The Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew, born March 25, 1951, in Tulita, Northwest Territories, is a Canadian politician.

Blondin-Andrew is a Dene who is the Member of Parliament for the district of Western Arctic in the Northwest Territories and Minister of State (Northern Development) in the Liberal Cabinet of Prime Minister Paul Martin.

She was the first Aboriginal woman to be elected to Parliament Hill, in 1988. Before embarking upon her political career she spent many years working in the North as a teacher and later as an Assistant Deputy Minister with the territorial government. Under Prime Ministers Chrétien and Martin she served as Secretary of State then Minister of State, respectively, for Children and Youth.

She was narrowly re-elected in the 2004 Canadian election by a razor thin margin of 53 votes.

Before being a Member of Parliament Blondin-Andrew was a councillor in Fort Providence, Northwest Territories.

External link

• Minister of State (Northern Development) Ethel Blondin-Andrew's biography (http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ai/ps-mos_e.html#mos)