Trailblazer Award – Dr. Jean Augustine


















Much of the path that the life of Dr. Jean Augustine has taken is ground that had not been stepped on before her.

From 1993 to 2005 Augustine was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

In the 1993 federal election, Augustine became the first African Canadian woman elected to the Parliament of Canada and subsequently the first Black woman in a federal Cabinet. She also served three terms as Chair of the National Liberal Women's Caucus.

She is a former member of Cabinet, and a former school principal. Notably, Augustine served as the Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Jean Chretien from 1994 to 1996.

In February 2002, Jean Augustine was elected Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade. On May 26, 2002 Jean Augustine was appointed Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women). In December 2003, she was re-appointed to the new Cabinet as Minister of State (Multiculturalism and Status of Women). In 2004, she was appointed to the position of Assistant Deputy Chairs of Committees of the Whole, making her the first African Canadian to occupy the Speaker's Chair in the Canadian House of Commons. She was also the Minister of State for multiculturalism, and the status of women until
2004.

Jean Augustine holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Education and Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from the University of Toronto.

Through fundraising efforts, Ms. Augustine supports the Jean Augustine Scholarship Fund, which assists single mothers to undertake post-secondary study at
George Brown College.

On November 28 2005, Augustine announced her intention to retire and that she would not be a candidate in the 2006 Canadian election. While she is no longer directly involved in Canadian politics, the imprint of her presence and contributions will be felt in this nation for generations to come.