Joyce Fairbairn
Joyce Fairbairn | |
---|---|
Leader of the Government in the Senate | |
In office November 4, 1993 – June 10, 1997 | |
Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
Deputy | Gildas Molgat Alasdair Graham |
Whip | Jacques Hébert |
Preceded by | Lowell Murray |
Succeeded by | Alasdair Graham |
Minister with special responsibility for Literacy | |
In office November 4, 1993 – June 10, 1997 | |
Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Position abolished |
Canadian Senator from Lethbridge | |
In office June 29, 1984 – January 18, 2013 | |
Nominated by | Pierre Trudeau |
Appointed by | Jeanne Sauvé |
Preceded by | Harry Hays (1982) |
Succeeded by | Doug Black |
Personal details | |
Born | Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada | November 6, 1939
Died | March 29, 2022 Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada | (aged 82)
Political party | Liberal |
Spouse |
Michael Gillan
(m. 1967; died 2002) |
Alma mater | University of Alberta Carleton University |
Profession | Journalist |
Joyce Fairbairn PC CM (November 6, 1939 – March 29, 2022) was a Canadian senator and was the first woman to serve as the leader of the Government in the Senate.
Early life and education
Born in Lethbridge, Alberta on November 6, 1939,
Political life
Fairbairn worked as a journalist in the Parliamentary Press Gallery in
When the Liberals returned to power after the
Fairbairn became involved with the Paralympics movement in Canada as early as 1998. That year, to counter a funding shortfall, she spearheaded fundraising efforts to send a Canadian team to compete in the
In August 2012, Fairbairn took indefinite sick leave from the Senate due to the onset of Alzheimer's disease.[10] It was subsequently reported that Fairbairn had been declared legally incompetent in February but had continued voting in the Senate until June.[13] The Fairbairn case led to calls for the Senate to establish rules to address similar situations should they arise.[14] On November 30, 2012, she tendered her resignation to the Governor General with effect from January 18, 2013.[15][7]
Later life
On March 11, 2018, it was announced that the new middle school in Lethbridge, Alberta would be named after Fairbairn.[16] It was named Senator Joyce Fairbairn Middle School, and opened in the fall of 2018.[17]
Joyce Fairbairn died in Lethbridge on March 29, 2022, at the age of 82.[1][18][19]
Honours
Commonwealth honours
Country | Date | Appointment | Post-nominal letters |
---|---|---|---|
Canada | November 4, 1993 – March 29, 2022 | Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada[6] |
PC |
Canada | August 12, 2015 – March 29, 2022 | Member of the Order of Canada[20][21] | CM |
Canada | 1992 | 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal | |
Canada | 2002 | Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version)[22] | |
Canada | 2012 | Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version)[23] |
Scholastic
- Honorary Degrees
Location | Date | School | Degree | Gave Commencement Address |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alberta | Spring 2004 | University of Lethbridge | Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[24] |
Yes |
References
- ^ a b c Beeber, Al (March 31, 2022). "Lethbridge mourns Senator Fairbairn". Lethbridge Herald. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ISBN 9781553350026– via Google Books.
- ISBN 9781897472552– via Google Books.
- ^ "Michael Charles Frederick "Mike" GILLAN Obituary". The Globe and Mail. Legacy.com. July 2, 2002. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ "Senators appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister". lop.parl.ca. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
32|Fairbairn, Joyce|1984-06-29|Alberta|...
- ^ a b c d "The Liberal Team | Senators | Honourable Joyce Fairbairn". www.collectionscanada.gc.ca. Liberal Party of Canada. 2005. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ a b "SENATORS' STATEMENTS | The Honourable Joyce Fairbairn, P.C." Debates - Issue 125 - December 4, 2012. Senate of Canada. December 4, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
Senator James Cowan: Honourable senators, last Friday we all received a communication from the Clerk advising that Senator Joyce Fairbairn is resigning from the Senate effective next month. ... Senator Fairbairn has spent some 50 years here on Parliament Hill, blazing a path as one of the first women journalists in the Parliamentary Press Gallery, then as a senior adviser to Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and then here in the Senate where she was the first woman to serve as the Leader of the Government. ... Senator: Marjory LeBreton:I did want to make a brief statement today following receipt of Senator Fairbairn's letter of resignation from the Senate of Canada effective January 18. ... When she was named to the federal cabinet in 1993 by former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Senator Fairbairn was also made Minister with Special Responsibility for Literacy
- ^ "Senator Fairbairn re-appointed as Special Advisor on Literacy". www.canada.ca. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. April 30, 2004. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- ^ "Profile: The Hon. Joyce Fairbairn, P.C., C.M., Senator". lop.parl.ca. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- ^ a b McGregor, Glen (August 22, 2012). "Liberal Senator Joyce Fairbairn to take sick leave after Alzheimer's diagnosis". Ottawa Citizen. web.archive.org. Archived from the original on August 27, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ "CPC mourns the loss of Joyce Fairbairn | Canadian Paralympic Committee". paralympic.ca. Canadian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
- ^ "Senator Joyce Fairbairn, Builder". paralympic.ca. Canadian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
- ^ "Liberal leadership allowed 'legally incompetent' senator to vote months after dementia diagnosis". National Post. August 27, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ Smith, Joanna (August 28, 2012). "Joyce Fairbairn's voting shakes public's confidence, says Tory senator". Toronto Star. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ Galloway, Gloria (November 30, 2012). "Liberal Senator Joyce Fairbairn set to retire following dementia diagnosis". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "New public middle school named after Senator Joyce Fairbairn". The Lethbridge Herald. March 12, 2018. Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Geoff (September 14, 2018). "Senator Joyce Fairbairn Middle School formally opens". Lethbridge News Now. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ "Former Canadian senator Joyce Fairbairn dead at 82". CBC News. Calgary. March 29, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- ^ "Senator Joyce Fairbairn November 6, 1939 ~ March 29, 2022 (age 82)". Obituary for Senator Joyce Fairbairn. Martin Brothers Funeral Chapels. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- The Chronicle-Herald. July 1, 2015. Archived from the originalon July 1, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ "Joyce Fairbairn's Order of Canada Citation". Governor General of Canada. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- ^ "Joyce Fairbairn's Golden Jubilee Medal Citation". Governor General of Canada. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- ^ "Joyce Fairbairn's Diamonnd Jubilee Medal Citation". Governor General of Canada. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients" (PDF). The University of Lethbridge. Retrieved March 30, 2022.