YOLANDE JAMES NAMED AS MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION AND CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
Last updated: January 31, 2009

Vanier College alumna Yolande James made history with her cabinet appointment in the Charest government in April 2007. Not only is Yolande the first black cabinet minister in Quebec history, she was also the first black woman ever elected to the provincial legislature.

She most recently appeared in the Montreal Gazette in January 2009 announcing the unveiling of a new Canada Post stamp honouring Rosemary Brown as part of the City of Montreal's Black History Month. You can see a photo of Yolande at the unveiling. By the way, Rosemary Brown was the guest of honour when she gave her "Women on the Move" lecture during Vanier's 1999 Women's Week.

PREVIOUS ENTRIES ON YOLANDE JAMES

FROM APRIL 2007:

Read more about Yolande's history-making appointment as the Minister for Immigration and Cultural Communities in this excerpt from an article that appeared in the Montreal Gazette.

FROM SEPTEMBER, 2004:

YOLANDE JAMES ELECTED IN NELLIGAN
FORMER VANIER STUDENT WINS IN WEST ISLAND BY-ELECTION

Yolande James, a 26-year-old lawyer and a graduate of Vanier College won the by-election in the riding of Nelligan with a convincing win over her main rival, independant candidate Michel Gibson, a longtime city councillor in Kirkland.

Prior to her election campaign, Yolande had worked as a political aide to Health Minister Philippe Couillard and as a political attaché to the former MNA of Nelligan, Russ Williams.

Click for the full story of her election victory.


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