Joan Cook (born October 6, 1934) was a Canadian Senator for

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...

Biography

Cook was born in

English Harbour West English Harbour West is a village located on the south west shore of Fortune Bay. It is noted for its bank fishing and inshore fishing. The Way Office was established on April 1, 1866. The first Way Master was Albert Stirling. In 1891, it becam ...

Dominion of Newfoundland Newfoundland was a British dominion in eastern North America, today the modern Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It included the island of Newfoundland, and Labrador on the continental mainland. Newfoundland was one of the orig ...

. In her working life, Cook was, variously, a businesswoman who served as vice-president of her family's automobile dealership, Cook and Jones Motors, an executive with CJON radio and television, and an executive with Robert Simpson Eastern Ltd. Cook has also been heavily involved with charitable efforts, chairing fundraising campaigns for Newfoundland's branch of the

Canadian Cancer Society The Canadian Cancer Society () is Canada's largest national cancer charity and the largest national charitable funder of cancer research in Canada. History The Saskatchewan Medical Association formed Canada's first cancer committee in 1929, whi ...

. Cook also served on the board of directors for Newfoundland and Labrador's Pottle Center for mental health. After twice running unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate in the 1993 and 1996 Newfoundland and Labrador general elections, Cook was appointed to the

Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada () is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons, they compose the Bicameralism, bicameral le ...

Governor General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

Roméo LeBlanc Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc (December 18, 1928June 24, 2009) was a Canadian journalist and politician who served as the 25th governor general of Canada from 1995 to 1999. LeBlanc was born and educated in New Brunswick, and also studied in France prior ...

on March 6, 1998, on the advice of Liberal Prime Minister

Jean Chrétien Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a retired Canadian politician, statesman, and lawyer who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003. He served as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, leader of t ...

. As a senator, Cook served on many committees, such as the senate committee on Fisheries and Oceans. Cook also served as opposition whip of the senate from 2005 to 2007. Due to the

mandatory retirement Mandatory retirement also known as forced retirement, enforced retirement or compulsory retirement, is the set age at which people who hold certain jobs or offices are required by industry custom or by law to leave their employment, or retire. A ...

age for Canadian Senators, Cook resigned from her appointment as Newfoundland and Labrador Senator on October 6, 2009.

Electoral history

External links

*
Liberal Senate Forum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Joan 1934 births Canadian senators from Newfoundland and Labrador Women members of the Senate of Canada Liberal Party of Canada senators Living people People from Newfoundland (island) Women in Newfoundland and Labrador politics 20th-century Canadian women politicians 21st-century Canadian women politicians 20th-century members of the Senate of Canada 21st-century members of the Senate of Canada