Yolande James facts for kids

Yolande James was born on November 21, 1977, in Montreal, Quebec. She is a former politician from Quebec, Canada. She made history as the first black female Member of the National Assembly (MNA). She was also the youngest and the first black person to become a cabinet minister in Quebec's history. Yolande James was a member of the Quebec Liberal Party. She represented the area of Nelligan in Montreal from 2004 to 2014.

About Yolande James

Yolande James's parents moved to Canada from St. Lucia and St. Vincent. She grew up in the West Island area of Montreal. She went to a French-speaking primary school. Yolande James became interested in politics when she was young. She got involved with the Quebec Liberal Party during the 1995 Quebec sovereignty referendum campaign. This was a vote about whether Quebec should become an independent country.

Education and Early Career

Yolande James studied law at university. She earned a degree in civil law in 2000 from Université de Montréal. She also received a degree in common law in 2003 from Queen's University. In 2004, she became a lawyer and could practice law in Quebec.

Before becoming a politician, she worked as a political adviser. She helped the Ministry of Health and Social Services. She also assisted a former MNA for the Nelligan area. Yolande James also helped with a local program. This program supported young people who had learning difficulties.

Her Political Journey

Yolande James was first elected to the National Assembly of Quebec on September 20, 2004. This happened in a special election called a by-election. She represented the Nelligan area. Voters chose her again in the general elections of 2007, 2008, and 2012.

Becoming a Cabinet Minister

In 2007, she became a Minister in the Quebec government. Quebec Premier Jean Charest appointed her as the Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities. This was part of his plan to include English-speaking people and different cultural groups in his government. In 2010, she also became the Family Minister. This happened after another minister resigned. Later in 2010, she kept the Family role. However, her duties for culture and immigration went to another minister, Kathleen Weil.

Yolande James also spoke about important issues. When the leader of the Parti Québécois, Pauline Marois, wanted Quebec to have full control over immigration, James explained. She said that Quebec already had all the power it needed to choose economic immigrants. This was thanks to an agreement with the national government.

Public Discussions and Leaving Politics

Yolande James was part of a public discussion about "reasonable accommodation." This was about how different cultures and religions fit into Quebec society. She said that students in French classes should not cover their faces. She believed that to learn and join Quebec society, people needed to show their faces. Her department asked a student to leave a college when the student did not remove her face covering during lessons.

After leaving politics, Yolande James said her views on face coverings had changed. On February 24, 2014, she announced she was leaving politics. She did not run for re-election in the 2014 election. In 2017, she tried to become a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in a federal election. However, she was not chosen.

After Politics: A Political Commentator

Today, Yolande James shares her opinions on political programs. She appears on CBC shows. She is one of four former Quebec ministers on a noon-hour show on CBC Radio Canada. She is also a member of the "Power Panel" on "Power & Politics." This is an English-language political show on CBC News Network.

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