Rick Johnson (Canadian politician) facts for kids

Rick Johnson is a Canadian politician and musician. He used to be a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He represented the area called Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock. He was a member of the Liberal Party from 2009 to 2011.

He won his seat in a special election called a by-election on March 5, 2009. In that election, he beat John Tory, who was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. Later, in the 2011 election, he lost his seat to Laurie Scott. She had held the seat before him.

Rick Johnson's Journey

From Music to Public Service

Before he became a politician, Rick Johnson was a musician. He worked with his wife, Terri Crawford. In the 1970s and 1980s, they were part of the Terri Crawford Band. Later, they became a duo called Terri & Rick. They made children's music together.

Making a Difference in Politics

Rick Johnson has a lot of experience helping his community. He was a trustee for the Trillium Lakelands District School Board. A trustee helps make important decisions for schools in the area. He even became the chair of this board.

He also served as the president of the Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA). This group helps all public school boards in Ontario work together. During his time there, Rick Johnson helped start new programs. These included breakfast programs, co-operative education programs, and reading programs for his district. He also worked with the Lindsay Chamber of Commerce. This group helps local businesses.

Running for Office

Rick Johnson first ran for a provincial seat in the 2007 election. He ran in the Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock area. He lost that election to Laurie Scott.

On January 9, 2009, Laurie Scott decided to leave her seat. This was so the Conservative Leader, John Tory, could try to win it. Rick Johnson ran in the special election that followed. Many people were upset about Laurie Scott leaving. Rick Johnson used this public feeling to his advantage. He won the election by a small number of votes, beating John Tory.

Working in the Government

After winning, Rick Johnson became a Parliamentary Assistant. This role means he helped a government minister with their work. He was a Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure, Bob Chiarelli. Before that, he helped the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

In the 2011 election, Rick Johnson ran again. But he lost to Laurie Scott by about 6,000 votes. He tried again in 2014 but lost to Scott once more, this time by over 3,000 votes.