That's a lot of firsts for Senator Clement and she’s conscious that it’s a heavy burden to carry, but she continues to accept the challenges that come her way, with an open mind and spirit.
Once you meet Ms. Clement, you quickly understand how she got to where she is today in her successful career. She is a dedicated, hard-working, knowledgeable and humble individual who knows how to passionately communicate her ideas and experience. Her authenticity is palpable, and one feels immediately at ease in her presence.
The Civil Law Section hosted Senator Clement on January 13 for the first in a series of lectures entitled "Nos leaders dans la Cité”. The series features graduates of the Civil Law Section who share their stories and inspire the audience of uOttawa law students, alumni and staff.
During the event, Senator Clement was emphatic about leadership at the municipal level:
"Don't forget the municipal level! There are many great opportunities in municipal government, it all starts there, from waste and recycling to snow removal, health and safety, the environment and climate issues. In order for a society to function well and efficiently, we need smart advocates working at the community and municipal levels."
Senator Clement has felt a deep passion for her community from the very beginning and this has coloured her entire personal and professional life.
She leads the fight for marginalized people everywhere she goes, from Cornwall City Hall to the Senate of Canada.
Bernadette Clement began her career as a lawyer with the Roy McMurtry Law Clinic, in Cornwall, and 30 years later, she still conducts her practice advocating for the rights of the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society, particularly representing injured workers. Today, as a member of the upper house, she still practices law part-time because she believes that being exposed to the reality of poverty, experienced by many in society, is an important reminder.
She also gives a lot of her personal time back to her community. She sits on committees for Cornwall City Council as well as several boards of directors such as a women's shelter, an organization that provides support to families and people with disabilities, and an immigration service agency. During her lecture, she encouraged law students to volunteer and get involved in their community.
Senator Clement believes it is important to reflect diversity in the Senate, both culturally and linguistically. She stresses the importance of representation and the impact it can have on young people. She is a proud Franco-Ontarian, daughter of a Franco-Manitoban mother and a father who immigrated from Trinidad. Increasing the representation of women and racialized people in government was not necessarily her original goal, but she appreciates the importance of her role and understands it is necessary to inspire the next generation to get involved in politics.
She spoke from experience as she told the audience there was a lack of representation in government when she first entered politics. When she was growing up, she didn't see anyone like her in politics. Today she is proud to be a mentor who can encourage young Black women and young women to enter politics. The importance of mentoring was another point she made during the conference.
Senator Clement is very aware that there is still a lot of work to be done to increase the number of women and people of diversity in the Senate and in city government. She has the energy and courage to continue the fight and she encourages you to join her!
We want to congratulate our proud graduate for all the important work she is doing in social justice and especially for marginalized communities. We wish her all the best as she continues her career in the Senate and most importantly, we salute her for all the "firsts" she represents. We are proud to have a graduate who is shattering glass ceilings!