 jean augustine  (born september 9, 1937 in st. george's, grenada) is a grenadan/canadian former politician. from 1993 to 2005, augustine was a liberal member of the canadian house of commons, representing the riding of etobicokeâlakeshore. she is a former member of cabinet, and a former school principal. augustine served as the parliamentary secretary to prime minister jean chrÃ©tien from 1994 to 1996, and was the minister of state for multiculturalism, and the status of women until 2004. ==background== augustine was born in grenada. she studied at the university of toronto where she obtained a bachelor of arts and a master of education. later on she received a honorary doctor of laws from the same institution. after university she was an elementary school principal with the metropolitan separate school board in toronto. she has served on numerous organizations and boards including the national black coalition of canada, 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 and chair of the metro toronto housing authority. she was also national president of the congress of black women of canada. through fund-raising efforts, augustine supports the jean augustine scholarship fund, which assists single mothers to undertake post-secondary study at george brown college. ==federal politics== in the 1993 federal election, augustine became the first african canadian woman elected to the parliament of canada and subsequently the first black woman in a federal cabinet. she also served three terms as chair of the national liberal women's caucus. in february 2002, augustine was elected chair of the standing committee on foreign affairs and international trade. on may 26, 2002, 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). in 2004, she was appointed to the position of assistant deputy chair of committees
1937_births Black_Canadian_politicians Canadian_women_Members_of_Parliament Commanders_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire Grenadian_emigrants_to_Canada Liberal_Party_of_Canada_MPs Living_people Members_of_the_House_of_Commons_of_Canada_from_Ontario Members_of_the_Order_of_Canada Members_of_the_Queen\'s_Privy_Council_for_Canada People_from_St._George\'s,_Grenada University_of_Toronto_alumni Women_in_Ontario_politics