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Can You Hear Me Now?: How I Found My Voice and Learned to Live with Passion and Purpose
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 SHAUGHNESSY COHEN PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING
In Can You Hear Me Now?, Celina Caesar-Chavannes digs deep into her childhood and her life as a young Black woman entrepreneur and politician, and shows us that effective and humane leaders grow as much from their mistakes and vulnerabilities as from their strengths.
Celina Caesar-Chavannes, already a breaker of boundaries as a Black woman in business, got into politics because she wanted to make a bigger difference in the world. But when she became the first Black person elected to represent the federal riding of Whitby, Ontario, she hadn't really thought about the fact that Ottawa wasn't designed for someone like her. Celina soon found herself both making waves and breaking down, confronting at night, alone in her Ottawa apartment, all the painful beauty of her childhood and her troubled early adult life. She paid the price for speaking out about micro-aggressions and speaking up for her community and her riding, but she also felt exhilaration and empowerment. As she writes, This is not your typical leadership book where the person is placed in a situation and miraculously comes up with the right response for the wicked problem. This is the story of me falling in love, at last, with who I am, and finding my voice in the unlikeliest of places.
Both memoir and leadership book, Can You Hear Me Now? is a funny, self-aware, poignant, confessional and fierce look at how failing badly and screwing things up completely are truly more powerful lessons in how to conduct a life than extraordinary success. They build an utter honesty with yourself and others that allows you to say things nobody else dares to say--the necessary things about navigating the places that weren't built for you and holding firm to your principles. And, if you do that, you will help build a world where inclusion is real. Just as Celina is now trying to do, in all her brilliance and boldness.
In Can You Hear Me Now?, Celina Caesar-Chavannes digs deep into her childhood and her life as a young Black woman entrepreneur and politician, and shows us that effective and humane leaders grow as much from their mistakes and vulnerabilities as from their strengths.
Celina Caesar-Chavannes, already a breaker of boundaries as a Black woman in business, got into politics because she wanted to make a bigger difference in the world. But when she became the first Black person elected to represent the federal riding of Whitby, Ontario, she hadn't really thought about the fact that Ottawa wasn't designed for someone like her. Celina soon found herself both making waves and breaking down, confronting at night, alone in her Ottawa apartment, all the painful beauty of her childhood and her troubled early adult life. She paid the price for speaking out about micro-aggressions and speaking up for her community and her riding, but she also felt exhilaration and empowerment. As she writes, This is not your typical leadership book where the person is placed in a situation and miraculously comes up with the right response for the wicked problem. This is the story of me falling in love, at last, with who I am, and finding my voice in the unlikeliest of places.
Both memoir and leadership book, Can You Hear Me Now? is a funny, self-aware, poignant, confessional and fierce look at how failing badly and screwing things up completely are truly more powerful lessons in how to conduct a life than extraordinary success. They build an utter honesty with yourself and others that allows you to say things nobody else dares to say--the necessary things about navigating the places that weren't built for you and holding firm to your principles. And, if you do that, you will help build a world where inclusion is real. Just as Celina is now trying to do, in all her brilliance and boldness.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2021
26 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
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May 31, 2021
This autobiography outlines the life of a Canadian entrepreneur and one-time Liberal MP for the Town of Whitby, in Ontario, Celina Caesar-Chavannes.
A forthright accounting of her days working for the current Liberal Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, where she pulls no punches in laying out the unsavoury moments during her role as a 'token' black female member-of-parliament, for the 'feminist' PM. Unflinching, brave, and admirable, Celina is not afraid to share her vulnerability and speak her truth.
A forthright accounting of her days working for the current Liberal Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, where she pulls no punches in laying out the unsavoury moments during her role as a 'token' black female member-of-parliament, for the 'feminist' PM. Unflinching, brave, and admirable, Celina is not afraid to share her vulnerability and speak her truth.
February 13, 2021
"Can You Hear Me Now?" is a fast-moving phenomenal book that spoke to me on so many levels. As a Black Canadian woman, I felt seen after reading about Celina Caesar-Chavannes' life growing up in Canada, her struggles with depression, and the resilience she had to conjure as Whitby's first Black MP. I understood her more after reading but more importantly, I appreciated her candor. It is not easy to write honestly about your life. You must include all facets (good and bad) to create a compelling read. She not only created a fascinating read but she gave her readers a lot to ponder regarding our current political environment and how our country has a lot of work to do to live up to the image it has erected for itself.
November 22, 2020
Celina Caesar-Chavannes is to be admired for her grit and fortitude and her ability to plow ahead no matter what. Her parents came to Canada two years before she did and they were reunited when she was a toddler. Left behind in Grenada, she was initially raised by her formidable, admirable grandmother, Celina's parents put their hopes and dreams in her and that was a lot of pressure to carry and her reactions/rebellions were classically first generation Canadian but you can just sense the love and support that her big extended family wrapped her in. What her parents instilled in her the most is that she could do anything. What she accomplished before getting into politics was truly inspiring. A disciplined, smart and passionate individual, her conflicts with the prime minister were inevitable. It's clear that his encouragement of her running for office had more to do with him ticking the right boxes than actually using any of her talents. But also, she should have realized that even the most talented individual should be prepared to bide their time and prove themselves before being given a big job. She was devastated when she was not selected for Trudeau's first cabinet. Understandable, given that Trudeau's first cabinet was all about ticking boxes and there were some spectacularly underqualified people selected. He did make her his own parliamentary secretary, but she claims the position came with no duties. It seemed the only time Caesar-Chavannes was called upon was when Trudeau needed a Black face on the podium. People will read this memoir for different reasons than why Caesar-Chavannes wrote it. She doesn't come across as well as she thinks she does, but ultimately, the memoir is a damning indictment of Trudeau's leadership style.
