title: Sheila Finestone
text: # Sheila Finestone
  
  Sheila Abbey Finestone PC (January 28, 1927 – June 8, 2009) was a Canadian Member of Parliament and Senator.
  
  ## Early life
  
  Born in Montreal, Quebec, the daughter of Minnie Cummings Abbey and Monroe Abbey. Her father was a president of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Finestone received a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University in 1947. The same year, she married Alan Finestone (1923–1997). They had four sons: David (born 1950), Peter (born 1951), Maxwell (born 1954) and Stephen (born 1956).
  
  ## Career
  
  From 1977 to 1980, she was president of the Fédération des femmes du Québec. In 1984 she was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Montreal riding of Mount Royal. She was re-elected in the 1988, 1993 and 1997 elections.
  
  Finestone was sworn to the Privy Council in November 1993 as Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Status of Women). Finestone was appointed to the Senate of Canada in August 1999. She completed her term in the Senate in 2002 when she reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.
  
  She was a member of the board of the Canadian Landmine Foundation.
  
  In 2008, Finestone was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians, "presented annually to a former parliamentarian who has made an outstanding contribution to the country and its democratic institutions." The award was accepted on her behalf by her son Peter, due to Finestone's inability to attend, following health challenges.
  
  ## Death
  
  Finestone died of cancer on June 8, 2009, in Ottawa.
  
  