Ethel Blondin-Andrew

The Honourable
Ethel Blondin-Andrew
PC OC
Minister of State (Northern Development)
In office
20 July 2004 – 5 February 2006
Prime MinisterPaul Martin
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister of State (Children and Youth)
In office
12 December 2003 – 20 July 2004
Prime MinisterPaul Martin
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Member of the Canada Parliament
for Western Arctic
In office
21 November 1988 – 23 January 2006
Preceded byDave Nickerson
Succeeded byDennis Bevington
Personal details
BornEthel Dorothy Blondin
(1951-03-25) 25 March 1951
Tulita, Northwest Territories, Canada
PartyLiberal
Alma materUniversity of Alberta

Ethel Dorothy Blondin-Andrew PC OC (born 25 March 1951) is a Canadian politician, educator, and public servant. She became the first Indigenous woman to be elected to the Parliament of Canada in 1988 when she became a member of Parliament for the district of Western Arctic in the Northwest Territories.[1] She is also the first Indigenous woman to be a Canadian Cabinet Minister.[2]

Early life

Blondin-Andrew was born 25 March 1951 in Tulita, Northwest Territories.[3] She is a Dene woman.[4] In 1959, she was sent to Grollier Hall in Inuvik, a residential school. She left the school to live in a tent town with other runaway students. When she was twelve, she went to the hospital for back surgery and discovered that she was ill with tuberculosis.[5] After she recovered, she moved to Délı̨nę with her parents, where a local priest wrote her a recommendation letter for Grandin College, a leadership school in Fort Smith, which accepted her application.[6][7]

She received a B.Ed from the University of Alberta in 1974,[8] specialising in linguistics and literacy. In 1984, she became National Manager of the Indigenous Development Participation Programme which was run by the Canadian Public Service. She was appointed executive director two years later.[2]

Political career

In 1986, she became Assistant Deputy Minister of Culture for the Northwest Territories. In this role, she became involved in the Assembly of First Nations Aboriginal Language Foundation and the North American Language Institute. She was approached to run for the Territorial Council of the Northwest Territories but instead she ran to be Member of Parliament for the Western Arctic in the 1988 federal election.[2] She won and while an MP, she became the Liberal Party's Assistant Critic for employment equity and Aboriginal affairs.[4] She also served as chair of the Northern and Western Caucus and the Caucus Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, and as a member of the Special Joint Committee on a Renewed Canada, the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, the Standing Committee on Northern Development, and the Standing Committee on Electoral Reform.[3] She gave her first speech in the House of Commons in the Dene language.[9]

Following the 1993 federal election, the Liberal Party became the majority party and when Jean Chrétien became Prime Minister, Blondin-Andrew was appointed Secretary of State for Training and Youth on 4 November 1993.[2][4] She helped create both Youth Service Canada and the Youth Employment Strategy. On 10 August 1998, she was elected chair for the Main Committee of the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth in Lisbon.[3] On 11 June 1997, she became Secretary of State (Children and Youth).[4]

When Paul Martin succeed Jean Chrétien as Prime Minister, he appointed Blondin-Andrew as Minister of State (Children and Youth) on 12 December 2003. She served in this role until 20 July 2004, when she became Minister of State (Northern Development).[4] She was re-elected in the 2004 federal election by a razor-thin margin of 53 votes, and was voted out of office in the 2006 federal election, after 17 years of service.[4][10]

In 2001, her work for Aboriginal communities was formally recognized by Brock University, who awarded her an honorary doctorate.[11] She was also awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Governor General of Canada in 2012.[12] She also received the 2019 Maclean's Lifetime Achievement Award given to former MPs.[5]

Later career

Blondin-Andrew was the Chair of Sahtu Secretarial Incorporated from 2009 until September 2018.[13] She currently works with the Indigenous Leadership Initiative.[14]

Personal life

Blondin-Andrew currently lives in Norman Wells.[5] She is married to Leon Andrew and has four children and four grandchildren.[9]

See also

Select publications

  • "Live your dreams: by following our vision, aboriginals are changing perceptions and inspiring others". Aboriginal Voices. Vol. 6, no. 15. July–August 1999.