Want to read
August 21, 2021Just started this and it's so good...check out her speech in Parliament (thanks Chantel for sharing this link!) https://www.chatelaine.com/news/celin...)
March 17, 2021
Like many Canadians, sometimes it feels like I know more about American politics than our own politics. American politics are louder, flashier, and take up more space in our news. So I’m trying my best to continue to monitor my country’s politics, particularly when it comes to issues of equity. That’s what drew me to Can You Hear Me Now?: I had heard of Celina Caesar-Chavannes and her rocky experience as a Black, female Member of Parliament. But I had another reason to read this too: Caesar-Chavannes is a business owner, an entrepreneur, and this is a memoir about the lessons she has learned and the mistakes she has made. With my best friend Rebecca’s birthday in February, this book seemed like a great gift for an entrepreneur like her.
Caesar-Chavannes pulls no punches in this memoir. She discusses childhood abuse and molestation, and into her adolescence and adulthood she gets real with us about her struggles to complete school, get a degree, stay out of a toxic relationship, and later on, miscarriages, an affair, etc. She lays herself bare to the bone here in a way that is uncomfortable, certainly—but her vulnerability is powerful. Too many leadership memoirs focus on what the author did right, with maybe an anecdote here or there about hilarious failures that helped them learn an important lesson. In contrast, Caesar-Chavannes’ memoir feels more like a litany of “and then I made another mistake”—not only does this feel refreshing and human, but it’s also a reminder not to mythologize ourselves. Too often we look to leaders to tell us stories that paint them as larger than life because we, too, yearn to be that larger-than-life figure. Caesar-Chavannes reminds us that success is not a state you obtain and then you write a book: success and failure come and go in waves, and eventually you might write a book, but that doesn’t mean you’ve “made it.” She’s still got work to do.
Let’s talk about race. I’m white, and therefore I have never experienced racism and discrimination. It’s important for me to read books like this, because Caesar-Chavannes pulls no punches when it comes to calling out racism either. She is not afraid to criticize various politicians, including Prime Minister Trudeau, and I am here for it. She recounts awkward, belittling conversations with the PM where he basically lectures and mansplains at her, and it presents such a stark image to the “cool Justin” reputation Trudeau tries to cultivate for himself. But these sound bites are really just the tip of the iceberg. Those later chapters where Caesar-Chavannes recounts her tumultuous experience in the House of Commons are difficult reading, for it really exposes just how anti-Black the upper echelons of our government are. We teach our children that this country is a bastion of tolerance and diversity, but when you look at the representation in our House of Commons, it’s still very white. Caesar-Chavannes is careful to point out that she is not the only person on Parliament Hill who experiences racism, but that her position as an elected MP protected her in ways staffers and public servants were not. So that was another interesting point for me to think about.
Basically what I’m trying to say is that if, like me, you are interested in anti-racist praxis, this book is a valuable complement to the anti-racist books that are more academic or broader in their scope. Caesar-Chavannes’ personal experiences are worth listening to, because “I don’t see these problems” and “I didn’t know this was going on” are not acceptable statements from us white folks.
Let’s talk gender. I like that she points out the discrepancies between how her parents treated her and her brother from an early age. While some of this might seem obvious, especially to cis women readers, again, I think the very personal and thorough ways in which Caesar-Chavannes explores these ideas creates such a compelling case for institutional sexism and misogyny (not to mention misogynoir, that is, discrimination specifically against Black women) in a way that people who avoid more academic books on feminism and racism can’t miss.
One message she hammers home: representation matters, but access to representation matters more. It isn’t enough to have Black people and Black women in particular in positions of power and responsibility. They need to be accessible to younger Black women so that there can be mentorship and connection. This is something I will take from this book and think about, in my positions of power as an educator—how can I facilitate this within my sphere of influence?
Let’s talk learning from your mistakes. Really, this is the theme of the book. Caesar-Chavannes carefully articulates how important it has been, throughout her life, to listen to herself and to honour the lessons from mistakes she has made. In particular, I like that she reminds us to make space and let ourselves rest in between projects. Don’t dive right into the next thing because you think you owe it to yourself or others to be productive. Give yourself time to rest, time to recover, time to regroup. You deserve that.
My one critique, honestly, would be that I wasn’t a huge fan of Caesar-Chavannes’ voice as it comes across in her writing style. It’s quite straightforward, with a few flourishes here and there—and it might be just that the strict adherence to chronology feels very confining at times that I want her to burst out with an anachronistic comment or aside. So it took me a while longer to warm up to this book than I would have liked. Nevertheless, I walked away from it with the lessons I hoped.
