View source for Jean Augustine

{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1937)}}
{{similar names|Jean Augustin (disambiguation){{!}}Jean Augustin}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| name                = Jean Augustine
| honorific-suffix    = {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CM|OOnt|CBE|size=100%}}
| image               = Jean Augustine 2010 (crop).jpg
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1937|09|09}}
| birth_place         = [[St. George's, Grenada]]
| profession          = Educator, community organizer
| residence           = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]
| alma_mater          = [[University of Toronto]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[MEd]])

<!-- Minister of the Crown -->| office              = [[Minister of Canadian Heritage|Minister of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women]]
| primeminister       = [[Jean Chretien]]<br>[[Paul Martin]]
| term_start          = May 2, 2002
| term_end            = July 31, 2004
| predecessor         = [[Claudette Bradshaw]]
| successor           = [[Raymond Chan (politician)|Raymond Chan]]

<!-- Fairness Commissioner -->| office1             = [[Fairness Commissioner (Ontario)|Fairness Commissioner of Ontario]]
| premier1            = [[Dalton McGuinty]]<br>[[Kathleen Wynne]]
| term_start1         = March 1, 2007
| term_end1           = March 20, 2015
| predecessor1        = ''Position established''
| successor1          = Mary Shenstone

<!-- Parliamentary Secretary -->| office2             = [[Office of the Prime Minister of Canada|Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada]]
| primeminister2      = Jean Chretien
| term_start2         = December 6, 1993
| term_end2           = February 22, 1996
| predecessor2        = André Harvey
| successor2          = Rey Pagtakhan

<!-- MP -->| parliament3         = Canadian
| party               = [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| riding3             = [[Etobicoke—Lakeshore (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke—Lakeshore]]
| term_start3         = October 25, 1993
| term_end3           = January 23, 2006
| predecessor3        = [[Patrick Boyer]]
| successor3          = [[Michael Ignatieff]]
}}
'''Jean Augustine''' {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CM|OOnt|CBE}} (born September 9, 1937) is a [[Grenada]]-born Canadian politician. She was the first [[Black Canadian]] woman to serve as a federal [[Minister of the Crown]] and [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Member of Parliament]].

Prior to entering politics in 1993, Jean Augustine had a career in education.<ref name=":0" /> She enrolled in Toronto Teachers’ College, graduating with an Ontario teaching certificate in 1963. She went on to work as a teacher in the [[Toronto Catholic District School Board]], eventually becoming  a school principal.<ref name=":0" />

From 1993 to 2006, Jean Augustine was elected as the [[Liberal Party of Canada]]'s member of the [[House of Commons of Canada]] for the riding ([https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=cir/list&document=index338&lang=e Federal Electoral District]) of [[Etobicoke—Lakeshore (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke—Lakeshore]] in Toronto, Ontario. Ms. Augustine was the [[Parliamentary Secretary]] to [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Jean Chrétien]] from 1994 to 1996. She subsequently served as the Minister of State for Multiculturalism and the [[Status of Women Canada|Status of Women]] in the [[Cabinet of Canada]] from 2002 to 2004.

Following her retirement from politics, she has served as the patron of several non-profit organizations across Canada.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Canadian legend Jean Augustine helped create Black History Month |url=https://alumni.utoronto.ca/news/canadian-legend-jean-augustine-helped-create-black-history-month |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=University of Toronto Alumni |language=en}}</ref> From 2007 to 2015, Ms. Augustine served as the first [[Fairness Commissioner (Ontario)|Fairness Commissioner of Ontario]].<ref name=":2" />

==Early life and education==
Augustine was born on September 9, 1937, in [[St. George's, Grenada|St. George's]], [[Grenada]], and immigrated to Canada in 1960 under the West Indian Domestic Scheme, which ran from 1955 to 1966.<ref name=":0">{{cite encyclopedia|author=Susanna McLeod|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jean-augustine|title=Jean Augustine|encyclopedia=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|access-date=September 5, 2019}}</ref> She attended Toronto Teachers’ College before earning a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from the [[University of Toronto]], and later, a [[Master of Education]] (1980), also from the University of Toronto<ref name=":2" />  while working as an elementary school teacher. Augustine was later promoted to principal, then Supervisory Officer.

