Shirley Coppen
Encyclopedia
Shirley Coppen is former politician
in Ontario, Canada
. She served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1990 to 1995, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae
.
, in the Labour Studies program. She was a registered nursing assistant at Welland County
General Hospital for eighteen years, and served as president of the Welland
and District Labour Council from 1986 to 1990. She also served as an executive on the Ontario Federation of Labour
.
, defeating Liberal
candidate John Lopinski by almost 4,000 votes in the riding of Niagara South. The NDP won a majority government and Coppen was named as a minister without portfolio
and Chief Government Whip
on October 1, 1990. Her responsibilities as whip included ensuring that members were present for votes in both the legislature and in committee. During her first term in office, she never lost a vote. She also acted as Deputy House Leader.
In April 1992, Coppen was portrayed in the media as using her position as whip to reward hard working members with routine trips to study the parliamentary process. She said, "I take a look at who's gone that little extra mile and it's my one way of rewarding them." One odd request was that she asked members to bring her back a souvenir bell for her collection. At least two MPPs brought back bells for which she reimbursed them. Coppen became known as the "Bell Woman" of the legislature. Liberal member Greg Sorbara
complained that Coppen was doling out junkets as favours. Premier Bob Rae
said that this was nonsense. "That's a joke," he said. "I can't imagine anyone taking that as a serious kind of comment."
On February 3, 1993, she lost her job as chief government whip but was given the job as a junior minister responsible for Culture, Tourism and Recreation
.
In February 1993, it was reported that Coppen was receiving money from a disability pension for injuries she received before politics. Coppen who walks with a cane said she was receiving $83 a month since she strained her neck and shoulders 10 years ago trying to catch a patient falling out of bed in a psychiatric hospital. She said, "I can't sit in certain positions, sleep in certain positions and it's very difficult to drive a car." Government pensions for injured workers are normally awarded for life.
On October 21, 1994, she was appointed as Minister of Labour, replacing the retiring Robert W. Mackenzie. Opposition critic Steve Mahoney
argued that the appointment placed her in a conflict of interest due to her past injury. Coppen who arrived at the swearing in ceremony in a wheelchair said, "I do understand what people have to go through to get approved for a disability pension." She dismissed the criticism. "I just got sworn in 10 minutes ago. Let's be realistic. I'm going to have to sit down and start Monday morning," she said. Rae derided the criticism as well. He said, "If you followed their (Liberal) logic, the minister of veterans' affairs couldn't be a veteran, couldn't be receiving a veteran's pension."
In December 1994, Coppen stated that the government's labour laws might affect the major league baseball strike. She said the Toronto Blue Jays
would not be allowed to bring in 'scab' players. The situation was later rendered moot when the season was cancelled instead.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election
, and Coppen finished third in her bid for re-election, losing to Progressive Conservative
Tim Hudak
.
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...
. She served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
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 1990 to 1995, and was a 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....
.
Background
Coppen was educated at Niagara CollegeNiagara College
Niagara College is a College of Applied Arts and Technology within the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario. The College has four campuses: the Welland Campus in Welland, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Maid of the Mist Campus in Niagara Falls, home of the Tourism Industry...
, in the Labour Studies program. She was a registered nursing assistant at Welland County
Welland County, Ontario
Welland County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was formed in 1851 from Lincoln County. The county was named from the Welland River. The river got its name from John Grave Simcoe who named it after a stream in Lincolnshire, England...
General Hospital for eighteen years, and served as president of the Welland
Welland, Ontario
Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada.The city has been traditionally known as the place where rails and water meet, referring to the railways from Buffalo to Toronto and Southwestern Ontario, and the waterways of Welland Canal and Welland River,...
and District Labour Council from 1986 to 1990. She also served as an executive on the Ontario Federation of Labour
Ontario Federation of Labour
The Ontario Federation of Labour is a prominent federation of labour unions in the Canadian province of Ontario. The original OFL was established by the Canadian Congress of Labour in 1944...
.
Politics
She was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1990 provincial electionOntario 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....
, 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...
candidate John Lopinski by almost 4,000 votes in the riding of Niagara South. The NDP won a majority government and Coppen was named as a minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
and Chief Government Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
on October 1, 1990. Her responsibilities as whip included ensuring that members were present for votes in both the legislature and in committee. During her first term in office, she never lost a vote. She also acted as Deputy House Leader.
In April 1992, Coppen was portrayed in the media as using her position as whip to reward hard working members with routine trips to study the parliamentary process. She said, "I take a look at who's gone that little extra mile and it's my one way of rewarding them." One odd request was that she asked members to bring her back a souvenir bell for her collection. At least two MPPs brought back bells for which she reimbursed them. Coppen became known as the "Bell Woman" of the legislature. Liberal member Greg Sorbara
Greg Sorbara
Gregory Sam "Greg" Sorbara, MPP a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Vaughan. Sorbara served as the Minister of Finance in the Ontario Liberal Party government of Premier Dalton McGuinty from 2003 to 2007.He resigned on October 11, 2005, following a police investigation involving...
complained that Coppen was doling out junkets as favours. Premier 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....
said that this was nonsense. "That's a joke," he said. "I can't imagine anyone taking that as a serious kind of comment."
On February 3, 1993, she lost her job as chief government whip but was given the job as a junior minister responsible for Culture, Tourism and Recreation
Ministry of Culture (Ontario)
The Ministry of Culture in the Canadian province of Ontario was responsible for the development of policies and programs and the operation of programs related to arts, cultural industries, heritage sectors and libraries, in Ontario...
.
In February 1993, it was reported that Coppen was receiving money from a disability pension for injuries she received before politics. Coppen who walks with a cane said she was receiving $83 a month since she strained her neck and shoulders 10 years ago trying to catch a patient falling out of bed in a psychiatric hospital. She said, "I can't sit in certain positions, sleep in certain positions and it's very difficult to drive a car." Government pensions for injured workers are normally awarded for life.
On October 21, 1994, she was appointed as Minister of Labour, replacing the retiring Robert W. Mackenzie. Opposition critic Steve Mahoney
Steve Mahoney
Steven W. Mahoney, PC is a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1995, and a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004. In the latter capacity, he served as a cabinet minister in the government of Jean Chrétien...
argued that the appointment placed her in a conflict of interest due to her past injury. Coppen who arrived at the swearing in ceremony in a wheelchair said, "I do understand what people have to go through to get approved for a disability pension." She dismissed the criticism. "I just got sworn in 10 minutes ago. Let's be realistic. I'm going to have to sit down and start Monday morning," she said. Rae derided the criticism as well. He said, "If you followed their (Liberal) logic, the minister of veterans' affairs couldn't be a veteran, couldn't be receiving a veteran's pension."
In December 1994, Coppen stated that the government's labour laws might affect the major league baseball strike. She said the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
would not be allowed to bring in 'scab' players. The situation was later rendered moot when the season was cancelled instead.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election
Ontario 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...
, and Coppen finished third in her bid for re-election, losing to 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...
Tim Hudak
Tim Hudak
Timothy Patrick "Tim" Hudak is a politician in Ontario, Canada, and the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario . He also serves as member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the riding of Niagara West—Glanbrook.-Background:Tim Hudak was born in Fort Erie, Ontario...
.