Hon. Jean Augustine (born September 9, 1937 in St. George's, Grenada) is a Canadian politician.

Augustine is currently a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore since 1993, and a former member of Cabinet. Augustine is a former school principal. Augustine has served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada, and was the Minister of State for multiculturalism, and the status of women until 2004.

The Honourable Jean Augustine was born in Grenada. Before entering politics she was an Elementary School Principal with the Toronto District Catholic School Board.

She has served on numerous Boards including the Board of Governors of York University, the Board of Trustees for The Hospital for Sick Children, the Board of Directors of the Donwood Institute, the Board of Harbourfront Corporation and Chair of the Metro Toronto Housing Authority. She was also National President of the Congress of Black Women of Canada.

In 1993, Ms. Augustine became the first African Canadian woman elected to the Parliament of Canada and subsequently the first Black woman in a federal Cabinet.

Ms. Augustine also served three terms as Chair of the National Liberal Women's Caucus.

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)

Ms. Augustine was the Founding Chair of the Canadian Association of Parliamentarians on Population & Development, Chair of the National Sugar Caucus, Chair of the Micro-credit Summit Council of Canadian Parliamentarians, Chair of the Canada-Slovenia Parliamentary Group and Chair of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Group.

Jean Augustine holds a B.A., a M.Ed. and an Honorary Doctor of Laws 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.

She is the recipient of the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, the Kaye Livingstone Award, the Ontario Volunteer Award, the Pride Newspaper Achievement Award, the Rubena Willis Special Recognition Award and the Toronto Lions' Club Onyx Award.

External link

• Official website