Accessible, thoughtful, hopeful, courageous—I could list a bunch of generic adjectives that apply. What Can You Hear Me Now? comes down to though is honesty. This is not a book that panders to our white supremacist society’s idea of what a Black woman who is a business owner and was a politician should say about her experiences. She isn’t moderating her tone, isn’t going to follow the narrative. Celina Caesar-Chavannes tells her story the only way she can: personally and with deep, humble honesty that reflects the limits of her experiences and the limitlessness of her ambition.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
Caesar-Chavannes pulls no punches in this memoir. She discusses childhood abuse and molestation, and into her adolescence and adulthood she gets real with us about her struggles to complete school, get a degree, stay out of a toxic relationship, and later on, miscarriages, an affair, etc. She lays herself bare to the bone here in a way that is uncomfortable, certainly—but her vulnerability is powerful. Too many leadership memoirs focus on what the author did right, with maybe an anecdote here or there about hilarious failures that helped them learn an important lesson. In contrast, Caesar-Chavannes’ memoir feels more like a litany of “and then I made another mistake”—not only does this feel refreshing and human, but it’s also a reminder not to mythologize ourselves. Too often we look to leaders to tell us stories that paint them as larger than life because we, too, yearn to be that larger-than-life figure. Caesar-Chavannes reminds us that success is not a state you obtain and then you write a book: success and failure come and go in waves, and eventually you might write a book, but that doesn’t mean you’ve “made it.” She’s still got work to do.
Let’s talk about race. I’m white, and therefore I have never experienced racism and discrimination. It’s important for me to read books like this, because Caesar-Chavannes pulls no punches when it comes to calling out racism either. She is not afraid to criticize various politicians, including Prime Minister Trudeau, and I am here for it. She recounts awkward, belittling conversations with the PM where he basically lectures and mansplains at her, and it presents such a stark image to the “cool Justin” reputation Trudeau tries to cultivate for himself. But these sound bites are really just the tip of the iceberg. Those later chapters where Caesar-Chavannes recounts her tumultuous experience in the House of Commons are difficult reading, for it really exposes just how anti-Black the upper echelons of our government are. We teach our children that this country is a bastion of tolerance and diversity, but when you look at the representation in our House of Commons, it’s still very white. Caesar-Chavannes is careful to point out that she is not the only person on Parliament Hill who experiences racism, but that her position as an elected MP protected her in ways staffers and public servants were not. So that was another interesting point for me to think about.
Basically what I’m trying to say is that if, like me, you are interested in anti-racist praxis, this book is a valuable complement to the anti-racist books that are more academic or broader in their scope. Caesar-Chavannes’ personal experiences are worth listening to, because “I don’t see these problems” and “I didn’t know this was going on” are not acceptable statements from us white folks.
Let’s talk gender. I like that she points out the discrepancies between how her parents treated her and her brother from an early age. While some of this might seem obvious, especially to cis women readers, again, I think the very personal and thorough ways in which Caesar-Chavannes explores these ideas creates such a compelling case for institutional sexism and misogyny (not to mention misogynoir, that is, discrimination specifically against Black women) in a way that people who avoid more academic books on feminism and racism can’t miss.
One message she hammers home: representation matters, but access to representation matters more. It isn’t enough to have Black people and Black women in particular in positions of power and responsibility. They need to be accessible to younger Black women so that there can be mentorship and connection. This is something I will take from this book and think about, in my positions of power as an educator—how can I facilitate this within my sphere of influence?
Let’s talk learning from your mistakes. Really, this is the theme of the book. Caesar-Chavannes carefully articulates how important it has been, throughout her life, to listen to herself and to honour the lessons from mistakes she has made. In particular, I like that she reminds us to make space and let ourselves rest in between projects. Don’t dive right into the next thing because you think you owe it to yourself or others to be productive. Give yourself time to rest, time to recover, time to regroup. You deserve that.
My one critique, honestly, would be that I wasn’t a huge fan of Caesar-Chavannes’ voice as it comes across in her writing style. It’s quite straightforward, with a few flourishes here and there—and it might be just that the strict adherence to chronology feels very confining at times that I want her to burst out with an anachronistic comment or aside. So it took me a while longer to warm up to this book than I would have liked. Nevertheless, I walked away from it with the lessons I hoped.
Accessible, thoughtful, hopeful, courageous—I could list a bunch of generic adjectives that apply. What Can You Hear Me Now? comes down to though is honesty. This is not a book that panders to our white supremacist society’s idea of what a Black woman who is a business owner and was a politician should say about her experiences. She isn’t moderating her tone, isn’t going to follow the narrative. Celina Caesar-Chavannes tells her story the only way she can: personally and with deep, humble honesty that reflects the limits of her experiences and the limitlessness of her ambition.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
February 8, 2021
Here's something you need to know before you crack open the spine of this book: if you start reading it at bedtime, you're going to end up staying up way too late. (Yes, the book is that compelling.)
What will keep you turning pages is the fierce honesty of the book's author, Celina Caesar-Chavannes, and her willingness to be open about her struggles, both before and after she entered politics.
