Lois Mitchell

For the American computer scientist, see Lois B. Mitchell (Haibt).

Lois Elizabeth Mitchell CM AOE (née Boulding; June 22, 1939) is a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who was the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from 2015 to 2020. Her appointment as Lieutenant Governor was made by Governor General of Canada David Lloyd Johnston on the Constitutional advice of Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper, effective June 12, 2015. A former teacher and founder of a consulting firm, Mitchell is also a longtime organizer of events and active volunteer in the Calgary community, along with her late husband, Doug Mitchell.

The Honourable Lois Mitchell CM AOE
18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
In office June 12, 2015 – August 26, 2020
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governors General	David Johnston Julie Payette
Premier	Rachel Notley Jason Kenney
Preceded by	Donald Ethell
Succeeded by	Salma Lakhani
Personal details
Born	Lois Elizabeth Boulding (1939-06-22) June 22, 1939 (age 84) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Spouse	Doug Mitchell ​ ​ (m. 1961; died 2022)​
Children	4
Residence(s)	Calgary, Alberta
Alma mater	University of British Columbia
Profession	businesswoman, philanthropist consultant, organizer

Career

Mitchell was born on June 22, 1939^[1][2] and raised in Vancouver. She attended the University of British Columbia and studied physical education, graduating around 1961. She later worked as a teacher in British Columbia for two years before moving to Calgary.^[3][4] She is the founder of and a senior partner at Rainmaker Global Business Development, a marketing and consulting firm based in Calgary and the president of Amherst Consultants.

Considered one of the most prominent people in Calgary,^[5][6] she is also a member of the boards of directors of UBS Bank Canada, Mitacs and Canada World Youth, the governor of the Canadian Women's Hockey Association, a co-founder of the Global Business Forum, and one of twelve founders of Crime Stoppers Calgary.^[7] She has also been a board member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce (also a former chair), International Institute for Olympic, Paralympic and Sport Pedagogy, Special Olympic Foundation, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hockey Canada Foundation.^[8] Mitchell also is the chair of the Latin American Research Centre at the University of Calgary and in 1997 was named an honorary consul of Colombia to Alberta by the Colombian ambassador to Canada.^[5][9] She and her husband, Doug, donated to and organized many hockey and sport-related events.^[10]

The Doug and Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award was established in 2012 from contributions from her and her husband.^[11] She established the Hayley Wickenheiser Thunderbird Ice Hockey Endowment in 2007 to support the UBC Women's Ice Hockey team.^[10]

Lieutenant governor

On May 20, 2015, Mitchell was appointed by Governor General of Canada David Johnston on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to be lieutenant governor of Alberta, replacing Donald Ethell.^[2][12] She was sworn in on June 12. As the viceregal representative in Alberta, she is styled "Her Honour" while in office and has the style "the Honourable" for life.

Personal life

She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2012, when she also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 1998, she won the YMCA Women of Distinction Award, and in 2008 was named Citizen of the Year by the City of Calgary.^[13] She was married to Douglas Mitchell, whom she met while at school in British Columbia, from 1961 until Doug's death in 2022.^[4][14] Doug was a lawyer, a Canadian football player in his youth, and later a commissioner of the Canadian Football League.^[15] They had four children, two daughters and two sons.^[4][16] Her grandfather, Tom Mackie, served as the chief of the Calgary Police Service from 1909 to 1912. She is of Scottish heritage.^[5]

Arms

Coat of arms of Lois Mitchell

Crest A garden wall Azure masoned Argent its portal irradiated Proper doors open Azure flanked by two roses Gules slipped barbed and seeded Proper. Escutcheon Azure on a saltire Argent surmounted by a bezant charged with two hockey sticks in saltire Sable four eighth notes Sable. Supporters Two mares Proper each crined unguled and collared Or pendent therefrom a bezant charged with a football palewise Azure standing on a grassy mount Vert issuant from waves Azure crested Argent. Motto Love Truth Courage^[17]

References

1. Lois & Doug Mitchell
2. "Alberta's new Lieutenant Governor 'honoured' to follow Ethell". Edmonton Sun. May 21, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
3. "Board of Directors". Canada World Youth. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
4. Bacon, Dick (April 14, 1989). "New league boss brings boardroom success to CFL". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal, Quebec. p. H4. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
5. Mr.& Mrs. Calgary:: [Final Edition] Teel, Gina. Calgary Herald [Calgary, Alta] August 13, 2005: E1 Front.
6. Networking in Calgary:: [Final Edition] Calgary Herald [Calgary, Alta] November 6, 2003: D5.
7. "Consulting firm founder appointed as new Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
8. . University of Calgary. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
9. Meet Lois Mitchell: one-woman dynamo: [Final Edition] Parker, David. Calgary Herald [Calgary, Alta] December 30, 2001: B10.
10. "UBC Thunderbird Sports Centre named in honour of hockey builder Doug Mitchell". UBC News. August 21, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
11. . mayorslunch.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
12. "Lois Mitchell appointed as Alberta's new lieutenant-governor". CBC News. May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
13. Calgary City Clerk’s Office, June 2009. The Calgary Awards 2008^{[permanent dead link]}, accessed May 21, 2015.
14. Press release (21 July 2022). "Statement on the passing of former CFL Commissioner Doug Mitchell". Canadian Football League. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
15. Football icon's cup comes home Fortney, Valerie. Calgary Herald [Calgary, Alta] November 2010: B.1.
16. James Wood. "Lois Mitchell appointed lieutenant-governor of Alberta". Calgary Herald. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
17. "Lois Elizabeth Mitchell". Canadian Heraldic Authority. Retrieved 6 September 2023.