From Pier 21 to Ontario Cabinet Minister
The Hon. Elizabeth Witmer, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Government of Ontario, was bornto Josef and Sientje Gosar, Kethel, Holland, the Netherlands, 1946. Immigrating to Canada with her family, March 1951, and landing at Halifax, Nova Scotia, aboard The Volendam, the Gosar family migrated to Picture Butte, Alberta, before settling in Exeter, southwestern Ontario, January 1952. Upon graduating from University of Western Ontario, 1968, Elizabeth, now married, began teaching high school. In 1990, Elizabeth Witmer was elected Member of Parliament for Waterloo North, 1990. Past Chair, Waterloo Board of Education, 1985-89; former Minister of Labour in the first Mike Harris Government, 1995-97; recognized, 1987, Kitchener-Waterloo Woman of the Year; and a recipient of the Canada 125th Medal, Ms. Witmer was sworn in as Minister of Health, 1997, and reappointed Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, 1999. Married to Cameron and the proud mother of Scott and Sarah, Elizabeth Witmer is an influential member of the provincial legislature of Ontario in that she has been a Member of the Policy and Priorities Committee, since 1995, and was formerly Deputy Chair of the Progressive Conservative Caucus. In this view, the Hon. Elizabeth Witmer visits with pre-schoolers, Ottawa, 1998. [Photo, courtesy Ministry of Health, Government of Ontario]