A Canadian senator and a former holder of various ministries, de Bané was born in Haifa, Palestine (1938). His Lebanese family immigrated to Canada in 1947 amid increased tensions and great likelihood for war in Palestine, eventually settling in Quebec.
An advocate for Palestinian refugee rights, de Bané is a lawyer by vocation. He is a member of the following Senate Committees: Foreign Affairs, and Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, and has been involved with Parliamentary groups including the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly, the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, and the Canada-United Kingdom Parliamentary Association. His areas of interest and specialization include: fisheries, foreign affairs, and legal affairs.
He has served as the as Minister of State for External Relations, as well as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. De Bané also served as the Minister of Supply and Services, during which time he announced the 22k $100 gold coin, to honor the International Year of the Child.
