Massey Dialogues: Being Black in Politics
We speak with The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, Matthew Green (MP Hamilton Centre), and Dr. Jill Andrew (MPP Toronto-St. Paul’s) who use their positions to open doors for a more equitable society while facing unique barriers and challenges. Special appearance by Michael Coteau (MPP Don Valley East). Moderated by Nathalie Des Rosiers (Principal, Massey College and former MPP Ottawa – Vanier.
This event will be broadcast online and is free and open to all – there is no login or registration required to tune in. Click here to watch the livestream.
The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine P.C., C.M., O.Ont., C.B.E.
Jean Augustine made history as the first Black Woman elected to Canada’s Parliament, serving from 1993-2006. Her roles included Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister; Minister for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women; Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; and Deputy Speaker.
Her legislative successes include both the historic Black History Month Motion, and the Famous Five Motion honouring women’s suffrage.
From 2007 to 2015, she was Ontario’s first-ever Fairness Commissioner. In 2008, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora was launched at York University to help advance education, equity and inclusiveness.
Today, also in her name are a Girls’ Leadership Academy in Scarborough; a Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment and municipal park in Etobicoke; a Secondary School in Brampton, and a multi-purpose complex and district park in Vaughan.
She is a member of the Order of Canada and Commander of the Order of the British Empire; holds honourary doctorates from the universities of McGill, Toronto, York, Windsor, Waterloo, Guelph, and Trent; and supports scholarships at Centennial College, George Brown, and Humber College.
In 2019 Matthew Green was elected the Member of Parliament for Hamilton Centre. He previously made history when he became the first person of colour elected to Hamilton City Council in 2014. During his time as Ward 3 Councillor, Matthew’s policy initiatives focused on ecological, equity, and economic justice.
Matthew has a Political Science and Legal Studies degree from Acadia University and continued his education at McMaster University as well as the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Business School.
Prior to being elected to city council Matthew owned a small business in Hamilton and most recently, served as the Executive Director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion.
Matthew is the NDP Critic for National Revenue, Public Services and Procurement, Treasury Board, Deputy Critic for Ethics.
Dr. Jill Andrew, PhD is the MPP for Toronto-St. Paul’s. Jill serves as the Ontario NDP Culture, Women’s Issues and Heritage Critic for the Official Opposition. Jill is also a founding member of the Ontario NDP Black Caucus and sits on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
Jill is the first queer Black person to be elected to the Ontario Legislature and reportedly in Canada. Jill was named Best MPP – First Runner Up by NOW Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards. Her first Private Member’s Bill 61 passed into law, which will establish an Eating Disorders Awareness Week the first week of February across Ontario. Jill also put forward Motion 89 to demand the government creates an Intersectional Gender Equity Strategy.
Outside of politics, Jill is also co-founder of Body Confidence Canada and is an award-winning educator and former columnist, equity and body-image advocate, speaker and writer. She is the Co-Editor of Body Stories in and out and with and through fat #BodyStoriesTO.
Jill holds a Child & Youth Worker diploma from Humber College, a Bachelor of Education (BEd) from York University among her other undergraduate degrees, a Master’s degree in women and gender studies from the University of Toronto New College and her PhD from York University’s Faculty of Education. She was also a proud member of CUPE 3903 and OSSTF District 12. Jill’s PhD dissertation explored the trifecta of racism, sexism and fat hatred experienced by Black women in the GTA, their strategies of both accommodation and resistance as well as every day, systemic and policy reform necessary to facilitate change against anti-Black racism, gendered violence and weight discrimination.
She is a community co-owner of Glad Day Bookshop – the world’s oldest LGBT bookstore.
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