Kimberly Pate (born November 10, 1959) is a Canadian politician who has served as a

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

from Ontario since November 10, 2016, sitting with the

Independent Senators Group The Independent Senators Group (ISG; french: Groupe des sénateurs indépendants) is a parliamentary group in the Senate of Canada. Established on March 10, 2016, the Independent Senators Group (ISG) is committed to a non-partisan Senate and the ...

(ISG) caucus. Pate was appointed on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Background

Pate 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. 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. Pate is a former executive director of the

Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) is an association of groups operating under the Elizabeth Fry Society banner, similar in many respects to the John Howard Society. The Elizabeth Fry Society groups work on issues affecting ...

. In 2011 she was a recipient of the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the

Persons Case ''Edwards v Canada (AG)''also known as the ''Persons Case'' (french: l'Affaire « personne »)is a famous Canadian constitutional case that decided in 1929 that women were eligible to sit in the Senate of Canada. The legal case was put forward b ...

. On October 31, 2016, it was announced that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would recommend that she be appointed to the

Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada (french: region=CA, Sénat du Canada) is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the House of Commons, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The Senate is modelled after the B ...

. She will sit as an independent."Trudeau taps former banker, cop and judge for Senate"
''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...

'', October 30, 2016. Pate assumed office on November 10, 2016.

Activity

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. She is out as

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

, and is a member of the Canadian Pride Caucus, a non-partisan committee of Canada's LGBTQ MPs and senators.Dale Smith
"Queer MPs and senators across the political spectrum come together in Canadian Pride Caucus"
''

Xtra! ''Xtra Magazine'' (formerly ''DailyXtra'' and ''Xtra!'') is an LGBTQ-focused digital publication and former print newspaper published by Pink Triangle Press in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The publication is a continuation of the company's former pr ...

'', January 5, 2023.

References

External links

Kim Pate
''Parliament of Canada website
Interview: Kim Pate
''The Fifth Estate'', CBC News
New senator Kim Pate gives a voice to women in Canada's prisons
Patrick White, The Globe and Mail, 2017 Jan.3 {{DEFAULTSORT:Pate, Kimberly 1959 births Living people Members of the Order of Canada Canadian senators from Ontario Independent Canadian senators Women members of the Senate of Canada 21st-century Canadian politicians 21st-century Canadian women politicians Independent Senators Group Canadian LGBT senators Lesbian politicians 21st-century Canadian LGBT people