Lillian Dyck image from the Parliament of Canada

March 24, 2005, Lillian Eva Quan Dyck (關麗蓮) made history as the first Canadian-born senator of Chinese descent and first First Nations woman appointed to the Senate. Her appointment was a landmark for Chinese and Indigenous representation in Canadian politics. Dyck (born 24 August 1945 in North Battleford, SK), a member of the Gordon First Nation and with Chinese heritage, is a respected neuroscientist and advocate. Throughout her senatorial career (until 2020), she championed issues related to Indigenous peoples, women's rights, and minority representation.