Dennis Cochrane
Encyclopedia
Dennis H. Cochrane is a Canadian politician
and civil servant.
He graduated from the New Brunswick Teacher's College in 1970, received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of New Brunswick
in 1974, received a Bachelor of Education
in 1974 and a Master of Education
in 1981 from the University of Moncton. From 1970 to 1991, he was a school teacher and principal in New Brunswick.
He was elected to the Moncton City Council in 1977 and he was elected Mayor of Moncton in 1979, being re-elected in 1980. In 1983, he was Councillor-at-Large of Moncton. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
representing the riding of Moncton
in 1984
as a Progressive Conservative
. He was defeated in 1988
.
He next entered provincial politics and was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick
in 1990. In this role he regained seats for his party in the 1991 election
, the PCs having been shut out
in 1987
. Though his party won only three seats, it gained others later through by-election
s and seemed poised to win, at least, official opposition status in the coming election. The opposition Confederation of Regions Party
was suffering internal strife and a number of its members chose to sat as independents. Cochrane invited them to join the PC caucus
; however they declined and one of the Acadian
members quit in protest. As a result, Cochrane resigned the leadership.
Following the victory of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia in 1999 election
, he was named deputy minister of Education for the neighbouring province of Nova Scotia.
He resigned at the end of 2009 when he accepted a position as Interim President and Vice Chancellor of St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
effective January 2010, replacing outgoing Michael W. Higgins
. The appointment was expected to continue until July 1, 2011.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and civil servant.
He graduated from the New Brunswick Teacher's College in 1970, received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
in 1974, received a Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
in 1974 and a Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
in 1981 from the University of Moncton. From 1970 to 1991, he was a school teacher and principal in New Brunswick.
He was elected to the Moncton City Council in 1977 and he was elected Mayor of Moncton in 1979, being re-elected in 1980. In 1983, he was Councillor-at-Large of Moncton. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
representing the riding of Moncton
Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe
Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe is a federal electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968...
in 1984
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
as a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
. He was defeated in 1988
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
.
He next entered provincial politics and was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick
Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick
The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is a centre-right political party in New Brunswick, Canada. It has its origins in the pre-Canadian confederation Conservative Party that opposed the granting of responsible government to the colony...
in 1990. In this role he regained seats for his party in the 1991 election
New Brunswick general election, 1991
The 32nd New Brunswick general election was held on September 23, 1991, to elect 58 members to the 52nd New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada....
, the PCs having been shut out
Shut Out
"Shut Out" is a single from the Paul Jabara album of the same name and features special guest vocals by Donna Summer. On the album, it is used as the first half of a medley another with another song called "Heaven is a Disco."...
in 1987
New Brunswick general election, 1987
The 31st New Brunswick general election was held on October 13, 1987, to elect 58 members to the 51st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada...
. Though his party won only three seats, it gained others later through by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
s and seemed poised to win, at least, official opposition status in the coming election. The opposition Confederation of Regions Party
New Brunswick Confederation of Regions Party
The New Brunswick Confederation of Regions Party was a political party in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada.It was the only branch of the Confederation of Regions Party to win any seats...
was suffering internal strife and a number of its members chose to sat as independents. Cochrane invited them to join the PC caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
; however they declined and one of the Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
members quit in protest. As a result, Cochrane resigned the leadership.
Following the victory of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia in 1999 election
Nova Scotia general election, 1999
The 35th Nova Scotia general election was held on July 27, 1999, to elect members of the 58th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party, led by Dr...
, he was named deputy minister of Education for the neighbouring province of Nova Scotia.
He resigned at the end of 2009 when he accepted a position as Interim President and Vice Chancellor of St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
St. Thomas University is jointly a public and Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It offers degrees exclusively at the undergraduate level for approximately 3,000 students in the liberal arts, humanities, journalism, education, and social work....
effective January 2010, replacing outgoing Michael W. Higgins
Michael W. Higgins
Dr. Michael William Higgins is a Canadian academic, writer and vice president for Mission and Catholic Identity at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Higgins and his wife Krystyna, a professional piano accompanist, liturgical musician and freelance editor, have four...
. The appointment was expected to continue until July 1, 2011.