Meet Canada’s newest senators 2024
Senator Manuelle Oudar
Senator Manuelle Oudar, a lawyer who spent more than three decades working in the public service, represents the La Salle division of Quebec in the Senate. For eight years, she served as president and CEO of Quebec’s labour standards board — the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST). Before her appointment to the CNESST, she served in several senior positions within the public service, including as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Labour. She also held legal affairs management positions in other provincial ministries, including the Ministry of Culture, Communications and Status of Women, and the Ministry of Family. She received the 2023 Dirigeant de l’année award from the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés du Québec and was awarded the Prix Femmes de mérite 2023 by the Women’s Y Foundation of Montréal and the Prix Leadership by the Association des femmes en finances du Québec in 2017. That same year, she was named one of the 100 most influential women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network.
Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak
A Syrian-born Arab Canadian, Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak is an entrepreneur, businessman and expert in public-private partnerships. Before his Senate appointment, he was president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Development and Marketing Corporation, a specialized information technology services company that he co-founded. He was also the co-founder and director of Teranet Inc., a public-private partnership that developed and now manages Ontario’s Electronic Land Registration Information System. He co-founded Lifeline Syria, a not-for-profit organization that helped nearly 1,200 Syrian refugees be privately sponsored and resettled in Canada, and the Canadian Arab Institute think tank. He served as director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Canada Arab Business Council. Senator Al Zaibak represents Ontario in the Senate.
Senator Mary Robinson
A Senate representative for Prince Edward Island, Senator Mary Robinson is a globally recognized leader in the agricultural sector and an active member of her local community. She worked for over 25 years with the Robinson Group of Companies, a sixth-generation farm and agribusiness in Albany, Prince Edward Island. She has held leadership positions in several agricultural sector organizations at the provincial, national and international levels, including serving as vice-president of the World Farmers’ Organisation and president of the PEI Federation of Agriculture. She was the first female president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the first female chair of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council. A proud Prince Edward Islander, Senator Robinson has also maintained an active role in her local home and school association, as well as local band, choir and sport programs. She received the PEI Women’s Institute Outstanding Woman in Agriculture Award and was named one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Atlantic Canada by the Atlantic Business Magazine.
Senator Marnie McBean
Senator Marnie McBean is one of the most decorated Olympians in Canadian history. At the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, she won four medals — including three gold — for rowing events. She is one of just two Canadians to be a triple gold medallist at the Summer Games. After her rowing career, she began a motivational speaking career and became an athlete mentor. She was Team Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and led Team Canada to one of its best Olympic results ever. She has been involved with several social justice-centred causes, including You Can Play, Fast and Female, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s One Team and the Special Olympics Canada Champions Network. Senator McBean is an Officer of the Order of Canada and has been inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Canada Sports Hall of Fame, the Row Ontario Hall of Fame and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. She was appointed to the Senate to represent Ontario on December 20, 2023.
Senator Paulette Senior
A former president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Women’s Foundation and former chief executive officer of the YWCA Canada, Senator Paulette Senior represents Ontario in the Senate of Canada. She is known for her advocacy work on women’s issues, including promoting gender equity, addressing gender-based violence, reducing women’s poverty, shrinking the wage gap and promoting the empowerment of women and girls across Canada. She has led, managed and operated Toronto-based shelters, and employment and housing programs. She sat on the board of directors of several organizations, including Oxfam Canada, the Women’s College Hospital and the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council. Senator Senior has received many awards in recognition of her community service, including the African Canadian Achievement Award, the Top 25 Women of Influence Award, and most recently the Skills for Change Impact Changemaker Award. She was appointed to the Senate on December 20, 2023.
Senator Toni Varone
Senator Toni Varone is a businessman and philanthropist known for his work in building affordable housing and for his contributions to the Italian-Canadian community. As president of the Varone Group since 1995, he has overseen companies specializing in services relating to hospitality, construction, land development and property management. He served on the Villa Charities Foundation, the Italian Earthquake Relief Fund and the Peace Through Valour Committee, which honours the Canadian soldiers who fought to liberate Italy during the Second World War. Senator Varone is the recipient of several awards and honours, including the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association Community Achievement Award and the Italian Canadian Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award. He was appointed to the Senate to represent Ontario on December 20, 2023.
