Appointments to the Senate

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced today that His Excellency the Governor General has agreed to summon Melvin Perry of Prince Edward Island, George Furey of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Honourable Sheila Finestone of Quebec to the Senate.

The appointment of Mr. Perry is the first for an Acadian from Prince Edward Island in more than 100 years.

The appointment of Ms. Finestone brings to 21 the number of women that the Prime Minister has named to the Senate since 1993 - the most to be appointed by any Prime Minister in Canadian history. The number of women in the Senate has risen from 16 at the time the government took office to 32 as of these appointments.

The appointments are effective immediately.

Biographies are attached.

PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555

An accomplished educator, Melvin Perry has also been a leading promoter of Acadian culture in Prince Edward Island. Indeed, he is the first Acadian from Prince Edward Island to be appointed to the Senate in over 100 years; a fitting highlight of 1999, the year of La Francophonie in Canada.

Mr. Perry is a native of St-Edward, PEI. He earned a B.A. in 1952 from St-Joseph College, now the Memramcook Institute in New Brunswick. After graduating, he enjoyed a distinguished 34-year teaching career, culminating with his 15-year tenure as Principal of St-Louis school. He retired from teaching in July 1986.

Mr. Perry has also been very active in the community, serving on many boards and committees, including: the St-Louis Historic Club, The Home and School (Chair) and the St-Louis Community School Committee.

He has earned special recognition and respect for his work promoting Acadian culture in the province; including stints with the Saint-Thomas Aquinas Society, La Voix Acadienne Ltée. (a French newspaper) and Entente Canada Communauté.

He and his wife, Anita, raised 6 children together and have 4 grandchildren. Mr. Perry is 73 years of age.

A distinguished educator and lawyer, with deep roots in the community, George Furey is one of the leading citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Furey is a native of St. John's. He earned two B.A.s from Memorial University (1970-71) and a Master of Education from Memorial in 1976. From 1969-72, he was a teacher with the Roman Catholic School Board in St. John's. From 1972-78, he was a Supervising Vice Principal with the Port-au-Port Roman Catholic School Board and from 1978-80 Supervising Principal of the Placentia-St. Mary's Roman Catholic School Board.

In 1980, Mr. Furey enrolled at Dalhousie University, earning his LL.B in 1983. He was admitted to the Newfoundland Bar in 1984. In 1985, he was named a partner in the St. John's law firm O'Brien, Hurley & Smith. In 1989, he was named Senior Partner in the firm O'Brien, Furey & Smith.

In 1993, Mr. Furey was appointed to the Provincial Police Complaints Commission. He was named Queen's Counsel in 1996.

Mr. Furey is also a widely respected community leader, giving his time to numerous, voluntary groups, professional boards and provincial commissions, including: the Newfoundland Teachers' Association (Vice President, Appalachia Branch - 1976-77; President, Placentia Branch - 1977-78); The Boy Scouts of Canada (Scout Leader - 1982-84); St. Clare's Mercy Hospital Ethics Committee (1991); The Newfoundland Liquor Corporation (Director - 1990-97; Chair -1997 to present.); and, the Gonzaga High School Council (1999).

Mr. Furey and his wife, Karen, have four children: Andrew, Meghan, Rebecca, and David. He is 51 years of age.

An able and respected parliamentarian, as well as an acknowledged leader in the cause of protecting cultural and linguistic minority rights, the Honourable Sheila Finestone has been an outstanding servant to her constituents and all Canadians.

A native of Montreal, Ms. Finestone earned a Bachelor of Science from McGill University. Her career in Parliament began in 1984 with her election as the Member of Parliament for Mount Royal; winning re-elections in 1988, 1993 and 1997.

Ms. Finestone was sworn to the Privy Council in November 1993 as Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Status of Women). During her tenure in the Ministry, she led the Canadian delegation to the 1995 United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing, China. At the time of her appointment to the Senate, she was Chair of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages and was a member of the Standing Committees on Justice and Human Rights and Foreign Affairs and International Trade. She is Chair of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Vice Chair of the IPU's Co-ordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians. And she is Parliamentary Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Anti-Personnel Landmines.

While in Opposition, Ms. Finestone served as Critic for and Vice Chair of the Standing Committees on Communications and Culture, Status of Women and Youth.

Ms. Finestone has a long record of community service, including serving as President of la Fédération des femmes du Québec, as Vice-President of both Allied Jewish Community Services and the YMYWHA, as well as on the Executive Council for the "No" during the 1980 Quebec referendum.

Her work has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including: the Samuel Bronfman Award for exceptional service to the Montreal Jewish community; the Jackie Robinson Special Award from the Montreal Black Business-Persons and Professionals; the Sophie Bennet Award by the Organization for Rehabilitation and Training. She has also been recognized as a Woman of Achievement by Hadassah-Wizo and by the Vietnamese community in Montreal for her humanitarian work at home and abroad.

Ms. Finestone and her late husband, Allan, raised four children together and she is the proud grandmother of five. She is 72 years of age.

Ms. Finestone will not collect her parliamentary pension during her time in the Senate.