- Dave Cooke
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For other people of the same name, see David Cooke (disambiguation).
Dave Cooke (born August 1, 1952 in Windsor, Ontario) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was an NDP member of the provincial legislature from 1977 to 1997, and was a senior cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae.
Contents
Early career
Cooke was educated at the University of Windsor, and was a social worker[1] at the Essex Children's Aid Society in Windsor before entering politics. He served on the Windsor Planning Board in 1974,[2] and was a member of the Windsor Board of Education from 1975 to 1976.[3]
Electoral history
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the general election of 1977,[1] defeating Liberal Michael MacDougall by over 2,000 votes in the riding of Windsor—Riverside. He was re-elected by greater margins in the elections of 1981, 1985, 1987 and 1990. Cooke defeated future Liberal MP Rick Limoges by almost 6,000 votes in 1987.
Political career
Unlike most other members of the NDP caucus, Cooke was supportive of Bob Rae's leadership throughout the 1980s. As early as 1981, he had petitioned Rae to run for the leadership of the provincial party. He became the party's whip in 1985.[4] and acted as the health critic.[5] In 1987, he was appointed as the party's House leader, and became pensions critic.[6]
Ministerial positions
The NDP won a majority government in the 1990 election. Cooke, as one of the party's most senior MPPs, was appointed Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs on October 1, 1990.[2][7] On July 31, 1991, he was appointed government House Leader and he moved to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.[8] Cooke also served as Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet from September 23, 1992 to February 3, 1993.
On February 3, 1993, Cooke was promoted to the high-profile position of Minister of Education,[3][9] which he retained for the remainder of the Rae government's time in office.
Cooke endorsed the Rae government's establishment of a casino in Windsor as a means of stimulating the city's economy during the recession of the early 1990s. He also strongly opposed cuts to welfare recipients. As education minister, he maintained support for "de-streaming" (which had been endorsed by Tony Silipo, his predecessor) and endorsed and implemented province-wide testing.
Opposition and resignation
The NDP lost the 1995 provincial election, although Cooke was re-elected in Windsor—Riverside with a reduced majority.[10] He continued to serve as NDP house leader from 1995 to 1996. In 1996, he endorsed Frances Lankin's unsuccessful bid to replace Rae as party leader.[11]
Cooke resigned from the legislature in January 1997, after being appointed to an "Education Improvement Commission" established by the Progressive Conservative government of Mike Harris,[12] later chairing the commission.[13]
Later career
He was a regular member of TVOntario's Studio 2 political discussion panel. He was head of the Board of governors at the University of Windsor until 2009.[14][15]
In 2008, he was appointed by Windsor mayor Eddie Francis to chair a committee to examine the feasibility of a marina-canal plan in the city's downtown area.[15][16]
References
- ^ a b "Region chiefs unfamiliar with Cooke". Kitchener-Waterloo Record. 2 October 1990. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/514424901.html?dids=514424901:514424901&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+02%2C+1990&author=&pub=The+Record&desc=Region+chiefs+unfamiliar+with+Cooke&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ a b "Ontario's first NDP cabinet". Toronto Star. 2 October 1990. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/472257651.html?dids=472257651:472257651&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+02%2C+1990&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Ontario%27s+first+NDP+cabinet&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ a b "Not afraid of testing, Education head says". Kitchener-Waterloo Record. 4 February 1993. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/504131311.html?dids=504131311:504131311&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+04%2C+1993&author=&pub=The+Record&desc=Not+afraid+of+testing%2C+Education+head+says&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ "Ontario NDP names House leader". Toronto Star. 16 October 1985. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/474655541.html?dids=474655541:474655541&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+16%2C+1985&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Ontario+NDP+names+House+leader&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ Associated Press (18 October 1985). "Rae wants charges liad into nursing home deaths". Montreal Gazette. http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=DlUlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6qUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1072,4116626. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ "Rae to become Ontario critic on health issues". Toronto Star. 3 October 1987. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/473080461.html?dids=473080461:473080461&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+03%2C+1987&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Rae+to+become+Ontario+critic+on+health+issues&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ Hall, Joseph (19 October 1990). "Housing a priority, new minister says". Toronto Star. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/472295721.html?dids=472295721:472295721&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+19%2C+1990&author=Joseph+Hall+Toronto+Star&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Housing+a+priority%2C+new+minister+says&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ Maychak, Matt (4 August 1991). "Rae hopes shuffle will end losing streak". Toronto Star. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/465666421.html?dids=465666421:465666421&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+04%2C+1991&author=Matt+Maychak+Toronto+Star&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Rae+hopes+shuffle+will+end+losing+streak&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ Morton, Desmond (3 May 1993). "Dave Cooke's NDP school days". Toronto Star. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/518692301.html?dids=518692301:518692301&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+03%2C+1993&author=Desmond+Morton&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Dave+Cooke%27s+NDP+school+days&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ Brennan, Richard (15 June 1995). "NDP MPP looks back on years in power". The Record (Kitchener, Ontario). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/497404331.html?dids=497404331:497404331&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+15%2C+1995&author=Richard+Brennan&pub=The+Record&desc=NDP+MPP+looks+back+on+years+in+power&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ "Former NDP minister Frances Lankin will make bid for leadership". The Spectator (Hamilton, Ontario). 9 February 1996. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/510778361.html?dids=510778361:510778361&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+09%2C+1996&author=&pub=The+Spectator&desc=Former+NDP+minister+Frances+Lankin+will+make+bid+for+leadership&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ Girard, Daniel (24 January 1997). "Former education minister quits NDP, takes Tory job". Toronto Star. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/16820822.html?dids=16820822:16820822&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+24%2C+1997&author=By+Daniel+Girard+TORONTO+STAR&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Former+education+minister+quits+NDP%2C+takes+Tory+job&pqatl=google. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ "Ecker disputes Education Improvement Commission's recommendation". CBC News. 7 December 2000. http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2000/12/07/001207education.html. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ "Profile - University of Windsor". http://www.uwindsor.ca/units/bog/main.nsf/4a55f8116fa1f0608525698a00593653/5605d6d6bf211e4585256d7f006dc0c2!OpenDocument. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ a b Schmidt, Doug (29 November 2009). "Dave Cooke reviving downtown canal plan". The Windsor Star. http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Dave+Cooke+reviving+downtown+canal+plan/2283299/story.html. Retrieved 23 January 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "Community excited about marina-canal plan". Windsor Star. http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=a68aeec8-08c7-4169-881e-7acdc47554c7. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
Categories:- 1952 births
- Living people
- Ontario New Democratic Party MPPs
- Politicians from Windsor, Ontario
- University of Windsor alumni
- Members of the United Church of Canada
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