May 26, 2002
Ottawa,Ontario

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced today the following changes in the Ministry:

• the Honourable Ralph E. Goodale becomes Minister of Public Works and Government Services, while retaining his duties as Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians;
• the Honourable Don Boudria becomes Leader of the Government in the House of Commons;
• the Honourable Rey Pagtakhan, Minister of Veterans Affairs, takes on the additional duties of Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development);
• the Honourable John McCallum has been appointed Minister of National Defence;
• the Honourable Maurizio Bevilacqua becomes Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions); and
• the Honourable Jean Augustine has been sworn to the Privy Council and appointed Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women).

The Prime Minister accepted the resignation of the Honourable Arthur C. Eggleton as Minister of National Defence.

Attached is the list of the full Ministry according to precedence and biographical notes on Ms. Augustine. The list of Cabinet committee membership will be announced shortly.

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PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555

Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)
Etobicoke – Lakeshore, Ont.

Jean Augustine was first elected to Parliament in 1993 and was re-elected in 1997 and 2000. She is the first African-Canadian woman to hold a seat in Parliament. She served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 1993 to 1996, chaired the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and has served on numerous other parliamentary committees. She also chaired the Ministerial Task Force on Social Security Reforms.

Prior to her election, Ms. Augustine was an elementary school principal with the Metropolitan Toronto District Catholic School Board. She also served as Chair of the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority. She holds a B.A., M.Ed. and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto.

Ms. Augustine has a deep interest in social justice issues and has received numerous community service awards, including the Canadian Black Achievement Award, the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, and the Rubena Willis Special Recognition Award. She has served as National President of the Congress of Black Women of Canada, as a member of the York University Board of Governors and has contributed to the work of many other boards and community groups.

Ms. Augustine was born in Grenada in 1937. She has two daughters – Valerie and Cheryl.

The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister

The Honourable David Michael Collenette
Minister of Transport

The Honourable David Anderson
Minister of the Environment

The Honourable Sheila Copps
Minister of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Paul Martin
Minister of Finance

The Honourable Anne McLellan
Minister of Health

The Honourable Allan Rock
Minister of Industry

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
Solicitor General of Canada

The Honourable Lucienne Robillard
President of the Treasury Board

The Honourable Martin Cauchon
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

The Honourable Jane Stewart
Minister of Human Resources Development

The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew
Minister for International Trade

The Honourable Don Boudria
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

The Honourable Lyle Vanclief
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

The Honourable Herb Dhaliwal
Minister of Natural Resources

The Honourable Claudette Bradshaw
Minister of Labour

The Honourable Robert Daniel Nault
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

The Honourable Elinor Caplan
Minister of National Revenue

The Honourable Denis Coderre
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

The Honourable Sharon Carstairs
Leader of the Government in the Senate

The Honourable Robert G. Thibault
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

The Honourable Susan Whelan
Minister for International Cooperation

The Honourable William Graham
Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)

The Honourable John McCallum
Minister of National Defence

The Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew
Secretary of State (Children and Youth)

The Honourable David Kilgour
Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

The Honourable Maurizio Bevilacqua
Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)

The Honourable Gar Knutson
Secretary of State (Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East)

The Honourable Denis Paradis
Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa) (Francophonie)

The Honourable Jean Augustine
Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)