8. Biographies
Standing Committee on Indigenous Peoples (APPA)
44th Parliament, 1st Session
Brian Francis – Progressive Senate Group (PSG), PEI
APPA Chair
Biographical Information
Brian Francis was appointed to the Senate in 2018 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Retires September 28, 2032).
Senator Francis completed a four-year apprenticeship in carpentry and became the first Indigenous person in PEI to receive his inter-provincial red seal trade certificate. He went on to obtain a Certificate in Conflict Resolution Studies from the University of Prince Edward Island.
Prior to his nomination to the Senate, Senator Francis served in various capacities with the public service including from 2002 to 2007 as the Aboriginal Coordinator with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, where he acted as a point of contact for Prince Edward Island First Nations on fisheries related matters.
Senator Francis led the development of various infrastructure projects including a biodiversity and enhancement hatchery to support conservation and sustainability, a water tower to secure reliable access to safe drinking water, and developments to increase access to safer and secure housing. In addition, Senator Francis was one of the formal signatories to the Canada/Prince Edward Island/Mi’kmaq Partnership Agreement and the Canada/Prince Edward Island/Mi’kmaq Consultation Agreement, which set out a framework for consultation on proposed actions or decisions that could adversely impact asserted or established Aboriginal and treaty rights in the province.
From 2007-2018, Senator Francis was the elected Chief and Band Administrator of the Abegweit Mi’kmaq Nation. During his term, he worked to improve the social, economic and cultural well-being of his community.
David M. Arnot – Independent Senators Group (ISG), SK
APPA Deputy Chair
Biographical Information
David M. Arnot was appointed to the Senate in 2021 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Retires April 16, 2027).
Senator Arnot holds a Juris Doctor from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan. His legal career began in 1976.
Senator Arnot became Chief Commissioner of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission in 2009.He worked as the federal Treaty Commissioner for the Province of Saskatchewan provincial court judge, a Crown prosecutor, and as Director General of Aboriginal Justice in the Department of Justice Canada.
In 1993, as a judge with the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan, Senator Arnot closely worked with the Poundmaker First Nation to pioneer the use of sentencing circles and restorative justice measures. In 2004, Senator Arnot’s work on the “Teaching Treaties in the Classroom” project was recognized by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Racism.
Senator Arnot is the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, the Distinguished Service Award from the Canadian Bar Association’s Saskatchewan Branch, the Miklos Kanitz Holocaust & Human Rights Award, and the University of Saskatchewan’s Canada 150 Nation Builders alumnus award.
He was named CTV’s 2016 Saskatoon Citizen of the Year and was recognized as one of Canada’s top 150 Leaders and Innovators by the Transformation Institute for Leadership and Innovation in 2018.
Gwen Boniface – Independent Senators Group (ISG), ON
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Gwen Boniface was appointed to the Senate in 2016 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Retires August 5, 2030).
Senator Boniface earned a Certificate in Law and Security Administration from Humber College, a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University, and a Bachelor of Laws degree at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Her work in the Senate includes past membership on the Senate Standing Committees on Aboriginal Peoples, Legal and Constitutional Affairs, and current membership on the Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament. She chaired the National Security and Defence Committee from 2017-2021.
Senator Boniface initiated a Truth and Reconciliation project in her home community of Orillia in 2019 with Indigenous and non-Indigenous members. The initiative has grown and continues to evolve through regular meetings with local Elders and community stakeholders. She has dedicated her efforts in the Senate to address Human Trafficking, ending Domestic Violence and curbing the Opioid Crisis. In November of 2021, she introduced a Senate public bill entitled Bill S-232: An Act respecting the development of a national strategy for the decriminalization of illegal substances, to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.
Prior to Senator Boniface’s appointment to the Upper Chamber, she served internationally for 10 years, including as Deputy Chief Inspector of Ireland’s Garda Síochána Inspectorate tasked with reforming Ireland’s national police service; as a Transnational Organized Crime Expert with the United Nations Police Division and as Deputy Executive Director of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Senator Boniface was the first female Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police and is a past President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. Ms. Boniface served with Law Commission of Canada for 5 years as a Commissioner.
Mary Coyle – Independent Senators Group (ISG), NS (Antigonish)
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Mary Coyle was appointed to the Senate in 2017 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Retires November 4, 2029).
