Wanda Thomas Bernard

Wanda Thomas Bernard is a Canadian senator and a prominent social worker and educator. Appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2016, she made history as the first African Nova Scotian woman to serve in the chamber. Prior to her political career, she was a professor at Dalhousie University, where she focused on anti-oppression and diversity, and was a founding member of the Association of Black Social Workers. In the Senate, she has been a vocal advocate for social justice, notably championing the official recognition of Emancipation Day in Canada.