All in the Family

One of Canada's best-dressed women (TIME, Jan. 26) was out last week ringing doorbells, talking with housewives, speaking to Tory meetings. Fiorenza Drew, wife of Premier George Drew, had taken on the job of lining up votes for George in this week's provincial elections.

"Fiorenza," said a Toronto Tory last week, "is the best thing that ever happened to George." She has an easy grace and charm; her husband is reserved: his enemies call him haughty. In a recent 4,000-mile campaign swing through the Lakehead and northern Ontario Mrs. Drew made scores of speeches on the same platform with the Premier. "I just stand up and chat," says Fiorenza. "I don't get into the issues of the election. I let George do that." She was a big success. Said one of her listeners: "A lot of people, if they had their choice between George and Fiorenza, would pick Fiorenza."

Daughter of Metropolitan Opera Manager Edward Johnson, Fiorenza was born in Florence, educated in Europe and the U.S. She speaks French and Italian fluently, finds both an asset in her barnstorming. "Did you know," she asked, "that there are 5,000 Italians in the Soo? They love to hear their language spoken."

A good mimic, she often wows French audiences with take-offs of people who heckle husband George. She has never been heckled herself. Fiorenza's chats in English run about five minutes, those in French or Italian seven to 15. She hugs a mike like a crooner, turns it over to George with, "Now you didn't come here to listen to me. I'm going to sit down and let the men do the work."

In the five years since Drew became Ontario's Premier, his wife has been knee-deep in politics. At the same time she is not too busy to keep an eye on her two children, Sandra, 8, and Edward, 10. During last fortnight's tour she called home every night to check on them, was constantly picking up little souvenirs to take them. "I feel as if I'm working 26 hours a day," she said. "But I like it, you know."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.