Mary Jane McCallum

ConservativeManitoba

9 bills sponsored

Background

Born: May 1, 1952 — Brochet, Manitoba
Family: Married, and has two daughters and a son
Education: Dental Nursing Diploma, Wascana Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, 1977; dental therapy diploma, School of Dental Therapy, 1979; Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), University of Manitoba, 1990
Career: Dentist
Political Experience: Appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2017. She initially sat with the Independent Senators Group (2018–2022), later sat as a non-affiliated senator, and subsequently joined the Conservative caucus. She has served on the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples.
Notable: First Indigenous woman to be Chancellor of Brandon University. Survivor of the Canadian residential school system.

Public Profile

Based on publicly available information — may contain inaccuracies

Business & Financial Interests

Before her appointment to the Senate, Mary Jane McCallum had a long career in health care, specifically in dentistry. She is a Cree woman from the Barren Lands First Nation in Manitoba. She worked as a dental therapist and later became a dentist, primarily serving northern and Indigenous communities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. McCallum also held academic and administrative roles related to community health. She reportedly managed community health programs for the University of Manitoba and led the Aboriginal Health Program at the University of Manitoba's dental faculty. Her professional life has been focused on providing dental care and improving health services for First Nations people.

Key Relationships & Connections

Senator McCallum was appointed to the Senate in December 2017 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She initially sat as a non-affiliated senator, as is common for Trudeau's appointees. However, in May 2021, she made the decision to join the Conservative caucus, which was then led by Erin O'Toole. This move was notable as she was the first Trudeau appointee to join the Conservative party.

Public Controversies

In June 2021, Senator McCallum faced public criticism for comments she made regarding residential schools. Following the discovery of unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, she reportedly stated that the narrative around the schools was becoming too focused on the negative and that the "good deeds" and intentions of some who worked there were being overlooked. Her comments were criticized by some Indigenous leaders and organizations, who felt they minimized the trauma and abuse experienced by survivors. The interim leader of the Green Party at the time called for her resignation. Senator McCallum later issued a statement expressing regret for the hurt her words caused, stating she did not intend to defend the residential school system but wanted to acknowledge the complexity of the history.