Kim Campbell was born on March 10, 1947, in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. She was the daughter of George Thomas Campbell and his wife Phyllis "Lissa" Margaret Cook. Her parents divorced when she was young, and her mother abandoned the family when Kim was just 12 years old. Kim and her sister Alix were raised by their father, a career officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Kim excelled in school and went on to study political science at the University of British Columbia. After graduating, she attended the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she earned a master's degree in Soviet Government. She later obtained a law degree from the University of British Columbia.
After completing her education, Kim Campbell worked as a lecturer at the University of British Columbia and then as a lawyer in Vancouver. In the early 1980s, she entered politics and was elected to the British Columbia Legislative Assembly as a member of the Social Credit Party.
In 1988, Kim Campbell was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party. She quickly rose through the ranks and was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General in Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's cabinet.
When Brian Mulroney announced his resignation as Prime Minister in 1993, Kim Campbell entered the race to succeed him. In June of that year, she won the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party, becoming Canada's first female Prime Minister.
During her brief tenure as Prime Minister, Kim Campbell made history as the first Prime Minister to be born in British Columbia. She was known for her straightforward and honest approach, but some believe that this honesty ultimately cost her the election in the fall of 1993.
After her defeat in the 1993 election, Kim Campbell continued to be involved in politics and public service. She served as the Canadian Consul General in Los Angeles and was later appointed the Secretary General of the Club of Madrid, an organization of former democratic heads of state and government.
Kim Campbell has also worked as a professor at various universities, including Harvard and the University of Alberta. She has written several books on topics such as women in politics and democratic governance.
Despite her short tenure as Prime Minister, Kim Campbell remains an important figure in Canadian political history. She paved the way for future generations of women in politics and continues to be a respected voice on issues of democracy and human rights.