Black History Month

Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine P.C., C.M., C.B.E. 

Jean Augustine made history as the first Black Woman elected to the Parliament of Canada and served four consecutive terms from 1993-2006 as the Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, a diverse multicultural metropolitan community. Throughout her tenure, Dr. Augustine served in increasingly responsible roles including that of Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Secretary of State and Minister of State (Multiculturalism and Status of Women); Special Advisor on Grenada to the Prime Minister; Chair of the Standing Committee on International Trade; and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. Among her legislative successes was the historic Black History Month Motion; as well as the groundbreaking Famous Five Motion. Her post-parliamentary service continued as Ontario's first-ever Fairness Commissioner. In 2008, The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora opened at York University to help advance education, equity and inclusiveness. The following years have brought the launch of the Jean Augustine Girls' Leadership Academy in Scarborough; the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women's Empowerment in Toronto; and in 2017, the brand new state-of-the-art Jean Augustine Secondary School in Brampton.

MORE INFO:   www.jeanaugustine.ca