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23h ago

Donald Oliver, First Black Man Appointed to Canada’s Senate, Dies at 86

Officials issued tributes praising his advocacy for equity.

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Donald Oliver was the first Black man appointed to the Canadian Senate. He retired in 2013 after 23 years of service. In a 2022 interview with CBC Radio's Atlantic Voice, Oliver said his greatest desire was to see 'a more tolerant Canada, where the concept of equality is first, and tolerance and acceptance are all part of the fabric of what it is to be a Canadian.'

Overview

  • He died Wednesday, with the Black Cultural Centre announcing his passing and citing a long fight with cardiac amyloidosis, and his family confirming the news.
  • Appointed in 1990, he became the first Black man to sit in Canada’s Senate and served 23 years before retiring in 2013.
  • He helped found the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, which opened in Cherry Brook in 1983 to preserve and share Black Nova Scotian history.
  • Prime Minister Mark Carney and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston lauded his public service and commitment to inclusion in statements following his death.
  • A public memorial is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, at New Horizons Baptist Church in Halifax.