She describes the pressures she faced as a Black woman elected to Parliament. Caesar-Chavannes went into politics because she wanted to make a difference -- a real difference. Representation matters, she insists -- but only if the person sitting at the table is fighting for something that matters to them: "If nothing matters to them, why are they there? If they are not going to speak up for issues, why are they there? Especially in public office and public service, they should be vocal on important issues, pushing the powers-that-be to be bolder and advocating for interests that might be outside of their own but promote the greater good. If they don't, they should get out of the way and allow someone who will [to] take their place."
It's clear that it's going to take a whole bunch of "someones" to turn the tide. As Caesar-Chavannes notes in the final pages of the book, "My experience in politics has demonstrated to me that there is capacity to change political structures from the inside, but only if we are there in numbers." Her call to action? "I am going to ask women, of all backgrounds to run, and run in packs. Get your girlfriends and their girlfriends and run like we have never run before."
And don't stop running.
What will keep you turning pages is the fierce honesty of the book's author, Celina Caesar-Chavannes, and her willingness to be open about her struggles, both before and after she entered politics.
She describes the pressures she faced as a Black woman elected to Parliament. Caesar-Chavannes went into politics because she wanted to make a difference -- a real difference. Representation matters, she insists -- but only if the person sitting at the table is fighting for something that matters to them: "If nothing matters to them, why are they there? If they are not going to speak up for issues, why are they there? Especially in public office and public service, they should be vocal on important issues, pushing the powers-that-be to be bolder and advocating for interests that might be outside of their own but promote the greater good. If they don't, they should get out of the way and allow someone who will [to] take their place."
It's clear that it's going to take a whole bunch of "someones" to turn the tide. As Caesar-Chavannes notes in the final pages of the book, "My experience in politics has demonstrated to me that there is capacity to change political structures from the inside, but only if we are there in numbers." Her call to action? "I am going to ask women, of all backgrounds to run, and run in packs. Get your girlfriends and their girlfriends and run like we have never run before."
And don't stop running.
June 4, 2021
This is not your average political memoir (way more uses of the word fuck than the average one). This was a refreshingly honest story of the life and political career of Ms. Cesar Chavannes. In it she confronts the problems that lie at the heart of Canadian politics and explains in a way only someone who has experienced it personally, why the Canadian political system is still not inclusive.
There's also an amazing part of the book where she talks about how she told off Trudeau in spectacular fashion and it was probably my favourite part of the book!
There's also an amazing part of the book where she talks about how she told off Trudeau in spectacular fashion and it was probably my favourite part of the book!
February 16, 2021
"If you venture out of your comfort zone, sometimes you will be the only one who looks like you...It can be scary and lonely, but the world needs us to show up and build relationships."
- Celina Caesar-Chavannes
She served as the former Parliamentary Secretary for my department, and I remember thinking what a badass lady, to tweet against Bernier calling him out for his racist remark.
I was disappointed to learn she quit politics. But I understood why - the microaggressions and flawed political system, all of that takes a toll on a woman of colour. I can relate. And I still deeply respect her. Her political journey may have been short but I know we haven't seen the last of her.
I love her grit, her honesty. She spoke her mind, and just the plain fact that she is REAL. Being new to politics gave her an edge, and we needed that.
The first half of the memoir tells the story of her childhood, born in Grenada and growing up in Brampton, with many funny and equally heartening anecdotes.
I was initially skeptical of this book, thinking this would be a political pitch or a defensive memoir justifying her political departure. But I am so happy and unsurprised it wasn't that. The political story took less than half of her whole book.
Personally, this book really is a map and pathway for me. Celina Caesar-Chavannes gave tools to navigate my way as a woman of colour - and forced me to reflect deeply about the state of our institution. Diversity is not enough, we need to demand inclusion and dismantle structures that perpetuate racism.
What I also appreciated was the candidness of her disorienting experiences with multiple changes (in life generally but also in careers). Much like a puzzle finding spaces to fit - but more so sharing the many different ways to grow.
"When we hold positions that traditionally have not been occupied by people who look like us, and enter spaces where we have been historically few in number, the people who inhibit those realms often don't see us."
- Celina Caesar-Chavannes
She served as the former Parliamentary Secretary for my department, and I remember thinking what a badass lady, to tweet against Bernier calling him out for his racist remark.
I was disappointed to learn she quit politics. But I understood why - the microaggressions and flawed political system, all of that takes a toll on a woman of colour. I can relate. And I still deeply respect her. Her political journey may have been short but I know we haven't seen the last of her.
I love her grit, her honesty. She spoke her mind, and just the plain fact that she is REAL. Being new to politics gave her an edge, and we needed that.
The first half of the memoir tells the story of her childhood, born in Grenada and growing up in Brampton, with many funny and equally heartening anecdotes.
I was initially skeptical of this book, thinking this would be a political pitch or a defensive memoir justifying her political departure. But I am so happy and unsurprised it wasn't that. The political story took less than half of her whole book.
Personally, this book really is a map and pathway for me. Celina Caesar-Chavannes gave tools to navigate my way as a woman of colour - and forced me to reflect deeply about the state of our institution. Diversity is not enough, we need to demand inclusion and dismantle structures that perpetuate racism.
What I also appreciated was the candidness of her disorienting experiences with multiple changes (in life generally but also in careers). Much like a puzzle finding spaces to fit - but more so sharing the many different ways to grow.
