Lorna Milne
Encyclopedia
Lorna Ann Milne was a Canadian
Senator
from 1995 to 2009.
Milne is the daughter of former Mayor of Toronto and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
(CCF) Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) William Dennison and grand-daughter of Isaac Bainbridge, early labour organizer and pacifist. Her husband, William Ross Milne, served as a Liberal
federal Member of Parliament
in the 1970s.
Lorna Milne lectured in physics
at the University of Guelph
in the 1950s prior to marrying and having children. In the 1960s she became a political and community activist serving as a school trustee from 1964 to 1972 as well as being active in a number of community organizations and charities in Peel Region
outside of Toronto
. She served as president of the North Peel unit of the Canadian Cancer Society
in the 1980s and as president of her Liberal riding association
.
In 1995, she was appointed to the Senate on the advice of Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien
. In the Senate, she served as chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, and waged a seven year campaign from 1998 to 2005 to allow historical census data to be released to the public. It culminated when Bill S-18 was passed, ensuring that all censuses conducted until 2001 would be released after 92 years, and all subsequent censuses starting with the 2006 census would allow Canadians the option to decide whether or not their information would be released. She also served as Chair of Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament when it successfully recommended creation of the position of Senate Ethics Officer. She was also responsible for the legalization of hemp as an agricultural crop in 1999.
Milne served as Senate Vice-Chair of the National Liberal Caucus from 2006-2009 and also was President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association from 2004-2008.
In 2009, Lorna Milne retired from the Senate upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Senator
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
from 1995 to 2009.
Milne is the daughter of former Mayor of Toronto and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Ontario Section)
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation – The Farmer-Labor Party of Ontario, or more informally and commonly known as The Ontario CCF, was a democratic socialist political party that existed from 1932 to 1961. It was the provincial wing of the National CCF. The party officially had no leader in...
(CCF) Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) William Dennison and grand-daughter of Isaac Bainbridge, early labour organizer and pacifist. Her husband, William Ross Milne, served as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
federal Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in the 1970s.
Lorna Milne lectured in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
at the University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
in the 1950s prior to marrying and having children. In the 1960s she became a political and community activist serving as a school trustee from 1964 to 1972 as well as being active in a number of community organizations and charities in Peel Region
Regional Municipality of Peel, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of Peel is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada. It consists of three municipalities to the west and northwest of Toronto: the cities of Brampton and Mississauga, and the town of Caledon. The entire region is part of the Greater Toronto Area and the inner...
outside of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. She served as president of the North Peel unit of the Canadian Cancer Society
Canadian Cancer Society
The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based charitable organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of those living with the disease....
in the 1980s and as president of her Liberal riding association
Riding association
In Canadian politics a riding association , officially called an electoral district association is the basic unit of a political party, that is it is the party's organization at the level of the electoral district, or "riding"...
.
In 1995, she was appointed to the Senate on the advice of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
. In the Senate, she served as chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, and waged a seven year campaign from 1998 to 2005 to allow historical census data to be released to the public. It culminated when Bill S-18 was passed, ensuring that all censuses conducted until 2001 would be released after 92 years, and all subsequent censuses starting with the 2006 census would allow Canadians the option to decide whether or not their information would be released. She also served as Chair of Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament when it successfully recommended creation of the position of Senate Ethics Officer. She was also responsible for the legalization of hemp as an agricultural crop in 1999.
Milne served as Senate Vice-Chair of the National Liberal Caucus from 2006-2009 and also was President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association from 2004-2008.
In 2009, Lorna Milne retired from the Senate upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.