Secretary-Treasurer, Canadian Labour Congress

Marie Clarke Walker started her career working in a home for the elderly, later with adults and children with developmental disabilities, as a counsellor and family-support worker in Toronto. She made history in 2002 when she was the first Black woman and the youngest person to be elected as Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). She served in that position for five terms before once again being “first”, this time the first-ever Black woman to serve as CLC Secretary-Treasurer.