincial election. However, their numbers were spread too thinly across the province to translate into seats. Haverstock was the only Liberal to win a seat, in Saskatoon Greystone.

Under her leadership, the party grew significantly: in the 1995 provincial election, it increased its caucus in the Legislative Assembly to eleven, becoming the Official Opposition. The Liberals captured one-third of the popular vote.