Jean Augustine (she/her)
Former Member of Parliament and and Fairness Commissioner, Province of Ontario
Jean Augustine was the first African-Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons and she sat in Parliament from 1993 to 2006. During this time, she served as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, minister of state for multiculturalism and the status of women, and she was a deputy speaker. She is also known for her work on the motion proposing Black History Month in Canada.
In March 2007, Jean was appointed as fairness commissioner. This was the first public office of its kind in Canada designed to oversee fairness and transparency among various professional regulatory bodies. Throughout all this work Jean has been a strong advocate for education, girl’s leadership, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, both in her communities and across the country.