Governor General appoints N.L.'s Judy White to Senate

Newfoundland and Labrador's Judy White has been appointed to the Senate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.

White, a Mi'kmaw woman born and raised in Flat Bayin western Newfoundland, is a King's counsel lawyer with a background in human rights issues, Indigenous governance and more.

She previously served as an assistant deputy minister of Indigenous Affairs in Newfoundland and Labrador, became the first Indigenous woman to chair the province's Human Rights Commission in 2019, and served asdirector general ofIndigenous Services Canada.

White received the Governor General's Award in 2022 for her contributions to the advancement of gender equality. She was appointed as an independent senator Thursday alongsidePaul Prosper, a Mi'kmawlawyer from Nova Scotia, by Gov.-Gen.Mary Simon.

Trudeau welcomed White and Prosper into the Senate in a press release, saying their work to advance the rights of Indigenous peoples will make them important voices that can represent Canadians.

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