Hilda Watson

Who was Hilda Watson?

Hilda Watson was a Canadian schoolteacher and politician from the Yukon Territory. She was the first woman in Canadian history to lead a political party which was successful in having its members elected.

Watson, who had been made the interim leader of the Yukon Territorial Council in 1977, led the Progressive Conservative Party to victory in the 1978 territorial election. However, she lost her own seat to Liberal opponent Alice McGuire, and therefore did not become government leader. She was succeeded as leader of the party and of the government by Chris Pearson.