Electoral history

2006 Canadian federal election: Western Arctic
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticDennis Bevington6,80242.16+3.10$40,702.82
LiberalEthel Blondin-Andrew5,64334.98–4.47$55,964.50
ConservativeRichard Edjericon3,20019.84+2.67$47,767.02
GreenAlexandre Beaudin3382.10–2.23$187.69
IndependentJan H. Van der Veen1490.92–$17,661.32
Total valid votes/expense limit 16,13299.67–$78,979.50
Total rejected ballots 540.33–0.17
Turnout 16,18656.22+8.89
Eligible voters 28,792
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +3.79
Source: Elections Canada[15][16][17]
2004 Canadian federal election: Western Arctic
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalEthel Blondin-Andrew5,31739.45–6.15$57,738.20
New DemocraticDennis Bevington5,26439.05+12.34$33,603.74
ConservativeSean Mandeville2,31417.17–10.52$15,898.08
GreenChris O'Brien5834.33–$2,754.92
Total valid votes/expense limit 13,47899.50–$76,846.23
Total rejected ballots 680.50–0.06
Turnout 13,54647.33–4.91
Eligible voters 28,619
Liberal hold Swing –9.24
Change for the Conservatives is based on the combined totals of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives.
Source: Elections Canada[18][19][20]
2000 Canadian federal election: Western Arctic
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalEthel Blondin-Andrew5,85545.60+3.96$56,498
New DemocraticDennis Bevington3,43026.71+7.41$27,323
AllianceFred Turner2,27317.70+2.99$15,406
Progressive ConservativeBruce McLaughlin1,2829.98–2.64$8,374
Total valid votes 12,84099.44
Total rejected ballots 720.56–0.14
Turnout 12,91252.24–6.13
Eligible voters 24,716
Liberal hold Swing −1.73
Source: Elections Canada[21][22]
1997 Canadian federal election: Western Arctic
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalEthel Blondin-Andrew5,56441.64–20.83$56,834
New DemocraticMary Beth Levan2,57919.30+12.99$22,393
ReformMike Watt1,96614.71+0.62$4,546
Progressive ConservativeBob Dowdall1,68712.62–0.72$16,020
IndependentWally Firth1,56711.73–$8,857
Total valid votes 13,36399.30
Total rejected ballots 940.70+0.20
Turnout 13,45758.37–1.72
Eligible voters 23,053
Liberal hold Swing –16.91
Source: Elections Canada[23][24]
1993 Canadian federal election: Western Arctic
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalEthel Blondin-Andrew8,86762.47+20.10
ReformMansell C. Grey2,00014.09–
Progressive ConservativeMartin Hanly1,89313.34–15.28
New DemocraticBill Schram8966.31–18.79
GreenChris O'Brien3252.29–
Natural LawLynn Taylor2131.50–
Total valid votes 14,19499.50
Total rejected ballots 710.50–0.03
Turnout 14,26560.09–8.53
Eligible voters 23,740
Liberal hold Swing +3.00
Source: Elections Canada[25][26][27]
1988 Canadian federal election: Western Arctic
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalEthel Blondin-Andrew5,41542.37+16.51
Progressive ConservativeDave Nickerson3,65728.62–17.50
New DemocraticWayne Cahill3,20725.10–2.93
IndependentCece McCauley3312.59–
IndependentErnie Lennie1691.32–
Total valid votes 12,77999.47
Total rejected ballots 680.53–0.09
Turnout 12,84768.62+1.31
Eligible voters 18,721
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +17.01
Source: Elections Canada[28][29][30]