In addition to her teaching career with the Catholic School board [[Toronto Catholic District School Board|(Metropolitan Separate School Board]]) in [[Toronto]], Augustine was also actively involved in Toronto's Caribbean community, sitting on the first committee to organize the [[Caribana|Caribana Festival]] in 1967.<ref name=":0" />

As a social activist, Augustine volunteered and worked with many social justice and educational organizations.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Unveiling Heroes: Jean Augustine |url=https://www.heritagetoronto.org/explore/black-heroes-toronto-history/jean-augustine-library-education/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |website=Heritage Toronto}}</ref> They included service with the National Black Coalition of Canada, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR). She was appointed as chair of the [[Metro Toronto Housing Authority]]. She was also named national president of the [[Congress of Black Women of Canada]] in 1987.<ref name=":4">{{Cite press release |title=Canadian Icon Honored by Youth for Human Rights Toronto |url=https://www.newswire.com/news/canadian-icon-honored-by-youth-for-human-rights-toronto-9137325 |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=www.newswire.com |language=en}}</ref>

Augustine served on various boards during this period, including [[York University]]'s Board of Governors, The [[Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto)|Hospital for Sick Children]], the [[Stephen Lewis Foundation]] and Toronto's Harbourfront Corporation.<ref name=":4" />

In 1988, Augustine was appointed as chair of the Metro Toronto Housing Authority, a multi-million dollar social housing authority serving 300,000 residents in rent-geared to income housing.<ref name=":0" />

== Political career (1993–2005) ==
In 1993, Jean Augustine became the first African-Canadian woman elected to Canada’s House of Commons, as the Member of Parliament from the Greater Toronto Area constituency of Etobicoke-Lakeshore.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> She served as a Liberal Member of Parliament for four consecutive terms, being re-elected three times.<ref name=":3" />

Augustine held many portfolios and positions during her time as an elected member of Canada's federal government, including as [[Parliamentary secretary|Parliamentary Secretary]] to the Prime Minister ([[Jean Chrétien]]); Minister of Multiculturalism and the Status of Women; Chair of the Foreign Affairs and International Trade committee; Chair of the Human Rights Committee, three-time Chair of the National Women’s Caucus. In 2004, she was elected Assistant Deputy Speaker by her fellow parliamentarians.<ref name=":0" />

Augustine's parliamentarian achievements include legislation to protect disadvantaged low-income individuals including single mothers raising children; securing unanimous legislative support to pass a motion designating February as Black History Month in Canada;<ref name=":2" /> securing unanimous legislative support to pass a motion to erect the [[The Famous Five (Canada)|Famous Five]] Monument on Parliament Hill.

==Later life==
In 2007, the Government of Ontario appointed Augustine as the first [[Fairness Commissioner (Ontario)|Fairness Commissioner]], a position created to advocate for Canadians with foreign professional credentials.<ref>[https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/augustine-to-be-ont-advocate-for-foreign-workers/ Augustine to be Ont. advocate for foreign workers], CTV News from Canadian Press (CP). March 13, 2007.</ref> Augustine retired from the position in March 2015.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Keung|first1=Nicholas|title=Jean Augustine, Ontario's fairness commissioner, retires at 77|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2015/03/22/jean-augustine-ontarios-fairness-commissioner-retires-at-77.html|access-date=June 9, 2016|work=Toronto Star|date=March 22, 2015}}</ref>

In 2007, Augustine donated her personal papers and memorabilia to the [[Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections]] at [[York University]]. The collection is known as the Jean Augustine Fonds.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the Chair |url=https://www.yorku.ca/edu/research/ja-chair/history-of-the-chair/ |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=Faculty of Education |language=en-CA}}</ref> "Pushing buttons, pushing stories" is a digital exhibit of Augustine's personal political buttons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archives.library.yorku.ca/exhibits/show/pushingbuttons|title=York University Libraries {{!}} Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections online exhibits {{!}} The Jean Augustine Political Button Collection|website=archives.library.yorku.ca|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-30 |title=Pushing Buttons, Pushing Stories – Congress of Black Women of Canada |url=https://archives.library.yorku.ca/exhibits/show/pushingbuttons/black--caribbean-community/congress-of-black-women-of-can |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323001449/https://archives.library.yorku.ca/exhibits/show/pushingbuttons/black--caribbean-community/congress-of-black-women-of-can |archive-date=23 March 2023 |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=wayback.library.yorku.ca |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

