Yolande James facts for kids

Yolande James was born in Montreal, Quebec, on November 21, 1977. She is a former politician from Quebec. She made history by becoming the first black female member of the National Assembly of Quebec. She was also the youngest and the first black person to be 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 are Canadian citizens. They 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 and the Quebec Liberal Party during the 1995 Quebec sovereignty referendum. This was a big vote about Quebec's future.

Her Education and Early Career

Yolande James studied law at two different universities. In 2000, she earned a degree in civil law from Université de Montréal. In 2003, she received a degree in common law from Queen's University. She became a lawyer in Quebec in 2004. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a political advisor. She also helped young people with learning difficulties in a local program.

Her Time in Politics

Yolande James was first elected to the National Assembly of Quebec for the Nelligan area. This happened in a special election on September 20, 2004. She was re-elected three more times: in 2007, 2008, and 2012.

Becoming a Minister

In 2007, she became a Minister in the Quebec government. She was named the Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities. This was part of Premier Jean Charest's plan to include more diverse voices in his government. In 2010, she also became the Family Minister. Later that year, she kept the Family role but passed her immigration duties to another minister.

Important Decisions and Views

Yolande James spoke about important issues during her time as minister. When the leader of the Parti Québécois wanted Quebec to have full control over immigration, James explained that Quebec already had a lot of power to choose immigrants.

She also spoke about rules for people integrating into Quebec society. She believed that students in French language classes should show their faces. She said that if people want to learn and become part of Quebec society, they should follow these values. After leaving politics, she shared that her thoughts on this topic had changed over time.

Leaving Politics

On February 24, 2014, Yolande James announced she was leaving politics. She did not run for re-election in the 2014 election. In 2017, she tried to run for a federal political position but was not chosen by her party.

After Politics

Today, Yolande James works as a political commentator. She shares her opinions and insights on several television and radio programs. You can hear her on CBC political shows. She is often part of the "Power Panel" on the show Power & Politics.