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Meet Canada’s newest senators 2024
Senator Manuelle Oudar
Senator Manuelle Oudar, a lawyer who spent more than three decades working in the public service, represents the La Salle division of Quebec in the Senate. For eight years, she served as president and CEO of Quebec’s labour standards board — the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST). Before her appointment to the CNESST, she served in several senior positions within the public service, including as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Labour. She also held legal affairs management positions in other provincial ministries, including the Ministry of Culture, Communications and Status of Women, and the Ministry of Family. She received the 2023 Dirigeant de l’année award from the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés du Québec and was awarded the Prix Femmes de mérite 2023 by the Women’s Y Foundation of Montréal and the Prix Leadership by the Association des femmes en finances du Québec in 2017. That same year, she was named one of the 100 most influential women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network.
Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak
A Syrian-born Arab Canadian, Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak is an entrepreneur, businessman and expert in public-private partnerships. Before his Senate appointment, he was president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Development and Marketing Corporation, a specialized information technology services company that he co-founded. He was also the co-founder and director of Teranet Inc., a public-private partnership that developed and now manages Ontario’s Electronic Land Registration Information System. He co-founded Lifeline Syria, a not-for-profit organization that helped nearly 1,200 Syrian refugees be privately sponsored and resettled in Canada, and the Canadian Arab Institute think tank. He served as director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Canada Arab Business Council. Senator Al Zaibak represents Ontario in the Senate.
Senator Mary Robinson
A Senate representative for Prince Edward Island, Senator Mary Robinson is a globally recognized leader in the agricultural sector and an active member of her local community. She worked for over 25 years with the Robinson Group of Companies, a sixth-generation farm and agribusiness in Albany, Prince Edward Island. She has held leadership positions in several agricultural sector organizations at the provincial, national and international levels, including serving as vice-president of the World Farmers’ Organisation and president of the PEI Federation of Agriculture. She was the first female president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the first female chair of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council. A proud Prince Edward Islander, Senator Robinson has also maintained an active role in her local home and school association, as well as local band, choir and sport programs. She received the PEI Women’s Institute Outstanding Woman in Agriculture Award and was named one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Atlantic Canada by the Atlantic Business Magazine.
Senator Marnie McBean
Senator Marnie McBean is one of the most decorated Olympians in Canadian history. At the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, she won four medals — including three gold — for rowing events. She is one of just two Canadians to be a triple gold medallist at the Summer Games. After her rowing career, she began a motivational speaking career and became an athlete mentor. She was Team Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and led Team Canada to one of its best Olympic results ever. She has been involved with several social justice-centred causes, including You Can Play, Fast and Female, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s One Team and the Special Olympics Canada Champions Network. Senator McBean is an Officer of the Order of Canada and has been inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Canada Sports Hall of Fame, the Row Ontario Hall of Fame and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. She was appointed to the Senate to represent Ontario on December 20, 2023.
Senator Paulette Senior
A former president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Women’s Foundation and former chief executive officer of the YWCA Canada, Senator Paulette Senior represents Ontario in the Senate of Canada. She is known for her advocacy work on women’s issues, including promoting gender equity, addressing gender-based violence, reducing women’s poverty, shrinking the wage gap and promoting the empowerment of women and girls across Canada. She has led, managed and operated Toronto-based shelters, and employment and housing programs. She sat on the board of directors of several organizations, including Oxfam Canada, the Women’s College Hospital and the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council. Senator Senior has received many awards in recognition of her community service, including the African Canadian Achievement Award, the Top 25 Women of Influence Award, and most recently the Skills for Change Impact Changemaker Award. She was appointed to the Senate on December 20, 2023.
Senator Toni Varone
Senator Toni Varone is a businessman and philanthropist known for his work in building affordable housing and for his contributions to the Italian-Canadian community. As president of the Varone Group since 1995, he has overseen companies specializing in services relating to hospitality, construction, land development and property management. He served on the Villa Charities Foundation, the Italian Earthquake Relief Fund and the Peace Through Valour Committee, which honours the Canadian soldiers who fought to liberate Italy during the Second World War. Senator Varone is the recipient of several awards and honours, including the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association Community Achievement Award and the Italian Canadian Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award. He was appointed to the Senate to represent Ontario on December 20, 2023.