Gwen Boniface

The Honourable
Gwen Boniface
COM OOnt
The Honourable Gwen Boniface COM OOnt
Senator from Ontario
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; November 10, 2016
Nominated by	Justin Trudeau
Appointed by	David Johnston
Personal details
Born	August 5, 1955
Political party	Independent Senators Group
Profession	Police officer and lawyer

Gwenneth (Gwen) M. Boniface, COM, OOnt (born August 5, 1955) is a Canadian police officer, lawyer, and the former Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) ending in 2006. She is the first woman to hold this position. She is also the first female President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and the first Canadian to hold the Vice Chair of the Division of State and Provincial Police of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Boniface stepped down as Commissioner in October 2006 to accept an advisory position with Ireland's Garda Síochána Inspectorate (National Police Force).

On October 31, 2016, her appointment to the Senate of Canada was announced. She will sit as an independent.^[1]

Education

Boniface earned a Certificate in Law and Security Administration from Humber College in 1977. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University in 1982 and a Bachelor of Laws degree at Osgoode Hall Law School in 1988.

Professional career

She joined the Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) in 1977 as a Provincial Constable before being called to the bar in 1990. She was Superintendent-Director of the O.P.P. in the First Nations and Contract Policing Branch from 1993 to 1995.

She served in the Law Commission of Canada from 1997 to 2002. She was the Chief Superintendent Regional Commander for the O.P.P. in Western Ontario from 1996 to 1998. In 1998, she was named Commissioner of the O.P.P.

She announced her retirement as Commissioner of the O.P.P. in September 2006 to join Ireland's Garda Síochána Inspectorate (National Police Force).^[2]

Awards

Commissioner Boniface was invested into the Order of Ontario in 2001 for her work with the First Nations communities. She is a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, the Order of St. John,^[3] and has the Humber College Alumnus of Distinction Award.

References

^ "Trudeau taps former banker, cop and judge for Senate". Toronto Star, October 30, 2016.
^ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Controversial OPP commissioner stepping down, 28 July 2006
^ Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 141, No. 17 Archived 22 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine

Preceded by Thomas O'Grady	Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police 1998-2006	Succeeded by Julian Fantino

[taps-1] "Trudeau taps former banker, cop and judge for Senate". Toronto Star, October 30, 2016.

[opp_resign-2] Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Controversial OPP commissioner stepping down, 28 July 2006

[3] Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 141, No. 17 Archived 22 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine

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v t e Current members of the Senate of Canada
Presiding officers: Speaker: Raymonde Gagné Speaker pro tempore: Pierrette Ringuette
AB	■ LaBoucane-Benson ■ Simons ■ Sorensen ■ Tannas 2 vacancies
BC	■ Busson ■ Greenwood ■ Jaffer ■ Martin ■ Woo 1 vacancy
MB	■ Gagné ■ McCallum ■ McPhedran ■ Osler ■ Plett 1 vacancy
NB	■ Cormier ■ Hartling ■ Kingston ■ McNair ■ Poirier ■ Quinn ■ Richards ■ Ringuette ■ Ross 1 vacancy
NL	■ Manning ■ Marshall ■ Petten ■ Ravalia ■ Wells ■ White
NS	■ Aucoin ■ Bernard ■ Cordy ■ Coyle ■ Cuzner ■ C. Deacon ■ Greene ■ Kutcher ■ MacDonald ■ Prosper
ON	■ Al Zaibak ■ Ataullahjan ■ Black ■ Boehm ■ Boniface ■ Boyer ■ Burey ■ Cardozo ■ Clement ■ Dasko ■ M. Deacon ■ Dean ■ Harder ■ Lankin ■ McBean ■ Moncion ■ Moodie ■ Omidvar ■ Pate ■ R. Patterson ■ Senior ■ Varone ■ Yussuff 1 vacancy
PE	■ Downe ■ Francis ■ MacAdam ■ Robinson
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SK	■ Arnot ■ Batters ■ Cotter ■ Klyne ■ Wallin 1 vacancy
Territories	NT ■ Anderson NU 1 vacancy YT ■ Duncan
■ Independent Senators Group (40) ■ Canadian Senators Group (17) ■ Progressive Senate Group (14) ■ Conservative (13) ■ Non-affiliated (12) vacant (9)