Dave Cooke
Encyclopedia
Dave Cooke 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
.
, and was a social worker at the Essex Children's Aid Society in Windsor before entering politics. He served on the Windsor Planning Board in 1974, and was a member of the Windsor Board of Education from 1975 to 1976.
, 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.
on October 1, 1990. On July 31, 1991, he was appointed government House Leader and he moved to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. 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, 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.
, although Cooke was re-elected in Windsor—Riverside with a reduced majority. 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.
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
, later chairing the commission.
's Studio 2 political discussion panel. He was head of the Board of governors at the University of Windsor until 2009.
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.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was an NDP
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
member of the provincial legislature
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1977 to 1997, and was a senior cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
.
Early career
Cooke was educated at the University of WindsorUniversity of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
, and was a social worker at the Essex Children's Aid Society in Windsor before entering politics. He served on the Windsor Planning Board in 1974, and was a member of the Windsor Board of Education from 1975 to 1976.
Electoral history
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the general election of 1977Ontario general election, 1977
The Ontario general election of 1977 was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, defeating Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
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
Ontario general election, 1981
The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, 1985
Ontario general election, 1985
The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada...
, 1987
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
and 1990
Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
. Cooke defeated future Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Rick Limoges
Rick Limoges
Richard Limoges is a former Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district of Windsor—St. Clair in the Canadian House of Commons from 1999 to 2000....
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. and acted as the health critic. In 1987, he was appointed as the party's House leader, and became pensions critic.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 AffairsMinistry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Ontario)
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is responsible for municipal affairs and housing in the Canadian province of Ontario.The current Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in the Ontario cabinet is Kathleen Wynne.-Former Ministers:...
on October 1, 1990. On July 31, 1991, he was appointed government House Leader and he moved to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. 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, which he retained for the remainder of the Rae government's time in office.
Cooke endorsed the Rae government's establishment of a casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
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
Tony Silipo
Tony Silipo is a former Canadian politician.Silipo was educated at the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall at York University, and began practising law in 1984...
, his predecessor) and endorsed and implemented province-wide testing.
Opposition and resignation
The NDP lost the 1995 provincial electionOntario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, although Cooke was re-elected in Windsor—Riverside with a reduced majority. He continued to serve as NDP house leader from 1995 to 1996. In 1996, he endorsed Frances Lankin
Frances Lankin
Frances Lankin, PC is a former president and CEO of United Way Toronto, and a former Ontario MPP and cabinet minister. On November 30, 2010, Frances Lankin was appointed by the province to co-chair, along with Dr. Munir Sheikh, a comprehensive review of social assistance in Ontario...
's unsuccessful bid to replace Rae as party leader.
Cooke resigned from the legislature in January 1997, after being appointed to an "Education Improvement Commission" established by the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
government of Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
, later chairing the commission.
Later career
He was a regular member of TVOntarioTVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
's Studio 2 political discussion panel. He was head of the Board of governors at the University of Windsor until 2009.
In 2008, he was appointed by Windsor mayor Eddie Francis
Eddie Francis
Eddie Francis is a Canadian politician, currently serving as mayor of Windsor, Ontario. He was 29 years old when he was elected mayor in 2003, the youngest mayor in Windsor's history and one of the youngest mayors ever elected in Canada...
to chair a committee to examine the feasibility of a marina-canal plan in the city's downtown area.