Rima Berns-McGown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rima Berns-McGown
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| Critic, Poverty and Homelessness | |
| In office August 23, 2018 – May 3, 2022 |
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| Leader | Andrea Horwath |
| Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Beaches—East York |
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| In office June 7, 2018 – May 3, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Potts |
| Succeeded by | Mary-Margaret McMahon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | South Africa |
| Political party | New Democratic |
| Occupation | Author, researcher and professor |
Rima Michelle Berns-McGown is a Canadian politician and author. She is a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party. Berns-McGown was elected to represent the area of Beaches—East York. She served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario after the 2018 election. She decided not to run again in 2022. Mary-Margaret McMahon took her place.
Early Life and Education
Rima Berns-McGown was born in South Africa. Her family has a diverse background. Her grandmother was from Cape Coloured and Afrikaner groups. Her other grandparents were Ashkenazi Jews.
Her parents left South Africa because they did not agree with Apartheid. Apartheid was a system of unfair laws that separated people based on their race. When Rima was four years old, she moved to Canada. She grew up in Montreal, Quebec.
Political Career
Berns-McGown was elected to the Ontario Provincial Parliament in the 2018 election. She won against the Liberal politician Arthur Potts.
She identifies as a person of mixed race. Berns-McGown was part of Ontario's first ever Black Caucus. A caucus is a group of elected officials who share a common interest or background. Her fellow NDP members in this group included Laura Mae Lindo, Faisal Hassan, Jill Andrew, and Kevin Yarde.
Berns-McGown chose not to run for re-election in the 2022 provincial election. She retired after serving one term in office. She explained that being a politician was very demanding for her. She said it took a lot of energy because she is an introverted person.
Other Activities
Besides her political work, Rima Berns-McGown is also an author. She wrote a book called Muslims in the Diaspora: The Somali Communities of London and Toronto. This book explores the lives of Somali communities in different cities.
