Joan Marie Aylward

Joan Marie J. Aylward ONL (born 1956) is a Canadian former politician serving as the 15th and current lieutenant governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. She previously sat in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1996 to 2003 as a member of the Liberals. She represented the electoral district of St. John's Centre.^[1]

Her Honour the Honourable Joan Marie Aylward ONL
15th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador
Incumbent
Assumed office November 14, 2023
Monarch	Charles III
Governor General	Mary Simon
Premier	Andrew Furey John Hogan
Preceded by	Judy Foote
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for St. John's Centre
In office February 22, 1996 – October 21, 2003
Preceded by	Hubert Kitchen
Succeeded by	Shawn Skinner
Personal details
Born	1956 (age 68–69)
Political party	Liberal
Alma mater	Memorial University

Born in 1956,^[2] she was educated at the General Hospital School of Nursing, completing her nursing degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland.^[3] Aylward was an intensive care nurse at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital. From 1984 to 1990, she served on the faculty of the St. Clare's School of Nursing. Aylward served five years as president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses Union.^[4]

She served in the Newfoundland cabinet as Minister of Social Services, as Minister of Health, as Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, as Minister of Finance and as president of Treasury Board.^[3]

On October 12, 2023, Aylward was named by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, replacing Judy Foote.^[5] She was sworn in on November 14, 2023.^[6]

Electoral record

2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Shawn Skinner	3,349	55.19	+15.61
	Liberal	Joan Marie Aylward	1,763	29.05	-13.22
	New Democratic	Carol Cantwell	956	15.76	-2.39
Total valid votes			6,068	99.33	–
Total rejected ballots			41	0.67	–
Turnout			6,109	59.68	-0.57
Eligible voters			10,236
	Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing		+14.42
Source: Elections Newfoundland and Labrador[7]

1999 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joan Marie Aylward	2,609	42.27	-0.78
	Progressive Conservative	Paul Brown	2,443	39.58	+1.96
	New Democratic	Valerie Long	1,120	18.15	-1.18
Total valid votes			6,172	99.29	–
Total rejected ballots			44	0.71	–
Turnout			6,216	60.25	-5.63
Eligible voters			10,317
	Liberal hold		Swing		-1.37
Source: Elections Newfoundland and Labrador[8]

1996 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joan Marie Aylward	2,579	43.05	-4.20
	Progressive Conservative	Paul Brown	2,254	37.62	-1.32
	New Democratic	Wayne Lucas	1,158	19.33	+5.52
Total valid votes			5,991	99.42	–
Total rejected ballots			35	0.58	–
Turnout			6,026	65.88	-0.11
Eligible voters			9,147
	Liberal hold		Swing		-2.76
Source: Elections Newfoundland and Labrador[9]

Honours and decorations

Viceregal styles of Joan Marie Aylward (2023–present)
Reference style	Her Honour the Honourable Son Honneur l'honorable
Spoken style	Your Honour Votre Honneur

Ribbon Bar of Joan Marie Aylward

Ribbon	Description	Post-nominal letters	Notes
	Order of Newfoundland and Labrador	ONL	[10]
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal		[10] Canadian version
	King Charles III Coronation Medal		[10] Canadian version

As lieutenant governor, Aylward is a ex officio Member (ONL) and Chancellor of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador.^[11] As a lieutenant governor in Canada, Aylward is entitled to the style "the Honourable" for life and "Her Honour the Honourable" while in office.^[12]

Appointments

• November 14, 2023: Member of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador (ONL)
  • November 14, 2023 – present: Chancellor of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador (while in office)
• November 14, 2023: Dame of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (Vice-Prior in Newfoundland and Labrador while in office)

Medals

• February 6, 2002: Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (Canadian version)^[13]
• May 6, 2024: King Charles III Coronation Medal (Canadian version)^[14]

Honorary military appointments

• November 14, 2023 – Present: Honorary Colonel of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
• November 14, 2023 – Present: Patron of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires (Newfoundland and Labrador Branch).
• November 14, 2023 – Present: Honorary Chief of Police of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.^[15]