In 2008, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education in the New Urban Environment was established as an [[endowed chair]] at York University, with Prof. Nombuso Dlamini appointed the first chair (2010–15).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Craig |first=Ashley Goodfellow |date=2023-05-18 |title=Collaboration continues to be modus operandi for inaugural Jean Augustine Chair |url=https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/2023/05/18/collaboration-continues-to-be-modus-operandi-for-inaugural-jean-augustine-chair/ |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=YFile |language=en-US}}</ref> The chair was renamed as the [https://www.yorku.ca/edu/jean-augustine-chair/ Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora]  [[York University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://edu.yorku.ca/research/jean-augustine-chair/|title=The Jean Augustine Chair in Education {{!}} Faculty of Education|website=edu.yorku.ca|access-date=2017-01-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2008-07-22 |title=York to the Power of 50: Launch of the Jean Augustine Chair |url=https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/2008/07/22/york-to-the-power-of-50-launch-of-the-jean-augustine-chair/ |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=YFile |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2016, the present chair holder, Faculty of Education professor and [[Distinguished Research Professor]], [[Carl E. James]], was appointed for a five-year term, which was renewed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Craig |first=Ashley Goodfellow |date=2017-08-14 |title=Event to mark 80th birthday of Jean Augustine will direct donations to York |url=https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/2017/08/14/event-to-mark-80th-birthday-of-jean-augustine-will-direct-donations-to-york/ |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=YFile |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2023 the Jean Augustine Chair received funding from the federal government of Canada, making it a fully-funded endowed chair.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-13 |title=York U celebrates Canadian changemaker Jean Augustine, full funding of endowed Chair in her name |url=https://www.yorku.ca/edu/2023/11/13/york-u-celebrates-canadian-changemaker-jean-augustine-full-funding-of-endowed-chair-in-her-name/ |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=Faculty of Education |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Department of Finance |date=2022-04-07 |title=Chapter 8: Promoting Canadian Values {{!}} Budget 2022 |url=https://www.budget.canada.ca/2022/report-rapport/chap8-en.html |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=www.budget.canada.ca}}</ref>

Augustine serves as the patron, visitor or honorary chair of a number of organizations, including the [[NATO Association of Canada]].

== Personal life ==
In 1968, Augustine married Winston Augustine, but they subsequently divorced in 1981. They have two daughters.<ref name=":02">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Jean Augustine |encyclopedia=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]] |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jean-augustine |access-date=September 5, 2019 |author=Susanna McLeod}}</ref> Augustine is [[Catholic Church|Catholic]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Wendy-Ann |title=Jean Augustine sees future in the past |url=https://www.catholicregister.org/item/32686-jean-augustine-sees-future-in-the-past |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Catholic Register |language=en-gb}}</ref>

== Selected Writing in Academic and Grey Literature ==
Augustine, J. (2021). Multiculturalism@ 50: the experience of Black Canadians. ''Canadian Issues Fall/Winter'', 65-69.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Augustine |first=J. |date=2021 |title=Multiculturalism@ 50: the experience of Black Canadians. |url=https://acs-aec.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/663_AEC-CITC_EN_V6_LR.pdf#page=67 |journal=Canadian Issues |publisher=Association for Canadian Studies |volume=2021 |issue=Fall/Winter |pages=65–69}}</ref>

Augustine, J. (2020). Being the Messenger and the Message. ''Canadian Issues, Fall/Winter'', 27–30.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Augustine |first=J. |date=2020 |title=Being the messenger and the message. |url=https://acs-metropolis.ca/acs/library-acs/ |journal=Canadian Issues |issue=Fall/Winter |pages=27–30 |issn=0318-8442|id={{ProQuest|<!-- insert ProQuest data here --> }}}}</ref>

Augustine, H. J. (2015). Employment match rates in the regulated professions: trends and policy implications. ''Canadian Public Policy'', ''41''(Supplement 1), S28–S47.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Augustine |first=Hon. Jean |date=2015 |title=Employment Match Rates in the Regulated Professions: Trends and Policy Implications |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/cpp.2014-085 |journal=Canadian Public Policy |volume=41 |issue=Supplement 1 |pages=S28–S47 |doi=10.3138/cpp.2014-085 |issn=0317-0861|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Augustine, J. (2007). A message from Dr, Jean Augustine, Chair, Ontario Bicentenary Commemorative Committee on the abolition of the slave trade. ''Ontario History'', ''99''(1), IV.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Augustine |first=Jean |date=2007 |title=Message from Jean Augustine |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/1065791ar |journal=Ontario History |volume=99 |issue=1 |pages=iv |doi=10.7202/1065791ar |issn=0030-2953}}</ref>