"When we hold positions that traditionally have not been occupied by people who look like us, and enter spaces where we have been historically few in number, the people who inhibit those realms often don't see us."
March 11, 2021
This story didn't grip me the way a lot of bios do; I basically forced myself to keep reading and finish it. Its biggest effect on me was to further cement my distaste for our ridiculous political system which cares about power, not about people.
March 27, 2021
Really great. Read this on audiobook and she reads it herself, which just adds to it all. Very vulnerable, very necessary.
February 3, 2021
RATING:
4/5 stars
REVIEW:
Celina Caesar-Chavannes made it to the national stage in 2015 for being the only black, woman Member of Parliament, representing the Toronto suburb of Whitby. She was selected as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Parliamentary Secretary. In the opening chapter, she briefly shares about her decision to quit the Liberal Party and spend the remainder of her time in the House of Commons as an Independent (having no party affiliation), with more to come on her time in Ottawa later in the book. She then heads back to her humble beginnings in the Caribbean Island of Grenada and there her story begins.
This is a memoir in every sense of the word. This book is a story about Celina’s healing, a journal, where she learn some of the deepest challenges and hardest obstacles Celina experienced, endured and overcame. In a world with so much growing need and desire for better representation, reading about Celina’s childhood and seeing so many similarities to my own made me feel like this book was written for me or about me. Never before have I seen myself in print before, but that it was I saw in Can you Hear Me Now. As I read of Celina’s experiences in childhood, relationship with her mother, father and grandparents I couldn’t help but repeatedly draw parallels between us. You see, Celina, like me is a black Grenadian-Canada woman, who grew up in Toronto in a very Grenadian home.
It is cathartic for me even reading about her as a young woman getting in trouble at home, struggling at times in school, having issues within her familial relationships, and STILL overcoming and making a positive impact in her life. It causes the reader to reflect on their own trials and struggles and confront the buried and underlying things which we protect from others’ view.
This is the type of story where you know how it ends (if you paid any attention to her at all during her political career), but you’re still cheering Celina on as you’re reading, hoping that she will prevail in the end.
*Spoiler alert* She does.
I can hear you Celina, and you’ve encouraged me to speak up and speak out and make sure that my voice is also heard.
I’m grateful to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy (ARC) I received in exchange for this fair and non-biased review.
4/5 stars
REVIEW:
Celina Caesar-Chavannes made it to the national stage in 2015 for being the only black, woman Member of Parliament, representing the Toronto suburb of Whitby. She was selected as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Parliamentary Secretary. In the opening chapter, she briefly shares about her decision to quit the Liberal Party and spend the remainder of her time in the House of Commons as an Independent (having no party affiliation), with more to come on her time in Ottawa later in the book. She then heads back to her humble beginnings in the Caribbean Island of Grenada and there her story begins.
This is a memoir in every sense of the word. This book is a story about Celina’s healing, a journal, where she learn some of the deepest challenges and hardest obstacles Celina experienced, endured and overcame. In a world with so much growing need and desire for better representation, reading about Celina’s childhood and seeing so many similarities to my own made me feel like this book was written for me or about me. Never before have I seen myself in print before, but that it was I saw in Can you Hear Me Now. As I read of Celina’s experiences in childhood, relationship with her mother, father and grandparents I couldn’t help but repeatedly draw parallels between us. You see, Celina, like me is a black Grenadian-Canada woman, who grew up in Toronto in a very Grenadian home.
It is cathartic for me even reading about her as a young woman getting in trouble at home, struggling at times in school, having issues within her familial relationships, and STILL overcoming and making a positive impact in her life. It causes the reader to reflect on their own trials and struggles and confront the buried and underlying things which we protect from others’ view.
This is the type of story where you know how it ends (if you paid any attention to her at all during her political career), but you’re still cheering Celina on as you’re reading, hoping that she will prevail in the end.
*Spoiler alert* She does.
I can hear you Celina, and you’ve encouraged me to speak up and speak out and make sure that my voice is also heard.
I’m grateful to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy (ARC) I received in exchange for this fair and non-biased review.
February 7, 2021
Full of "holy shit!" moments, including re: astonishing stories, excellent turns of phrase, and unapologetic openness about her experiences.
January 24, 2021
I enjoyed this memoir immensely. It was filled with unabashed honesty and bluntness. I loved how Celina demonstrates in her memoir that embracing one’s own authenticity, the thing that makes you unique without fear or any reprisal is a form of self-care, self-love and true self-acceptance. A great nugget of wisdom to take from this memoir.
*Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada & NetGalley for this Ebook in exchange for my honest review
*Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada & NetGalley for this Ebook in exchange for my honest review
April 15, 2021
What a powerful book about a powerful woman ! She had me for the first time in my 30 something years of life , interested and invested in Canadian politics! It was awesome to read her origin story and share in her losses and successes . Great read ! I implore everyone ( especially young women of colour ) to give this a read ! Canadian or not, Mrs Chavannes story is worth discovering !
May 1, 2021
Super transparent!
Read
July 1, 2021- won't rate it bc it's a memoir/biography(?)
