Josée Forest-Niesing | |
|---|---|
| Canadian Senator from Ontario | |
| In office October 11, 2018 – November 20, 2021 | |
| Nominated by | Justin Trudeau |
| Appointed by | Julie Payette |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1964-12-18)December 18, 1964 Ontario, Canada |
| Died | November 20, 2021(2021-11-20) (aged 56) Sudbury, Ontario, Canada |
| Party | Independent Senators Group |
| Spouse | Robert |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Josée Forest-Niesing (December 18, 1964 – November 20, 2021) was a Canadian lawyer and politician, who was appointed to the Senate of Canada in October 2018.[1]
Biography
Forest-Niesing's grandmother, Agnès Lafond, was a member of the Abénakis de Wôlinak First Nation.[2] She first attended Collège Notre-Dame before getting under undergraduate degree in law, justice, and political science at Laurentian University.[3] She then studied law at the University of Ottawa.[3] She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1990.[4] As a lawyer, she was a partner in the firm Lacroix Forest LLP where she specialized in family law, civil litigation, education law, and employment law.[4] A trial lawyer from Sudbury, Ontario, she served on the boards of the Art Gallery of Sudbury, the Carrefour Francophone de Sudbury, the University of Sudbury and the Ontario Arts Council.[5] Prior to her appointment as senator, she was a judge for the Superior Court of Justice Small Claims Court.[6]
She was an advocate for the use of the French language and helped get funding for Laurentian University's French-language programs after it was about to be cut.[2] Among other actions, she did as a senator, she helped update Senate committee mandates and indigenous rights.[2]
Forest-Niesing was hospitalized due to COVID-19 in October 2021; she had an autoimmune condition affecting her lungs, which increased her vulnerability to the virus.[7] She was discharged on November 14, but died a few days later on November 20, 2021, at the age of 56.[7] Forest-Niesing had two children with her husband, Robert.[8]
References
- "Trudeau names Ontario lawyer, PEI Mi’kmaq chief to Senate". Toronto Star, October 11, 2018.
- "Remembering Senator Josée Forest-Niesing". The Sudbury Star. December 4, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
- "Sudbury Living | Josée Forest-Niesing one of the new breed of 'ordinary Canadians' in Senate". Sudbury Living. July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
- "Josée Forest-Niesing appointed to the Ontario Arts Council board". www.arts.on.ca. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
- "New Senator wants Northern Ontario's voice to be heard". Sudbury Star, October 12, 2018.
- "In memoriam: Senator Josée Forest-Niesing". SenCanada. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
- "Canadian senator dies after being hospitalized for COVID-19". The Hill. November 21, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
- Sen. Josée Forest-Niesing, 56, dies following struggle with COVID-19 CBC News, November 20, 2021