Can You Hear Me Now? Challenging, lonely and exceptional. These are the three words former Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes uses to describe being a Black woman in politics. Why? Because “representation matters,” she tells me. Announcements, Events & more from Tyee and select partners We’re hiring a newsletter specialist, audience development analyst, and office co-ordinator. Check it out and spread the word! During her time in office, Caesar-Chavannes was forced to push back against the status quo and lobby for legislation that would encourage equity. In return, she says she was met with sexism, racism and tokenism. In the end, after a reportedly “explosive” conversation with a possibly tearful Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Whitby MP resigned from the Liberal party caucus in 2019 and decided not to run again.