Jean Parris, a dedicated advocate for women, immigrants, and nurses, was awarded the 2024 Governor General’s Award last October. This was given to her in recognition of her lifelong commitment to service and social justice. Throughout her career, Parris has been a formidable force for change, breaking barriers in the nursing profession, fighting systemic racism, and championing the rights of marginalized communities.
Parris began her career as an obstetrics nurse, where she provided invaluable support to new mothers, helping them develop essential skills for newborn care. However, while working within the healthcare system, she became acutely aware of the systemic limitations imposed on women—particularly female nurses. “Lack of respect for nurses really, really got me angry. That’s when I started to get involved in the union,” she recalled to the CONTACT . Determined to challenge the conditions under which nurses worked, she became a Labour Relations Consultant, advocating for improved working conditions and greater recognition. “We were teaching other people how to do the job, yet we were never seen as competent enough to do it ourselves. That had to change.”.
As an immigrant, Parris also devoted herself to the integration and advancement of newcomers in Canada. From 1994 to 1996, she served on the Mayor of Montreal’s Advisory Committee on Inter-cultural Affairs, where she focused on supporting victims of intimate partner violence. Her passion for social justice extended beyond Canada, as she actively supported education and hunger relief efforts in a Kenyan village by providing school supplies and financial aid to children in need.
“We are all made from the dirt of the ground,” she said. “God created us equal. It’s just that some of us have a different complexion. But as far as I was concerned, anything they had a right to obtain, I had the right to obtain too.”
Even in her later years, Parris remains unwavering in her commitment to advocacy. Now serving as a pastor, she continues to fight for the rights of women and girls on both national and international levels. Her lifelong dedication is rooted in a deep belief that all people deserve equal opportunities and recognition, regardless of their background.
Upon receiving the Governor General’s Award, Parris reflected on the ongoing struggle for recognition and inclusion. “Five women from Alberta had to fight for women to be recognized as persons. And here we are, still fighting for recognition and inclusion at certain levels. The battle is not yet over,” she stated.
Parris’s personal experiences of systemic racism shaped her resolve to challenge inequality head-on. Recalling her early career in nursing, she described how Black nurses were often overlooked for leadership positions despite training others to perform their duties. “We were never seen as competent enough in the eyes of authority,” she noted. Fueled by a deep-seated belief in justice, she took an active role in union advocacy, breaking down barriers that many believed to be insurmountable.
Her determination to confront injustice extended to some of the most powerful institutions in the country. Parris took on the Royal Victoria Hospital, calling out its discriminatory practices and mobilizing Black nurses and union representatives to demand change. With support from human rights lawyers and advocates such as Juanita Westmoreland and Esmeralda Thornhill, she successfully pushed for policy reforms that reshaped the landscape of healthcare employment.
Her influence went beyond the hospital walls and it led to institutional changes, including the implementation of policies to combat workplace violence and promote respect for healthcare workers. “It took a long time for institutions to admit that systemic racism existed and needed to be addressed,” Parris said. “Even unions didn’t know how to deal with racism. It takes a Black person, someone from the cultural community, to speak up and push for change.”
Reflecting on her journey, Parris attributes her path to divine purpose. “Through the years that I worked for the union, I was 110% convinced that God placed me in that job for a purpose. The things that needed to be done, the things that needed to be said—I was never afraid to say them.”
Jean Parris Honored with Governor General’s Award for Lifelong Advocacy
