Ethel Blondin-Andrew facts for kids

Ethel Dorothy Blondin-Andrew is a Canadian politician and teacher. She was born on March 25, 1951. In 1988, she made history by becoming the first Indigenous woman to be elected to the Parliament of Canada. She represented the area of Western Arctic in the Northwest Territories. She also became the first Indigenous woman to serve as a Cabinet Minister in Canada.

Early Life and Education

Ethel Blondin-Andrew was born in Tulita, Northwest Territories. She is a Dene woman. When she was young, she attended a residential school called Grollier Hall. She later left the school.

At age twelve, she had surgery for tuberculosis, a serious illness. After getting better, she moved to Délı̨nę with her parents. A local priest helped her get into Grandin College, a leadership school in Fort Smith.

In 1974, she earned a degree in education from the University of Alberta. She focused on languages and reading skills. Later, she worked for the Canadian Public Service. She managed a program that helped Indigenous people develop their skills.

A Career in Politics

In 1986, Ethel Blondin-Andrew became an Assistant Deputy Minister of Culture for the Northwest Territories. In this role, she worked with groups like the Assembly of First Nations. These groups focused on Indigenous languages.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

She decided to run for Member of Parliament in the 1988 federal election. She won the election for the Western Arctic area. As an MP, she worked on issues like fair employment and Indigenous affairs. She also led different committees.

Ethel Blondin-Andrew gave her first speech in the House of Commons in the Dene language. This was a very important moment.

Serving as a Minister

After the 1993 federal election, her party, the Liberal Party, won the most seats. Jean Chrétien became Prime Minister. He chose Blondin-Andrew to be the Secretary of State for Training and Youth. She helped create programs like Youth Service Canada. These programs aimed to help young people.

In 1997, she became the Secretary of State for Children and Youth. When Paul Martin became Prime Minister in 2003, he appointed her as Minister of State (Children and Youth). In 2004, she became the Minister of State (Northern Development).

She was re-elected in the 2004 federal election. She served as an MP for 17 years. In the 2006 federal election, she was not re-elected.

Her work for Indigenous communities has been recognized. She received an honorary doctorate from Brock University in 2001. In 2012, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She also won a Lifetime Achievement Award from Maclean's magazine in 2019.

After Politics

After leaving politics, Ethel Blondin-Andrew continued to work for her community. From 2009 to 2018, she was the Chair of Sahtu Secretarial Incorporated. She also works with the Indigenous Leadership Initiative.

Personal Life

Ethel Blondin-Andrew lives in Norman Wells. She is married to Leon Andrew. They have four children and four grandchildren.

See also

• Notable Aboriginal people of Canada