Senator Coyle holds a diploma in French Language from the Université de Besançon in France and a Bachelor of Arts in Languages and Literature from the University of Guelph. She also has a Master of Arts in Rural Planning and Development from the University of Guelph.
Prior to her appointment to the Senate, she worked as a rural development advisor in Indonesia and later to support two State Islamic Universities develop their community engagement strategies. Senator Coyle started her early career working first in the Southern District of Botswana as the Rural Industrial Officer and then serving as Rural Development Advisor to the District Planning Board in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
For the next decade as Executive Director for Canadian NGO, Calmeadow, Senator Coyle helped the organization pioneer the creation of the world’s first commercial micro finance bank, BancoSol, in Bolivia and establish the First Peoples Fund to provide micro loans to First Nations and Métis communities in Canada.
In 1997, Senator Coyle joined St. Francis Xavier University, serving as Vice President and Director of the school’s Coady International Institute, a centre of excellence in community-based development and leadership education.
Since 2014, Senator Coyle has worked as the Executive Director of the Frank McKenna Centre for Leadership at St. Francis Xavier University. She also continues to work as an advisor and facilitator for various organizations, including the Haitian Centre for Leadership and Excellence and the Friends United Indigenous Arts and Culture Initiative.
Senator Coyle played a role in the establishment of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, the Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative, and the Indian School of Microfinance for Women.
Margo Greenwood – Independent Senators Group (ISG), BC
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Margo Greenwood was appointed to the Senate in November 2022 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Retires September 2, 2028)
Senator Margo Greenwood grew up in Ponoka, Alberta and has spent the majority of her life in Vernon, British Columbia. She is an Indigenous scholar of Cree ancestry. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor’s of Education, completed a master’s at the University of Victoria, and a PhD at the University of British Columbia.
Prior to her appointment, Senator Greenwood has worked internationally with organizations such as UNICEF, the United Nations, the World Forum Foundation, and the Canadian Reference Group to the World Health Organization Commission on Social Determinants of Health. At the national level, she has served on the National Public Health Expert Advisory Committee for the Assembly of First Nations, the Canadian Council on Social Determinants of Health, the Indigenous Health Advisory Committee for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Public Health Network of Canada.
At the time of her appointment, Senator Greenwood was serving as Academic Leader of the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health and as interim Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Golden Jubilee Medal of Queen Elizabeth II, for her work with Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in early childhood education. In 2021, she was appointed to the Order of Canada.
Karen Sorensen – Independent Senators Group (ISG), AB
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Karen Sorensen was appointed to the Senate in 2021 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Retires May 20, 2034).
Senator Sorensen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Guelph. She founded Catalyst Enterprises Consulting in 2000 after a successful 25 year career in the hotel industry Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
Prior to her appointment, Senator Sorensen was serving her third term as Mayor of Banff. In addition, she previously served as a municipal councillor for six years, a school board trustee for four years, the Chair of the Town of Banff’s Governance and Finance Committee, and on the Banff Lake Louise Tourism Board. She also contributed to Banff’s Environmental Master Plan, Community Plan and participated in the creation of the Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission. In addition, she supported her community through the Alberta flood of 2013, the wildfires across the province in 2017, and the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Sorensen has also co-chaired the Bow Valley Human-Wildlife Coexistence Round Table and served on the Regional Transit Commission, Bow Valley Regional Housing, Banff’s Assessment Review Board, Banff’s Development Appeal Board and the Banff Heritage Corporation.
Senator Sorensen was named Alberta Centennial Ambassador in 2005. In addition, she is the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and YWCA Banff 2019 Woman of Distinction Award.
Yonah Martin – Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), BC
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Yonah Martin was appointed to the Senate in 2009 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. (Retires April 11, 2040).
Senator Martin is the first Canadian of Korean descent to serve in the Senate, and the first Korean-Canadian parliamentarian in Canadian history. After immigrating to Canada in 1972, she attended the University of British Columbia. Senator Martin had a 21-year teaching career prior to being appointed to the Senate.
Senator Martin is involved in bridging communities, and co-founded C3 Korean Canadian Society, along with several regional, national and international Boards and Advisory Councils.
From 2013 to 2015, she was the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, and was the Deputy Whip of the Government from 2011-2013. She is currently the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (since 2015).
