Prior to the 1999 election, the number of seats was reduced from 130 to 103. Johns and fellow MPP Barb Fisher (riding of Bruce) competed for the Tory nomination in the redistributed riding of Huron—Bruce. Johns won the nomination battle. In the ensuing election campaign, she narrowly defeated Liberal candidate Ross Lamont. On June 17, 1999, she was named Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. Following a cabinet shuffle on February 8, 2001, she was named Associate Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, under Tony Clement.