There's something quite regal about Kim Campbell. Perhaps it's the tilt of her head, the beatific smile she bestows upon both nobles and commoners as she campaigns. Impetuous as she is intelligent, Campbell has never been content to patiently wait her turn. She has long relied on her instincts - which by all accounts run counter to those of most politicians. [1]

Kim Campbell was born Avril Phaedra Douglas Campbell. As a teenager, Avril permanently nicknamed herself Kim, perhaps for actress Kim Novak. She spent several years studying the Russian language, and was close to being fluent. [2]

Kim Campbell was Prime Minister of Canada for only four months, but she can take credit for a number of Canadian political firsts. Kim Campbell was the first woman Prime Minister of Canada, the first woman Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the first woman Minister of National Defence, and she was the first woman elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. [3]

If Campbell had miraculously defied the odds and led the Tories to victory, or even to a respectable defeat, Canadians might still be applauding her gee-whiz enthusiasm as a welcome breath of fresh air, as they did in those fleeting summer weeks of 1993 when her approval rating was the highest of any prime minister in decades. [But] she was exhausted after her leadership race, but was forced into an endless round of barbecues and speech-making. She had no time to exercise, relax, get a chipped tooth fixed, have her nails done or pay household bills. [4]

[1]  Williams, Marla. "Outspoken Kim Campbell May Be Canada's Next Leader -- The Candid Candidate." The Seattle Times, June 6, 1993. <http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930606&slug=1704997>

[2]  "Kim Campbell." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2002. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Campbell> (Accessed on February 10, 2009.)

[3]  Munroe, Susan. "Prime Minister Kim Campbell." About.com: Canada Online.  <http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/primeminister/p/pmkimcampbell.htm> (Accessed on February 10, 2009.)

[4]  Phillips, Andrew. "Campbell, Kim (Profile)." Maclean's, April 29, 1996. <http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0010657>