LadiesCorner
Women are Powerful When They are Determined Federal Minister of Women & Gender Equality of Canada, Marci Ien
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onourable Marci Ien serves as the Federal Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth for the Liberal Party, representing Toronto Centre in the House of Commons. Previous to her involvement in politics, Marci was a broadcast journalist for CTV and a talk show host for “The Social.” Marci’s voice in journalism and politics began in the newsrooms. Through the things that she wrote, she discovered that the ideas about the Black experience in Canada were stories not being told as well in the media. She shared, “it was difficult because I didn’t see myself in the stories and so I tried to change and fix that.” Marci started asking more questions. After she left the news for talk show host, Marci confessed, “I was opinion ated – I talked about being a black
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The pivotal point was viewing seas of people on the streets chanting “Black Lives Matter” across the globe. Marci had represented well with her microphone as a journalist. woman, a mom, a partner … I found my voice during my time on “The Social”. It was the killing of George Floyd that got her thinking about using her voice differently. The pivotal point was viewing seas of people on the streets chanting “Black Lives Matter” across the globe. Marci had represented well with her microphone as a journalist, but she wanted to initiate change. When Marci was asked by Prime Minister Trudeau to run in a by-elecLadiesCorner – Summer 2022
tion in Toronto, she wondered how it would impact her family. She was also leaving the industry she loved and been a part of for 25 years. Because Marci had been an “only” in the newsrooms, her transition to politics at the federal level wasn’t as difficult. Trudeau’s comment, “Marci, the country needs you and needs that voice,” inspired her. She has been able to do what she was elected to do so far. Moving through 2022, as Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Marci sees hope and change for racial and indigenous women who have been disproportionately impacted. Marci sees opportunities like the Black Entrepreneur Fund and supporting Black Communities for Black women. There will always be challenges in terms of gender and race-based dis-
