Yonah Martin

Yonah Kim-Martin (born April 11, 1965) is a Conservative Senator from British Columbia. She was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and is the first Canadian of Korean descent to hold federal public office. A professional educator for twenty-one years, Martin graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1987 and taught English and drama at W.J. Mouat Secondary School in Abbotsford, BC, for fourteen years. She earned a Master of Ed... more

Yonah Kim-Martin (born April 11, 1965) is a Conservative Senator from British Columbia. She was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and is the first Canadian of Korean descent to hold federal public office. A professional educator for twenty-one years, Martin graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1987 and taught English and drama at W.J. Mouat Secondary School in Abbotsford, BC, for fourteen years. She earned a Master of Education degree in 1996, and went on to teach at several more schools in Burnaby and Coquitlam school districts until her Senate appointment, effective January 2, 2009. She ran as a Conservative candidate in the 2008 federal election, but was not elected. Born in Seoul, Korea, Martin immigrated to Canada with her family in 1972, settling in Vancouver. With deep roots in both Korean and Canadian heritage, she became a prominent community figure in 2003 when she co-founded a non-profit organization, the Corean Canadian Coactive (C3) Society. She... less