References

  1. ↑ "Member of Parliament Profile (Historical)". Parliament of Canada. Government of Canada. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Secretariat, Commonwealth (1999). Women in Politics: Voices from the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretariat. pp. 43–46. ISBN 978-0-85092-569-2.
  3. 1 2 3 "Ethel Blondin-Andrew of Canada Elected Chairperson of Main Committee of World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth". www.un.org. 10 August 1998. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Profile – Blondin-Andrew, Ethel Dorothy". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Geddes, John (4 December 2019). "From residential school runaway to trailblazing MP". Maclean's.
  6. ↑ McLeod, Shaun (26 March 2021). "Fort Smith's leadership factory: How Grandin College helped shape the North". Durham College Chronicle.
  7. ↑ Boyer, J. Patrick (1 April 2003). Leading in an Upside-Down World: New Canadian Perspectives on Leadership. Dundurn. pp. 59–70. ISBN 978-1-55002-983-3.
  8. ↑ "Entry from Canadian Who's Who". 1997. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  9. 1 2 "The Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew, P.C." Indigenous Leadership Initiative. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  10. ↑ "Blondin-Andrew defeated in N.W.T." CBC News. 24 January 2006. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "Liberal Party of Canada – Official Web Site". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  12. ↑ "The Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  13. ↑ "Charles McNeely elected new Sahtu secretariat chair by acclamation". cbc.ca. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  14. ↑ Ottenhof, Luke (25 January 2021). "Indigenous conservation can get Canada to climate goals: former MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew to Trudeau". National Observer.
  15. ↑ Canada, Library of Parliament (2026). "Elections and Ridings: Western Arctic, Northwest Territories (2006)". lop.parl.ca.
  16. ↑ "Thirty-Ninth General Election 2006 — Poll-by-poll Results: Western Arctic". elections.ca. Elections Canada. 2006.
  17. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (2006). "Candidate Campaign Returns, 2006 General Election: Part 4 – Campaign Financial Summary – Total election expenses subject to the limit". elections.ca. Elections Canada. Expenses are reported "as amended" where amendments have been filed; otherwise, they are reported "as submitted".
  18. ↑ Canada, Library of Parliament (2026). "Elections and Ridings: Western Arctic, Northwest Territories (2004)". lop.parl.ca.
  19. ↑ "Thirty-Eighth General Election 2004 — Poll-by-poll Results: Western Arctic". elections.ca. Elections Canada. 2004.
  20. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (2004). "Candidate Campaign Returns, 2004 General Election: Part 4 – Campaign Financial Summary – Total election expenses subject to the limit". elections.ca. Elections Canada. Expenses are reported "as amended" where amendments have been filed; otherwise, they are reported "as submitted".
  21. ↑ Canada, Library of Parliament (2026). "Elections and Ridings: Western Arctic, Northwest Territories (2000)". lop.parl.ca.
  22. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (2000). Thirty-Seventh General Election, 2000: Official Voting Results (Report). Ottawa: Elections Canada. ISBN 0-662-65518-4.
  23. ↑ Canada, Library of Parliament (2026). "Elections and Ridings: Western Arctic, Northwest Territories (1997)". lop.parl.ca.
  24. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (1997). Thirty-Sixth General Election, 1997: Official Voting Results (Report). Ottawa: Elections Canada.
  25. ↑ Canada, Library of Parliament (2026). "Elections and Ridings: Western Arctic, Northwest Territories (1993)". lop.parl.ca.
  26. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (1993). Thirty-Fifth General Election, 1993: Official Voting Results (Report). Ottawa: Elections Canada. ISBN 0-662-60097-5.
  27. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (1993). Thirty-Fifth General Election, 1993: Contributions and Expenses of Registered Political Parties and Candidates (Report). Ottawa: Elections Canada. ISBN 0-662-61265-5.
  28. ↑ Canada, Library of Parliament (2026). "Elections and Ridings: Western Arctic, Northwest Territories (1988)". lop.parl.ca.
  29. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (1988). Thirty-Fourth General Election, 1988: Report of the Chief Electoral Officer (Report). Ottawa: Elections Canada. ISBN 0-662-56648-3.
  30. ↑ Canada, Chief Electoral Officer (1988). Thirty-Fourth General Election, 1988: Report of the Chief Electoral Officer - Respecting Election Expenses (Report). Ottawa: Elections Canada. ISBN 0-662-56925-3.
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