Jean Canfield

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| name = Jean Canfield

| honorific-suffix =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1919|10|4}}

| birth_name = Ella Jean Garrett

| birth_place = Westmoreland, Prince Edward Island

| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|12|31|1919|10|4}}

| residence =

| office = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island for 1st Queens

| term_start = 1970

| term_end = 1979

| predecessor = Frank Myers

| alongside = Ralph Johnstone

| successor = Marion Reid

| party = Liberal

| religion =

| occupation =

}}

Ella Jean Canfield, née Garrett (October 4, 1919 – December 31, 2000){{cite web |url=https://www.assembly.pe.ca/sites/www.assembly.pe.ca/files/Historical%20MLA%20Bios/C.pdf |publisher=Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island |title=Minding the House : a biographical guide to Prince Edward Island MLAs, 1873-1993 (Blair Weeks, Ed.) |accessdate=2021-04-04}} was a Canadian politician."Involvement's the thing: minister". Ottawa Citizen, April 12, 1973. She was the first woman ever elected to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, as well as the first woman to serve in the Executive Council of Prince Edward Island."Jean Canfield, first woman elected to Island legislature, dead at 82". Canadian Press, January 2, 2001.

She was born in Westmoreland, Prince Edward Island, the daughter of Everett Garrett and Lydia Granville McVittie, and married Parker Canfield in 1939.

Canfield originally stood for office in the 1966 provincial election in 1st Queens, but failed against incumbent Frank Myers. She then stood again in the 1970 election, and was successful. She was reelected in the 1974 election and the 1978 election,"The winners in PEI election". The Globe and Mail, April 25, 1978. but was defeated in the 1979 election.

From October 10, 1972, to May 2, 1974, she served as Minister without Portfolio and Minister responsible for the PEI Housing Authority in the government of Alex Campbell."Woman joins P.E.I. cabinet". Vancouver Sun, October 10, 1972.

Following her death in 2000, the Government of Canada announced in 2005 that a new federal office building in Charlottetown would be named the Jean Canfield Building."Federal building named for pioneer". The Guardian, August 18, 2005. The building officially opened in 2007."New federal building hopes to soak up the sun". The Guardian, March 3, 2007.