==Honours and awards==
*In 2022, a film<ref>{{Citation |last1=Umair |first1=Ali |title=Steadfast: The Jean Augustine Story |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19389270/ |type=Documentary |publisher=Expressive Pluralism Films, Electric Mango Film Company, Studio East Films |access-date=2022-10-09 |last2=Ali |first2=Fahim Hamid |last3=Challinor |first3=John Best}}</ref> that recapped Jean Augustine's life and achievements was premiered in Toronto and Ottawa with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as special guest.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-04 |title=Prime Minister's itinerary for Wednesday, October 5, 2022 |url=https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/itineraries/2022/10/05/prime-ministers-itinerary-wednesday-october-5-2022 |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |language=en}}</ref> The creative team behind the team includes documentary filmmakers Fahim Ali, Ali Umair and John Challinor III.
*In 2021, Augustine was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from [[Maclean's|Maclean's Magazine]], as part of its 12th annual Parliamentarians of the Year awards.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|first=Shannon |last=Proudfoot|date=2021-01-12|title=This year's Maclean's Lifetime Achievement winner: Jean Augustine|url=https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/this-years-macleans-lifetime-achievement-winner-jean-augustine/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Macleans.ca|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-13|title=The winners of the Maclean's Parliamentarians of the Year Awards|url=https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/the-winners-of-the-macleans-parliamentarians-of-the-year-awards/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Macleans.ca|language=en}}</ref>
*Augustine was awarded the Nelson Mandela Humanitarian award of 2018.
*In 2007, Augustine was awarded the Caribbean Luminary award from Grenada's university of west Indies.
*Augustine was awarded an [[Honorary degree|Honorary]] [[Doctor of Laws]] from her alma mater, [[University of Toronto]]. In 2009, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from [[McGill University]]. In 2017, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from [[Trent University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news/peterborough-region/paul-martin-jean-augustine-among-seven-receiving-trent-university-honorary-degrees/article_8160df6d-1a86-5a8c-91e6-b71660f21930.html?|title=Paul Martin, Jean Augustine among seven receiving Trent University honorary degrees|date=2017-03-28|website=ThePeterboroughExaminer.com|language=en-CA|access-date=2023-05-31}}</ref>
*She has received the [[YWCA]] Woman of Distinction Award, the [[Kay Livingstone]] Award, the Ontario Volunteer Award, an African Canadian Achievement Award (Pride News Magazine), the Rubena Willis Special Recognition Award, and the Toronto [[Lions' Club]] Onyx Award.<ref name=":0"/>
* In 2009, she was made a Member of the [[Order of Canada]] "for her distinguished career as an educator, politician and advocate for social justice in Canada".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=13469|title=Governor General Announces 57 New Appointments to the Order of Canada|work=Office of the Secretary to the Governor General|access-date=2009-12-30|date=December 30, 2009}}</ref>
* She was appointed [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) in the [[2014 Birthday Honours]] for services to education and politics in Grenada, from which she had emigrated 54 years previously.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=60897|date=14 June 2014|page=b45 |supp=y}}</ref>
* The Jean Augustine Scholarship Fund was named for her, which she helps support with fundraising. It assists single mothers to undertake post-secondary study at [[George Brown College]].
* Jean Augustine Secondary School in [[Brampton]], Ontario is named for her.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jean-augustine-peel-1.3421426 "Former politician Jean Augustine gets Brampton school named after her"], CBC News, January 26, 2016.</ref>
* Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Girls’ Leadership Academy.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://sharenews.com/tdsb-girls-leadership-academy-renamed-after-jean-augustine/#sthash.vKCJj7cJ.dpuf |title=TDSB Girls' Leadership Academy renamed after Jean Augustine &#124; Share News |access-date=2016-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818030852/http://sharenews.com/tdsb-girls-leadership-academy-renamed-after-jean-augustine/#sthash.vKCJj7cJ.dpuf |archive-date=2013-08-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*In 2011 Augustine was one of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winners.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada's Top 25 Immigrants 2011|url=https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2011|access-date=2021-06-06|website=Canadian Immigrant|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Electoral record ==
{{2004 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke—Lakeshore}}
{{2000 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke—Lakeshore}}
{{1997 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke—Lakeshore}}
{{1993 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke—Lakeshore}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Archival records}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060215193454/http://www.howdtheyvote.ca/member.php?id=13 How'd They Vote?: Jean Augustine's voting history and quotes]{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=3321}}
* [https://archives.library.yorku.ca/exhibits/show/pushingbuttons "Pushing buttons, pushing stories"]
*[https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2011 2011 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards]

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{{ministry box sub-cabinet posts
|post1         = Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Augustine, Jean}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Toronto]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada MPs]]
[[Category:Black Canadian politicians]]
[[Category:Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Ontario]]
[[Category:University of Toronto alumni]]
[[Category:Grenadian emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:Women members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:Women in Ontario politics]]
[[Category:People from St. George's, Grenada]]
[[Category:People from Etobicoke]]
[[Category:Canadian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Members of the 26th Canadian Ministry]]
[[Category:Members of the 27th Canadian Ministry]]
[[Category:Black Canadian women]]
[[Category:Women government ministers of Canada]]
[[Category:Canadian Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Heads of schools in Canada]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian civil servants]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women civil servants]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian women politicians]]
[[Category:African-Canadian feminism]]
[[Category:Black Canadian Catholics]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:Canadian feminists]]