Claudette Tardif

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Claudette Tardif, MEd, PhD (born July 27, 1947) is a Canadian senator from Alberta. She was appointed to the senate by Prime Minister Paul Martin on March 24, 2005 representing the Liberal Party of Canada. Prior to entering the Senate she was a professor and dean at the University of Alberta's French-language faculty, Faculté Saint-Jean. Tardif is also a longstanding advocate of minority language rights, particularly for Alberta's francophone minority. On January 18, 2007 she was named Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.[1]

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CBC News article about new senators

Dr. Claudette Tardif has long been recognized as one of Canada’s foremost advocates and defenders of minority linguistic and cultural rights and for her considerable contribution to both secondary and post-secondary education.

She was educated at the University of Alberta, where she obtained a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education and a Major in French (First class Honours) in 1968; a Master of Education in Secondary Education (Curriculum Studies) in 1978; and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration in 1984. She remains Professor Emeritus of the University of Alberta. In 2006, she received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa.

Dr. Tardif began her outstanding professional career in 1968 as a High School Teacher with the Edmonton Catholic Schools. In 1977 she joined the University of Alberta’s teaching ranks as a sessional lecturer at the Faculty of Education and Faculté Saint-Jean, where she eventually served as Dean. Dr. Tardif has also held numerous and important administrative positions at the University of Alberta. Of note, she was Director of the Education Division, Faculté Saint-Jean from 1981 to 1988; Associate Dean from 1991 to 1995; and Dean from 1995 to 2003 as well as a member of the University’s Senate, Academic Priorities Committee, General Faculties Council Executive and Deans’ Council. When she was called to serve in the Canadian Senate, she was acting Vice-President (External Relations) at the University of Alberta.

Her research focused on immersion education and the role of francophone schooling in the development of cultural identity in a minority rights environment. Dr. Tardif has numerous publications in the field of immersion education, minority linguistic rights and teacher education. She is also interested in the overall preservation and state of French second language education in Canada and especially in Alberta. She is an engaged member of Alberta’s francophone community and has spoken at length in defence of minority linguistic and cultural rights. She has also given numerous speeches and conferences for parents and teachers on the importance of bilingualism, second language learning and teaching.

Very active in the community, Dr. Tardif has served on many professional and community-based provincial and national organizations. In addition to participating in numerous conferences, she has served on various boards and played a leading role on important committees relating to education, culture, social issues and sport, both nationally and internationally. She served as honorary president of the Caravane de la tolérance tour in Alberta, a non-profit organization promoting tolerance among youth, and is currently co-chair of the Building World Peace International Conference: “The Role of Religions and Human Rights”. In 2005, Dr. Tardif was appointed by the Government of Alberta as one of the province’s centennial ambassadors. She has served as honorary president of a benefit evening for the dance group Zéphyr and as the honorary president of the Quebec tour of the Chorale Saint-Jean. She was a member of the Board of Directors for the 8th IAAF 2001 World Athletics Championships and President of its Francophone Advisory Council and of the 2005 World Master’s Games, held in Edmonton. She was also a member of the organizing committee and co-chair of the international conference “Canada: Global Model for a Multicultural State” (Edmonton, 2002), Honorary President and keynote speaker for the provincial conferences “Building the Future: A Working Conference of Education Leaders”, organized by Canadian Parents for French (1998, 2002). Dr. Tardif was a member of the Board of Directors for the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, the Canadian Unity Council, the Fondation nationale du théâtre francophone; and vice-president of the Canadian National Centre for Leadership in Evaluation. She was appointed by the Federal Minister of Justice to the Advisory Committee on Judicial Appointments for the Province of Alberta for the period 2002-2004.

In recognition of her leadership and community involvement, the following major honors were conferred: the Ordre de la Pléiade awarded by the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (2005); the Alberta Centennial Medal (2005); the Province of Alberta’s Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2003, the Order of Le Conseil de la vie française en Amérique (2003), the Order of Merit and induction to the Compagnie des cent-associées francophones by the Association canadienne des éducateurs de langue française (2001), the Award of Excellence (Visibility) from the Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta régionale d’Edmonton (2001 and 2006), the Edmonton ITV Women of Vision Award (2000), and recipient of the Prix Maurice Lavallée award in recognition of exceptional contribution to Francophone education in Alberta (1990 and 1997).

Dr. Tardif has been a member of the Senate of Canada since March 24, 2005. She presently serves on the Senate Standing Committee on Official Languages, the Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, the Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament and is a member of the Caucus on Official Language Minority Communities and the Caucus on Post-Secondary Education. She is also a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Association of Canada-France, the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, the Parliamentary Association of Canada-Europe, the Groupe d’amitié Canada-Belgique, the Groupe d’amitié Canada-Ukraine and of the Legislative Association of Canada-China.

With her husband Denis, they are the parents of three children and grand-parents of three grand-sons.

Preceded by Joan Fraser	Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate 2007 - present	Succeeded by incumbent

	Alberta Caucus serving in the 39th Canadian Parliament.
Senators	Tommy Banks (Lib), Joyce Fairbairn (Lib), Daniel Hays (Lib), Elaine McCoy (PC), Grant Mitchell (Lib), Claudette Tardif (Lib)
Members of Parliament	Diane Ablonczy (Con), Rona Ambrose (Con), Rob Anders (Con), Leon Benoit (Con), Blaine Calkins (Con), Rick Casson (Con), Ken Epp (Con), Peter Goldring (Con), Art Hanger (Con), Stephen Harper (Con), Laurie Hawn (Con), Rahim Jaffer (Con), Brian Jean (Con), Jason Kenney (Con), Mike Lake (Con), Ted Menzies (Con), Rob Merrifield (Con), Bob Mills (Con), Deepak Obhrai (Con), Jim Prentice (Con), James Rajotte (Con), Lee Richardson (Con), Monte Solberg (Con), Kevin Sorenson (Con), Brian Storseth (Con), Myron Thompson (Con), Chris Warkentin (Con), John Williams (Con)