35 Facts About Frances Lankin

Frances Lankin sat with the Independent Senators Group until February 2024 when she accepted to become the Government Liaison in the upper chamber to table and help adopt a package of rule changes that increases the equity between the different groups in the Senate.

Frances Lankin retired from the Senate on October 21st, 2024, prior to her mandatory retirement date.

Frances Lankin started her career as the executive director of a childcare centre before attending the University of Toronto to study criminology.

Frances Lankin was one of the first women correctional officers to work at the Don Jail, an all-male institution.

Frances Lankin was a very active member of OPSEU, where she focused on many issues of concern to women workers.

Frances Lankin took a position as Equal Opportunity Coordinator with the union, working on such issues as paid maternity leave, pay equity and childcare.

Frances Lankin eventually became an economic researcher and finally a full-time negotiator for the union.

In 1985, Frances Lankin tried to be the NDP nomination candidate in the riding of Riverdale.

Frances Lankin lost to David Reville who went on to win the seat.

Frances Lankin announced that same-sex spouses of civil servants would be eligible for insurance and medical benefits.

Frances Lankin was promoted to Minister of Health on April 22,1991.

Frances Lankin soon developed a reputation as one of the most proficient ministers in Rae's government, and won praise for her attention to administrative detail.

Frances Lankin managed to bring the $17 billion health budget under control by reducing out-of-province charges to OHIP and reducing costs for the province's drug benefit plan.

Frances Lankin increased funding for AIDS initiatives and made it easier for Ontario residents to receive treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.

Frances Lankin became one of Rae's most trusted ministers, and a part of his "inner circle".

On February 3,1993, Frances Lankin was shifted to the position of Minister of Economic Development and Trade.

The Rae government was defeated in the provincial election of 1995, although Frances Lankin was re-elected in Beaches-Woodbine by about 3,000 votes over her nearest opponent.

When Rae resigned as NDP leader in 1996, Frances Lankin declared herself a candidate to succeed him.

Frances Lankin was regarded as the frontrunner in this race, and was strongly supported by senior members of the Rae government and the party establishment.

Frances Lankin initially opposed the Rae government's plans to revisit existing labour contracts, and personally warned Rae of the fallout that would result from organized labour.

Frances Lankin later considered resigning from cabinet over the issue on two separate occasions, but ultimately chose to remain because it would give her the opportunity to moderate the legislation.

Frances Lankin did, in fact, replace Rae's initial plans for outright wage rollbacks with requirements that workers above a certain income level take unpaid leave days.

Frances Lankin's bill was unanimously carried by all parties in the Legislature and became one of two private members bills submitted and passed by Lankin, a very rare accomplishment for a third-party opposition MPP.

Frances Lankin was inspired to propose the bill after discovering that her own mother suffering from dementia had been tied to her bed in a Toronto area hospital.

Frances Lankin resigned her seat in June 2001 to accept a position as president and CEO of United Way Toronto.

Frances Lankin was the president and CEO of United Way Toronto from 2001 to 2011, guiding the organization through its transformation from a trusted fundraiser to an organization dedicated to addressing underlying root causes of social problems.

Under Frances Lankin's leadership, United Way Toronto engaged in a number of strategic initiatives that aimed to improve the lives of individuals, families and neighbourhoods in Toronto, including:.

Frances Lankin co-chaired the Toronto City Summit in June 2002 and 2003.

In 2009, Frances Lankin was sworn into the Queen's Privy Council of Canada, appointed by prime minister Stephen Harper as a member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, which provides an external review of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

In 2012, Frances Lankin was named a Trudeau mentor by the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation, and in 2013, she became a fellow at the Broadbent Institute.

In 2014, Frances Lankin was appointed to the Ontario Premier's Advisory Council on Government Assets, whose mandate was to review and identify opportunities to modernize government business enterprises.

Frances Lankin served as a member and chair of the Ontario Press Council and was the inaugural chair of the National NewsMedia Council.

On June 29,2012, Frances Lankin was made a Member of the Order of Canada.

Frances Lankin was appointed to the Senate on March 18,2016, on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Frances Lankin previously served on the Senate standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, on the Aboriginal Peoples, the Senate standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, the Senate special Committee on Senate Modernization, the Senate standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament, the Senate standing committee on Social Affairs, science and technology and the Senate standing Committee on National Security and Defence.