Kim Pate | |
---|---|
Canada Senator from Ontario | |
Assumed office November 10, 2016 | |
Nominated by | Justin Trudeau |
Appointed by | David Johnston |
Personal details | |
Born | November 10, 1959 |
Political party | Independent Senators Group |
Kimberly Pate CM (born November 10, 1959) is a Canadian politician who has served as a senator from Ontario since November 10, 2016, sitting with the Independent Senators Group (ISG) caucus. Pate was appointed on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Pate grew up in a military family and attended the University of Victoria, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1980. [1] She later graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1984 with honours in the Clinical Law Programme and has completed post graduate work in the area of forensic mental health. [2] In 2014, she was named a member of the Order of Canada for advocating on behalf of women who are marginalized, victimized or incarcerated, and for her research on women in the criminal justice system. [3] [4] Pate is a former executive director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies. [3] In 2011 she was a recipient of the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case. [5]
On October 31, 2016, it was announced that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would recommend that she be appointed to the Senate of Canada. She will sit as an independent. [6] Pate assumed office on November 10, 2016.
In May 2022 together with two other senators Senator Anderson issued a report calling for a review of the convictions of 12 indigenous women, including the Quewezance sisters, and their exoneration. [7]
She is out as lesbian, [8] and is a member of the Canadian Pride Caucus, a non-partisan committee of Canada's LGBTQ MPs and senators. [9]