Celina Caesar-Chavannes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Celina Caesar-Chavannes
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Caesar-Chavannes in 2021
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| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Whitby |
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| In office October 19, 2015 – September 11, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Pat Perkins |
| Succeeded by | Ryan Turnbull |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development | |
| In office January 26, 2017 – August 31, 2018 |
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| Minister | Marie-Claude Bibeau |
| Preceded by | Karina Gould |
| Succeeded by | Kamal Khera |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister | |
| In office December 2, 2015 – January 26, 2017 |
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| Minister | Justin Trudeau |
| Preceded by | Paul Calandra |
| Succeeded by | Peter Schiefke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 24, 1974 Pomme Rose, St. David's, Grenada |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal (2015–2019) |
| Spouse | Vidal Chavannes |
| Residences | Whitby, Ontario, Canada |
| Alma mater | New College, Toronto (BSc) University of Phoenix (MBA) |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Author |
Celina R. Caesar-Chavannes (born June 24, 1974) is a Canadian politician. She served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Whitby in the House of Commons of Canada. She was an MP from 2015 to 2019.
She was first elected as a member of the Liberal Party in the 2015 federal election. Later, she chose to sit as an independent member. After leaving federal politics, Caesar-Chavannes also ran for mayor of Toronto in 2023.
As a Liberal MP, she held important roles. In December 2015, she became a Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister. She held this role until January 2017. Then, she became Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development. In August 2018, she returned to being a regular MP. In March 2019, she announced she would not run for re-election. Soon after, she decided to leave the Liberal Party and became an independent MP.
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Celina Caesar-Chavannes: Her Journey
What is Celina Caesar-Chavannes's Background?
Celina Caesar-Chavannes studied at the University of Toronto, where she earned a science degree in biology. She also completed an online MBA in healthcare management. An MBA is a Master of Business Administration degree. She later served on the University of Toronto's governing council. This council helps manage the university.
Before becoming an MP, she worked as a consultant. She also taught about the importance of including everyone in research, especially groups that are often overlooked. In 2012, she was named Business Entrepreneur of the Year. This award recognized her success as a business owner.
How Did Celina Caesar-Chavannes Get Elected?
Celina Caesar-Chavannes first ran for election in 2014. This was a special election called a "by-election." It happened in the area of Whitby—Oshawa after the previous MP passed away. She ran as the Liberal candidate but did not win that time.
However, in the main federal election held the next year (2015), she ran again. This time, she was the Liberal candidate for the new Whitby area. She won this election, becoming the Member of Parliament for Whitby.
Being a Member of Parliament
Why Did Celina Caesar-Chavannes Speak Out?
As an MP, Celina Caesar-Chavannes often spoke about her experiences. She highlighted the importance of fairness and respect for all people. She shared how she faced challenges because of her background. She believed it was important to talk about these issues to make things better for everyone.
Why Did Celina Caesar-Chavannes Leave Politics?
In February 2019, Celina Caesar-Chavannes told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that she would not run for re-election. She had decided to step down from her role as an MP. She publicly announced her decision in March 2019. She explained that her reasons for leaving had developed over time.
Later, she shared that she had disagreements with the Prime Minister. These disagreements were about her decision to leave and about leadership styles. Because of these differences, she decided to leave the Liberal Party. In March 2019, she became an independent Member of Parliament. This meant she no longer belonged to any political party in the House of Commons. She wanted to be able to speak her mind freely.
After Parliament: What's Next?
What Has Celina Caesar-Chavannes Done Since?
In 2021, Celina Caesar-Chavannes wrote a book called Can You Hear Me Now?. The book shares her life story. It talks about growing up, her journey as a young Black woman entrepreneur, and her time as a politician. It also discusses how she overcame challenges. The book focuses on healing and finding your true voice. It shows that good leaders learn from their mistakes and weaknesses as much as from their strengths. Her book was even nominated for a writing prize in 2021.
She also contributes to a podcast called The Backbench. This means she shares her thoughts and experiences on the show.
After she left politics, a new Liberal MP, Ryan Turnbull, was elected for the Whitby area in 2019. In the 2021 election, Celina Caesar-Chavannes supported a different candidate. She endorsed Maleeha Shahid from the Conservative Party. However, Ryan Turnbull won the election again.
In April 2023, Celina Caesar-Chavannes decided to run for mayor of Toronto. This was a special election because the previous mayor had resigned. She received a small number of votes in that election.
Images for kids
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Celina Caesar-Chavannes in 2021
