Viola Léger (June 29, 1930 – January 28, 2023) was an American-born Canadian actress and politician who served in the Senate of Canada from 2001 to 2005.Conway Daly, "Two new senators bring showbiz element". Brantford Expositor, September 1, 2001.
Born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Léger received a B.A. and a B.Ed. from the Université de Moncton, and an M.F.A. (Theater Education) from Boston University.Margaret Patricia Eaton, "La Sagouine set to take the stage in Moncton". Times & Transcript, January 18, 2016. As an actress, she was most noted for playing the title role in Antonine Maillet's play La Sagouine for both stage and television, performing the role over 3,000 times over the course of her career from 1971 until 2016.Jennifer Gouchie-Terris, "Le Pays de la Sagouine pays tribute to Acadian actress Viola Leger". Times & Transcript, June 16, 2017.
She was appointed to the Senate at the recommendation of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, in 2001, representing the senatorial division of L'Acadie, New Brunswick. She was a member of the Liberal caucus. Léger retired from the Senate on June 29, 2005Kathy Kaufield, "Tobique woman headed to Senate; Sandra Lovelace Nicholas fought to restore women's aboriginal status". Telegraph-Journal, August 31, 2005. at the mandatory retirement age of 75.Senate of Canada: Senate Procedure and Practice, June 2015, p. 9.
Léger died in Dieppe, New Brunswick on January 28, 2023, at the age of 92.
Awards and honours She was a Dora Mavor Moore Award winner for lead performance at the 1980 Dora Mavor Moore Awards for the production of La Sagouine at the Théâtre Français de Toronto.Ray Conlogue, "Dora Mavor Moore Awards suffer from stage fright". The Globe and Mail, January 27, 1981.
In 1989, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada."Poet, skater, ex-minister named to Order of Canada". The Globe and Mail, December 22, 1989. In 2007, she was awarded the Order of New Brunswick."10 enshrined into the Order of New Brunswick". The Daily Gleaner, October 31, 2007. Léger received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 2013 for her work as an actress.Brent Mazerolle, "Governor General honours renowned performer; Accolades Viola Leger, best known for La Sagouine, given lifetime achievement award". Telegraph-Journal, April 11, 2013.
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