She formerly served as a municipal councillor in Grand Bay–Westfield and served as the executive director of the Saint John Women's Empowerment Network in Saint John, best known for her advocacy on poverty and domestic violence issues.[4] She served on a federal advisory council on poverty, and on New Brunswick's advisory council on the status of women.[2]
Lieutenant-governor
Since September 8, 2019, she has served as lieutenant governor of New Brunswick. She is both the province's first openly LGBT lieutenant governor and the first openly LGBT person to hold any viceregal office in Canada.[1]
In April 2022, the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick ruled that her appointment as lieutenant governor violated the bilingual status of the province under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, since Murphy is unilingual English-speaking.[5] However, in May 2024, the Court of Appeal of New Brunswick overturned this judgment.[6]
On November 15, 2024, Louise Imbeault was announced as Murphy's replacement.[7]
Murphy lives in Grand Bay–Westfield. Her partner Linda Boyle has accompanied her on official engagements, including a visit to King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in November 2022.[9]
Arms
Coat of arms of Brenda Murphy
Crest
A butternut tree Or leaved Purpure fructed Argent issuant from a circlet Or the upper rim set with purple violets Proper.
Escutcheon
Per bend wavy Or and Purpure a bend wavy counterchanged between in chief an orca enarched Purpure embellished Argent and in base semé of mayflowers Argent seeded Or.
Supporters
Two snow geese Argent beaked and legged Or their exterior wings elevated and embellished standing on a cable ferry Purpure its railing Argent issuant from a bar wavy Argent charged with a barrulet wavy Purpure.
^Poitras, Jacques (May 23, 2024). "N.B. Appeal Court says lieutenant-governor is not required to be bilingual". CBC News. Retrieved May 23, 2024. But the appeal court says the Charter doesn't specify a right to "speak" to the lieutenant-governor herself in English or French, only to communicate with her office.
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