Prior to her appointment to the Senate, Gagné worked in the education field. She worked as a high school teacher and principal and was a longtime faculty member of the Université de Saint-Boniface in Winnipeg, serving as president of the school between 2003 and 2014.[1][4]
Gagné contributes to numerous organizations and boards within Manitoba and across Canada. She served as President of the Association of Colleges and Universities of the Canadian Francophonie from 2005 to 2009, was a member of the Advisory Committee on Official Languages for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada from 2007 to 2009.[5]
Political career
Gagné was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 18, 2016. However, she chose to sit as a member of the Independent Senators Group.
On May 12, 2023, Gagné was named Speaker of the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau following the retirement of George Furey, becoming the third female Speaker of the Senate and the first since Renaude Lapointe who served as speaker from 1974 to 1979.[7]
On November 20, 2014, Gagné was awarded the Order of Canada and was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada on September 23, 2015, for services to education and social services.[9] She also received the Prix Riel in the community development category in 2015.[10]