- took me ,, much too long to read this but I still remember most of the events (at least, I think so) so that's great
- first parts of the book made my heart hurt
- last parts of the book annoyed my brain to no end (bc of the government, not her)
I don't agree with her on some stuff but ultimately ,, this was a great book, especially if you haven't witnessed how absolutely messed up the canadian government is. It's not just messed up but it's a mess. She said herself:
ANYWAYS
I've written more than I intended 🚶
oH one more thing: We only got one mention of it from when she was younger but I hope she got/gets to explore her queerness more now if she wants.
- took me ,, much too long to read this but I still remember most of the events (at least, I think so) so that's great
- first parts of the book made my heart hurt
- last parts of the book annoyed my brain to no end (bc of the government, not her)
I don't agree with her on some stuff but ultimately ,, this was a great book, especially if you haven't witnessed how absolutely messed up the canadian government is. It's not just messed up but it's a mess. She said herself:
"If I was elected [...] the real work was about to begin, and I had no idea what that meant. I had campaigned [...] to advocate for my constituents, but I really had no idea what the job was all about."And so she didn't even know what to do and still got elected. Not that she shouldn't have, but it's just ridiculous to me ?? like this is her, a Black woman, and all the discrimination and crap that comes with being herself ??? and still. And then what about all the white dudes? They don't need to be qualified at all if they have privilege (I mean, wbk but this book illustrates it SO well).
ANYWAYS
I've written more than I intended 🚶
oH one more thing: We only got one mention of it from when she was younger but I hope she got/gets to explore her queerness more now if she wants.
March 30, 2022
3.5*. I think I took too long in reading this, I broke it up too much and had a hard time staying engaged. I was really interested in the second half of the book when Celina goes over her experiences in politics. I was surprised, same as I was when reading another political biography recently, that job descriptions don’t really exist in government and you essentially have to make it up yourself and propose your role to the team. I was impressed with her ability to sit back and wait for people to realize her role and come to her when they would initially brush her off because of her gender and race. She is completely honest throughout this book and I appreciated that, talking about her struggles in school as well as her marriage and how she made both work. I’m glad I read it and would recommend.
Read
April 4, 2021Celina is a friend of mine, so I just had to pick up a copy of this book. Going in, I had high expectations for it, and every single one of those expectations were blown right out of the water. Celina is the single most real, up front, and unapologetic person I know, and that comes through in great measure in every single page of this book. Her integrity and standing up for what she believes doesn't ever take a backseat to anything or anybody. I admire Celina and she teaches me to always speak my truth, be unapologetically me, and keep fighting for what I know I deserve and what I know to be the right thing. Always.
May 10, 2021
Celina certainly had been treated badly by the Liberal party but so had Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott.
August 9, 2022
This is a no-holds barred memoir. Trailblazers face barriers, and this book lays clear the barriers in and outside of our political system that Black people in Canada face. Celina doesn’t shy away from saying what’s wrong with our power structures, calling out those who enable systemic barriers and sharing the good, the bad and the ugly of her life.
I have nothing but respect for Celina. She’s a voice for change and someone who will never let people be comfortable until we are all equal. Out of politics, but not out of influence, I hope Celina continues to change our country in the years moving forward. I particularly appreciate her candour about depression and mental health. I also appreciate her backbone; not many people would have the fortitude to say “f**k you, mother f****r” to the Prime Minister of Canada but after the way Trudeau treated Celina after her decision to not run again, he deserved to be chewed out.
This isn’t just a memoir of a former MP. It’s a powerful and uniquely Canadian story, and my only regret is that it took me two years to read it.
I have nothing but respect for Celina. She’s a voice for change and someone who will never let people be comfortable until we are all equal. Out of politics, but not out of influence, I hope Celina continues to change our country in the years moving forward. I particularly appreciate her candour about depression and mental health. I also appreciate her backbone; not many people would have the fortitude to say “f**k you, mother f****r” to the Prime Minister of Canada but after the way Trudeau treated Celina after her decision to not run again, he deserved to be chewed out.
This isn’t just a memoir of a former MP. It’s a powerful and uniquely Canadian story, and my only regret is that it took me two years to read it.
May 2, 2021
Chapter 7
“Sharing our experience helps others to know they are not alone in a given circumstance, but I also believe that the vulnerability that we show when telling our stories gives other people hope l. It was in that moment I realized that our most vulnerable moments to build strength and resilience in other people as well as ourselves, to empower others to creat a sense of humanity that is so often lacking in our society, because we are too busy to show off to our neighbours instead of show up for them!”
“Sharing our experience helps others to know they are not alone in a given circumstance, but I also believe that the vulnerability that we show when telling our stories gives other people hope l. It was in that moment I realized that our most vulnerable moments to build strength and resilience in other people as well as ourselves, to empower others to creat a sense of humanity that is so often lacking in our society, because we are too busy to show off to our neighbours instead of show up for them!”
May 7, 2021
A short, well written depiction of life in the political machine as it is now. People appointed for optics and then marginalized and muzzled lest they actually want to contribute to the decision making process.
March 20, 2021
Without a doubt the absolute most honest memoir/autobiography I have ever read. Only thing that comes close it Educated by Tara Westover. This book is so open and honest you have to adjust to the writing because you are just not used to being so straightforward about their life. Amazing insight into her upbringing, business career and 4 years in politics.
