Raymonde Gagné Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Raymonde Gagné
Office:Speaker of the Senate of Canada
Term Start:May 12, 2023
Appointer:Mary Simon
Nominator:Justin Trudeau
Predecessor:George Furey
Office1:Canadian Senator
from Manitoba
Term Start1:March 18, 2016
Predecessor1:Terry Stratton
Nominator1:Justin Trudeau
Appointer1:David Johnston
Office2:Deputy Representative of the Government in the Senate
Leader2:Marc Gold
Term Start2:January 31, 2020
Term End2:May 12, 2023
Predecessor2:Diane Bellemare
Successor2:Patti LaBoucane-Benson
Birth Date:7 January 1956
Birth Place:St-Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba, Canada
Party:Liberal

Raymonde Gagné (born January 7, 1956)[1] is a Canadian politician and academic who has served as the speaker of the Senate of Canada since May 12, 2023. She was named to the Senate of Canada to represent Manitoba on March 18, 2016.[2] [3]

Background

Prior to her appointment to the Senate, Gagné worked in the education field. She worked as a high school teacher and principal and was a longtime faculty member of the Université de Saint-Boniface in Winnipeg, serving as president of the school between 2003 and 2014.[4]

Gagné contributes to numerous organizations and boards within Manitoba and across Canada. She served as President of the Association of Colleges and Universities of the Canadian Francophonie from 2005 to 2009, was a member of the Advisory Committee on Official Languages for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada from 2007 to 2009.[5]

Political career

Gagné was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 18, 2016. However, she chose to sit as a member of the Independent Senators Group.

On January 31, 2020, she was appointed Deputy to Representative of the Government in the Senate Marc Gold.[6] Upon this appointment she left the ISG, becoming designated as non-affiliated with any Senate political group.

Speaker of the Senate

On May 12, 2023, Gagné was named Speaker of the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau following the retirement of George Furey, becoming the third female Speaker of the Senate and the first since Renaude Lapointe who served as speaker from 1974 to 1979.[7]

Honours and awards

In May 2014, Gagné was recognized with the Order of Manitoba.[8]

On November 20, 2014, Gagné was awarded the Order of Canada and was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada on September 23, 2015, for services to education and social services.[9] She also received the Prix Riel in the community development category in 2015.[10]

She is also the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Senators. Senate of. Canada. SenCanada.
  2. News: 2016-03-18 . Trudeau appoints seven new senators . en-CA . The Globe and Mail . 2023-05-13.
  3. Web site: 2023-05-12 . Manitoba Sen. Raymonde Gagné becomes Senate's third-ever female Speaker . 2023-05-13 . thestar.com . en.
  4. http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/manitoba/2015/09/23/001-raymonde-gagne-ordre-canada-membre-rectrice-universite-saint-boniface.shtml "Raymonde Gagné nommée membre de l’Ordre du Canada"
  5. Web site: The Honourable Raymonde Gagné. pm.gc.ca. May 12, 2023. 2023-02-13.
  6. News: With two new Senate appointments, Trudeau has now appointed half of the upper house . January 31, 2020 . CBC News . January 31, 2020.
  7. Web site: Manitoba Senator Raymonde Gagné named Speaker of the Senate. CBC News. May 12, 2023. 2023-02-13.
  8. Web site: RAYMONDE GAGNÉ, NOUVELLE MEMBRE DE L'ORDRE DU MANITOBA. Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne (AUFC). May 13, 2014. January 4, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170104091659/http://www.acufc.ca/nouvelles/raymonde-gagne-nouvelle-membre-de-lordre-du-manitoba. dead.
  9. Web site: It's an Honour. Office of the Governor General. April 18, 2016.
  10. Web site: Janine Bertrand et Raymonde Gagné reçoivent un Prix Riel. ICI.Radio-Canada.ca. Zone Société -. Radio-Canada.ca. 7 March 2015 . fr-ca. 2023-05-13.