Raynell Andreychuk

Anita Raynell Andreychuk (born August 14 1944) is a Canadian Senator, lawyer, and former judge and diplomat.

A native of Saskatoon, Andreychuk graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a BA in 1966 and a law degree in 1967 after which she began her legal practice in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. In 1976, she was appointed a judge of the Saskatchewan provincial court after having initiated Regina's first family court. She also served from 1977 to 1983 as chancellor of the University of Regina.

In, 1985, Andreychuk was appointed associate deputy minister of social services in the province. Two years later, she was named Canada's High Commissioner to Kenya and Uganda and ambassador to Somalia and the Comoros before becoming ambassador to Portugal in 1990. She was also named, the same year, as Canada's permanent representative to the United Nations Environmental Programme and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlement. From 1988 to 1993, she was Canada's permanent representative to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

In 1993, she was named to the Senate by Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn on the advice of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and, as such, has served on the Special Joint Committee for the Review of Canada's Foreign Policy. She is also the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, Deputy Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, a member the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Rights of Parliament, and the Special Committee reviewing the Anti-terrorism Act. Andreychuk sat as a Progressive Conservative until 2004 when she joined the Conservative Party of Canada.

She has also been active in the Upper House urging recognition of the Ukrainian famine of 1932 to 1933 as a genocide. In May 2008, She was awarded the Order of Yaroslav the Wise for her substantial contribution in the development of Ukrainian-Canadian relations.

External links

* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/bio.asp?lang=E&query=299&s=M Synopsis of federal political experience from the Library of Parliament]
* [http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/department/history/hplSearch_results-en.asp?frm=person&lan=1&prsnid=3 Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada diplomatic history]