March 17, 2021
I couldn't put this book down! Captivating, heartfelt (I teared more than I would like to admit), inspiring, BOLD! I loved every minute reading about Celina's life, she sets the tone for what it means to live your values and embody them, even and especially when it's uncomfortable. Highly recommend.
March 11, 2021
This was an incredibly honest, inspiring, and entertaining book. I could relate to so much being an indian girl from Rexdale, including the plastic on the furniture LOL! Thank you for writing this book and for being so transparent. I am totally here for you and your HUBBY. he loves you and you shared how much you love him. This book is a must read!
March 8, 2021
A powerful memoir that is fierce, honest & reflective. Undoubtedly, one is forced to critically think about Canada's political system and the behavior of those in positions of power. Reading this book challenges anyone who may might still say that racism and sexism doesn't exist in Canada's highest political offices. The Parliamentary security search of a female PhD student's dreadlocks was an earth-shaking example that will stay with me for a long time.
December 13, 2024
The National Post
Trudeau tokenism was 'dehumanizing,' former MP tells Jordan Peterson
Celina Caesar-Chavannes: 'I'm not allowed to speak to media, I'm not allowed to speak in the house, I'm not being sent anywhere'
Author of the article: Terry Newman
Nov 01, 2024
Former MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hardly ever consulted with her when she was parliamentary secretary.
Celina Caesar-Chavannes recently sat down with Jordan Peterson and described how quickly her time as a Liberal MP went from “sunny ways” to dark days. Little of what Caesar-Chavannes says here about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s behaviour is new, but since she, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott left parliament, these behaviours have been corroborated so many times that they should now be impossible to ignore.
Starry-eyed and hopeful about the government’s new sunny ways when elected, Caesar-Chavannes was about to quickly find out what working with a “Because it’s 2015” cabinet really meant.
Despite having no political experience, she was appointed Trudeau’s parliamentary secretary within a couple of months. She told Peterson it was a shock to win, and a shock to be in that job. But she says she was determined that she could do it.
Caesar-Chavannes says that her and Trudeau did not get off on the right foot, because, she says, she did not immediately answer, “Yes,” to the question of whether or not she trusted his judgment. “No. I have no reason to. I just met you,” she said she told him. According to her, Trudeau immediately took offence to this. “I realize at that moment the tension in the room got a little awkward,” she said.
“I ran. I was elected, he just had a different title. We both worked hard. But I had to appreciate him for whatever reason. He raked me over the coals for that,” she said.
Admittedly, this sounds funny to anyone who understands what he was actually asking at this point. Trudeau obviously wasn’t asking her for the kind of trust involved between husband and spouse.
On the one hand, Caesar-Chavannes comes off from the get-go as unnecessarily combative, as if she’s never had a boss before. Every office has a Celina — someone who’s too big for their britches, hasn’t yet put in their time for the type of respect and power they want to wield, and who immediately sees fault in everyone but themselves.
On the other hand, someone in the top position in the country should have been able to deal with someone like Caesar-Chavannes with a light touch without becoming insulted. Alas, Trudeau had only ever been a substitute teacher, and does not appear to have acquired these real-world people skills.
When asked by Peterson who was actually running the show in the Liberal government when she was there, Caesar-Chavannes responded, “Canadians would remember that when Harper was PM, that people kept saying that the prime minister’s office was really centralized, all decisions were made there — nothing changed with Trudeau.
“It was the central office, it was his principal secretaries: Gerry Butts, Katie Telford, that were primarily running the show. I don’t think I’m the only one who would say this. I think that when (former finance minister) Bill Morneau left, he said the same thing,” she said.
Communications in the House of Commons were tightly controlled. Caesar-Chavannes was told, “Read this speech, say what’s on this speech and don’t deviate.” She complained about cookie cutter tweets: “Everyone sends out a tweet and they all look the same.”
And it didn’t take long for Caesar-Chavannes to realize that the “Because 2015” cabinet wasn’t going to be all rainbows and butterflies. (Parliamentary secretaries are not members of cabinet, but they represent cabinet to the rest of Parliament.)
“Between 2015-2019 I was the only Black female Canadian elected. I wasn’t going to complain too much. I didn’t want to ruffle feathers,” she told Peterson. But she thought, “something isn’t right.” She was told make sure she showed up for a picture on a certain date. It turned out that it was to commemorate an occasion that involved Black history. She quickly started to notice a pattern. “I was invited to three events that were Black-focused, after that, I was done,” she said.
“Tokenism is very disenfranchising, very dehumanizing…. I’m not allowed to speak to media, I’m not allowed to speak in the house, I’m not being sent anywhere. What kind of trip does that play on your mind? What does that do to the mind of a person when they know that the only thing that they’re there for is like, ‘omg, look at this I’m Black,’ and, ‘omg, look at these (gesturing to her breasts), I’m a woman.'” Overall, she said she felt, “duped and betrayed,” by the Liberal government.
At one point she told him, “If I’m here to fill any gender or racial gap within your cabinet, then I don’t want this role.”
In addition to having to deal with being used as a prop for her gender and race, there was also the explosive childish antics that Trudeau has become known for which has sent ministers fleeing from his sinking ship.