In recognition of her community service in the Tri-Cities region, Yonah Martin was awarded the 2004 Spirit of Community Award for Cultural Harmony. In 2009, she was awarded the Order of Civil Merit Medal by the president of the Republic of Korea for outstanding leadership and work in advancing the rights of overseas Koreans; and in 2012, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by Governor General David Johnston.
Donald Neil Plett – Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), MB
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Donald Neil Plett was appointed to the Senate in 2009 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. (Retires May 14, 2025).
Senator Plett is an active member in his community. As an alumnus of Red River College, he served on the Board of Governor of the College. In addition, he was President of Landmark Minor Hockey Association.
Prior to his appointment, he served as President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Village Council, and Chair of the local Utilities Board. He also served as the President of the Conservative Party of Canada. To date, he is the longest-serving president of a conservative party in Canadian history.
In December 2019, Senator Plett became part of the Senate Conservative Leadership team when he was named Opposition Whip in the Senate. In addition, he was elected Leader of the Opposition in the Senate in November 2019.
Paul J. Prosper – Canadian Senators Group, NS
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Paul J. Propser was appointed to the Senate in 2023 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Retires February 25, 2039).
In 1992, Senator Prosper graduated from the University of Cape Breton with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1994, he attended Dalhousie University and earned a Juris Doctor.
Prior to his appointment, Senator Prosper served as the former Chief of the Paqtnkek (Afton) Mi’kmaw Nation. In 2020, he was elected Assembly of First Nations’ (AFN) Regional Chief for Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, representing the collective interests of 17 Mi’kmaw First Nations in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and over 600 First Nations across Canada.
Senator Prosper has served on several boards and committees, including the boards of the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat, the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, and Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey as well as the Eastern Door L’nuk Lawyers Group, Ta’n Etli-tpi’tmk Association, and the AFN Chiefs Committee on Child and Family Services. From 2010 to 2013, he taught Mi’kmaq governance and Aboriginal and treaty rights at Cape Breton University.
Scott Tannas – Canadian Senators Group, AB
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Scott Tannas was appointed to the Senate in 13 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. (Retires February 25, 2037).
Senator Tannas attended Mount Royal College, now called Mount Royal University, as well as the University of Calgary.
He is Founder of Western Financial Group Inc. (“Western”), having served as its CEO from 1996 to 2014.
Senator Tannas is the only current Senator (and 5th in Parliament’s history) whose appointment to the Upper Chamber came as the result of a public election process. He was one of 13 candidates in the 2012 Alberta Senator-in-Waiting elections, where he received 349,346 votes and was ultimately appointed to the Senate by The Right Honourable Stephen Harper on March 22, 2013.
Senator Tannas is a founding member and Leader of the Canadian Senators Group. He is making Senate Reform one of his key priorities as a Senator, and was a founding member of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization, which delivered a series of reports advocating sweeping changes to the operations of the Senate. Senator Tannas is also a member of the Aboriginal Peoples Committee and the Committee of Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.
In addition to his Senate duties, Scott Tannas remains active in the western Canadian business community. He is an advisor to the next generation of leaders at Western Financial Group. He is also founder and CEO of Western Investment Company of Canada which invests in strong successful enterprises headquartered in western Canada.
Judy A. White – PSG (NL)
APPA Member
Biographical Information
Judy White was appointed to the Senate in 2023 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Retires January 11, 2039).
Senator White is a Mi’kmaq, a member of the Flat Bay Band, and a King’s Counsel lawyer with significant experience in human rights issues, Indigenous governance, and legislative matters.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Dalhousie University with a particular emphasis on Indigenous law. She also completed the Intensive Program in Indigenous Lands, Resources, and Governments at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, the Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities Program – an Indigenous certificate program – at Harvard Business School, and the Chartered Director Program at McMaster University.
Senator White was previously the Assistant Deputy Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and, through an interchange arrangement, served as Director of Engagement for Distinctions-based Legislation with the Government of Canada.
She has worked on numerous boards and in governance, serving many agencies in various capacities, including as the former Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador, Chair of the Inuvialuit Arbitration Board, and Co-Chair (Indigenous) of Equal Voice’s Newfoundland and Labrador chapter.
In 2022, she received the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the advancement of gender equality. She is also the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Gordon M. Stirling Distinguished Service Award from the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.
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