Raymonde Folco

Raymonde Folco, a prominent Canadian politician and member of the Liberal Party of Canada, represented the Quebec riding of Laval—Les Îles in the House of Commons from nineteen ninety-seven to two thousand eleven. Her tenure spanned five successive parliaments, during which she made significant contributions to Canadian politics before stepping away from the political arena.

Born in Paris in nineteen forty to a Jewish family, Folco's early life was marked by the harrowing experiences of the Holocaust. She was hidden by Christian families outside the city, while her father narrowly escaped an Auschwitz-bound transport. Both of her parents were active members of the French Resistance, instilling in her a strong sense of resilience and commitment to social justice.

Academically accomplished, Folco earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Melbourne in Australia, a Baccalauréat Spécialisé in Linguistics from the Université du Québec à Montréal, and a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Concordia University in Montreal. Her educational background laid a solid foundation for her diverse career as a manager, high civil servant, administrator, businessperson, and teacher.

In addition to her political career, Folco served as vice president in nineteen eighty-eight and president from nineteen ninety to nineteen ninety-five of the Conseil des Communautés culturelles et de l'Immigration. This agency plays a crucial role in advising the government on immigration and the integration of ethnic minorities. Furthermore, she acted as Commissioner with the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada from nineteen ninety-six to nineteen ninety-seven, where she was responsible for making well-reasoned decisions regarding refugee status in accordance with Canadian law.