Later, Caesar-Chavannes came to Trudeau to make peace, but it did not go well. According to her, as soon as she opened her mouth and said, “Justin I’m shit” the room became tense: “There was no words. It was a glare. It was this reddening of the face. It was the exhalation of his voice… And I was stopped in my tracks with the glare, the huff, and he got up from his seat and left, and I froze. Because at that moment, I knew that this person actually could make or break the rest of my life.” Trudeau sounds like a human resources nightmare. No wonder his cabinet never complains about his constant jet-setting and frequent absence in the House of Commons. They’re probably relieved.
Peterson, an eminently qualified clinical psychologist, suggests Trudeau might be a wounded narcissist, which is essentially someone who’s used to being a compliment magnet, whose ego has been severely wounded and now constantly needs veneration. Sounds about right.
Several other ministers have complained about Justin Trudeau’s behaviour before jumping ship. Jody Wilson-Raybould expressed that she wished she’d never met him, having once thought he was an “honest and good person, when, in truth, he would so casually lie to the public,” and from her description of events, gaslight her for doing the right thing.
And it wasn’t just women whose expertise he had no time for. Bill Morneau has suggested that Trudeau runs his government in such a way that policy rationales were cast aside in order to score political points — cutting big cheques during COVID was the more popular thing for Trudeau to do. And we know how he loves to be loved.
And former foreign affairs minister Marc Garneau, who was an astronaut before politics, has said: “The prime minister’s aloofness led me to conclude that he did not consider my advice useful.” He added that Trudeau was not very good at international relations, nor did he value the importance of a foreign affairs minister. Enter Mélanie Joly to help prove Garneau’s point.
Asked by Peterson why she didn’t go to the media about Trudeau’s behaviour towards herself and others at the time, she suggested the media wouldn’t be interested: “The Canadian media has still managed to glorify this individual and not hold him to account.” Caesar-Chavannes felt that legacy media allowed Trudeau to evade the consequences of his behaviour, and that these consequences ended up falling more on anyone who dared to stand up to the PM. Some things never change.
March 6, 2021
I've read a few political memoirs and you can usually expect the subject to shape their own narrative, but this book does something so brave. Celina opens her life to all of us. The pain, the anger, the falls, and the moments that made this worth it.
It gives you a very clear sense of the serious issues with the liberal government when it comes to inclusion, anti-black racism, and Trudeau's leadership. IDK how they are not being asked to respond to these claims.
It gives you a very clear sense of the serious issues with the liberal government when it comes to inclusion, anti-black racism, and Trudeau's leadership. IDK how they are not being asked to respond to these claims.
March 3, 2021
Loved reading Celina's story. From her youth and growing up, the struggles of university, growing a business and being heard in politics, Celina details with emotion to her reader along the way how daily struggles are multipled when you're a female and again when you're Black. Her explanation with examples of microaggrsssions she experienced in her political career and the deplorable politics by political "leaders" on both sides of the House is informative to those who can't see the inner workings of a branch of government built and retained by middle-aged white men.
Well done Celina, can't wait to read the future chapters.
Well done Celina, can't wait to read the future chapters.
October 9, 2021
So thankful to have amazing women like Celina Caesar-Chavannes working in government! It's a horrible shame the way she was treated but I fully respect the way she called out the cabinet on the racism, discrimination, micro-aggressions and other harmful behaviors. This was a great memoir of a truly inspiring Black woman entrepreneur and politician. She talks openly and honestly about vulnerable moments from marital troubles, to miscarriages as well as her flaws and failures. I also really appreciated how frank she was about her struggles with depression and anxiety and her overall mental health, especially during her time as an MP. This was an excellent listen on audio hearing her speak her own words with passion and conviction - I cannot recommend this book enough!
Favorite quotes:
"If people like me keep trying to fit into spaces like the House of Commons, which run according to a narrative of power and privilege designed to exclude us, how can we expect those places to change? We need politics to be different."
"What's the point of finding your voice if it is muzzled because the simple truth of your message makes others uncomfortable?"
"When we share our failures with others we all learn and grow...the vulnerability we show in telling our stories gives other people hope."
"A Black woman in politics was supposed to be nice, sit nice, dress nice, remain humble and be glad that she was allowed a seat at the table but I was already failing at all that."
"I'm so tired of being attacked as a racist because I question racism or speak up against it. The label does not belong to me. I will not sit and let others say what they wish because they feel they can get away with it, or others are too cowardly to object. I will speak up."
Favorite quotes:
"If people like me keep trying to fit into spaces like the House of Commons, which run according to a narrative of power and privilege designed to exclude us, how can we expect those places to change? We need politics to be different."
"What's the point of finding your voice if it is muzzled because the simple truth of your message makes others uncomfortable?"
"When we share our failures with others we all learn and grow...the vulnerability we show in telling our stories gives other people hope."
"A Black woman in politics was supposed to be nice, sit nice, dress nice, remain humble and be glad that she was allowed a seat at the table but I was already failing at all that."
"I'm so tired of being attacked as a racist because I question racism or speak up against it. The label does not belong to me. I will not sit and let others say what they wish because they feel they can get away with it, or others are too cowardly to object. I will speak up."
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