Patti LaBoucane-Benson
Patti LaBoucane-Benson | |
|---|---|
| Senator for Alberta | |
| Assumed office October 3, 2018 | |
| Nominated by | Justin Trudeau |
| Appointed by | Julie Payette |
| Government Liaison in the Senate | |
| In office January 2020 – May 2023 | |
| Leader | Marc Gold |
| Preceded by | Grant Mitchell |
| Succeeded by | Michele Audette |
| Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate | |
| Assumed office May 2023 | |
| Leader | Marc Gold |
| Preceded by | Raymonde Gagné |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 20, 1969 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | non-affiliated (since 2020) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent Senators Group (2018-2020) |
| Profession | academic |
| Website | https://senatorlaboucanebenson.sencanada.ca/en/ |
Patti LaBoucane-Benson (born February 20, 1969) is a Canadian academic and politician. A Métis, she served as the director of research, training and communications at Native Counselling Services of Alberta for nine years. She was appointed to represent Alberta in the Senate of Canada on October 3, 2018 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
She currently serves as Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate, a role she has held since May 2023. The purpose of this role is to structure debate in the Senate chamber on sitting days and help support the progress of Government legislation. She is the first Indigenous woman to hold a leadership position in the Upper Chamber. She previously served as the Government Liaison.
In 2016, she won the Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature for her graphic novel, The Outside Circle, which she cowrote with Kelly Mellings.