Incoming senator touts reconciliation efforts, commitment to Manitoba

Senate appointee Geeta Tucker says she’s learned enough about the province since moving here seven years ago, to make a difference in the red chamber on behalf of Manitobans.

“It’s been an intense seven years,” said the chartered professional accountant.

Her roles in advancing truth and reconciliation for the accounting profession across Canada, and removing barriers for Indigenous learners who study accounting here, have taught her a lot, Tucker said in an interview Friday.

“That was really what drove me to apply for this.”

Earlier in the week, she declined an interview request until she received the official notice of her Senate appointment, which arrived on Friday.

She said she applied to be a senator and was “beyond the moon” Monday when she found out she got the job.

She has no deep roots in Manitoba, political experience or name recognition. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to appoint her to the Senate has raised questions about whether she knows Manitoba well enough to represent its people.

Tucker said she got to know the province after being appointed president and CEO of the CPA Manitoba and establishing the Indigenous Learners in Accounting program.

“We were teaching accounting in a culturally appropriate way, using the concept of accounting, but using case studies that really drew from Indigenous experiences and culture, across First Nations, Métis and Inuit,” she said.

“We would bring Indigenous learners together to study accounting and at the same time attempt to address some of the barriers that they face.” Tucker cited examples, including a lack of Internet service, transportation to get to class, or child care.

“That really cemented my desire to make a difference on behalf of some of our populations that face barriers,” said Tucker. “I myself have faced barriers,” said the woman whose mom and dad immigrated from the Philippines and India, respectively. Tucker’s maiden name is Sampageeta Ekbote.

Early in her career, her resume was passed over because of her “unusual name,” she said.

“After I married Michael Tucker, the top of my resume became G. Tucker. That is when I started receiving phone calls, and that is when I started receiving job opportunities.” She and her husband met at university and had the same credentials, she said.

“I could watch his career flourish while I was a little bit sidelined during the early years.”

Since then, she has helmed the Alberta CPA, and then the Manitoba CPA from 2019 until this January.

“One of the incredible aspects of my job was being able to connect with CPA members and get to know the communities that they’re part of through engaging with them, becoming aware of the different issues that they might face in their communities” while talking to them about accounting, “which is really talking to people about business and what are the challenges that we face across the whole province.”

Tucker said Manitoba is a friendly province. That helped her develop relationships and get to know people.

“People want to get to know you and want to have meaningful conversations with you,” she said.

“I don’t think I’ve experienced that anywhere else in the country,” said Tucker who grew up in Montreal and is fluent in French.

Now, she looks forward to joining the Senate.

Her swearing-in ceremony will be held at the end of September, she said.

Tucker said she’s received messages of congratulations and welcome from more than 20 senators.

“It’s been a little bit of a whirlwind.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca