Anne Cools facts for kids

Anne Clare Cools (born August 12, 1943) is a Canadian retired politician. She was the longest-serving member of the Senate of Canada, serving from 1984 until 2018. As a social worker, Anne Cools was a pioneer in helping people, especially women, who were facing difficult situations at home. She helped set up one of Canada's first shelters to offer support.

About Anne Cools

Early Life and Education

Anne Cools was born and grew up in Barbados. Her father, Lucius Unique Cools, was a pharmacist, and her mother, Rosita Gordon Miller Cools, owned a sugar plantation. Her grandfather and an uncle were also involved in politics on the island. When Anne was four years old, she experienced the sad loss of two of her siblings.

She attended Ursuline Convent School in Barbados. In 1957, when she was 13, her family moved to Canada. She continued her studies at Thomas D'Arcy McGee High School in Montreal. Later, Anne Cools earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University. Her studies focused on social sciences, sociology, and psychology.

Starting Her Career

Early in her career, Anne Cools worked as a student coordinator. In this role, she helped supervise students and trained them to become social workers. She worked at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Social Work from 1978 to 1978. She also worked at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute (now Toronto Metropolitan University) from 1978 to 1980. From 1977 to 1989, she was employed at Seneca College.

Standing Up for Others

Fighting for Fairness

In February 1969, Anne Cools took part in a 13-day student protest at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University). Over 400 students peacefully occupied the computer center. They were protesting how the school handled complaints of racism against a professor.

During the protest, things became difficult, and police arrived to end the demonstration. Some parts of the building were damaged. Anne Cools was among 97 students who faced serious consequences for their involvement. She strongly believed in her cause and spent some time in custody. She later said that this experience deeply affected her. In 1981, she received an official pardon for her actions.

Supporting Families

Anne Cools is a strong supporter of children's rights. She believes that after parents separate, children should continue to have relationships with both their mothers and fathers. She also highlights the important role fathers play in a child's development.

In the 1990s, Cools helped create and served on a special committee in the Canadian Parliament. This committee looked into child custody and access arrangements. In December 1998, they released a report called For the Sake of the Children. A main idea from this report was that shared parenting, where both parents are involved, is usually best for children after a relationship ends. She openly shared her concerns when new laws based on this report were put on hold by the government.

Views on Equality

While Anne Cools strongly advocated for women and people facing difficult situations at home, she also shared her thoughts on certain parts of the feminist movement. She believed that both men and women have good and bad qualities. She emphasized the importance of seeing everyone fairly, rather than placing all good on one side and all challenges on the other.

Helping the Community

Beyond her work as a social worker, Anne Cools was very active in several community groups. She was on the Board of Directors for the Black Education Project. This volunteer group worked to address racial inequalities in Toronto's education system. She also served on the boards of Black Theatre Canada, the Pauline McGibbon Cultural Centre, and the Social Planning Council of Metropolitan Toronto.

Her Political Journey

Serving on the Parole Board

From 1980 to 1984, Anne Cools served on the National Parole Board of Canada. This board is a group that helps decide when people who have been in trouble with the law can return to their communities under supervision.

Running for Parliament

Anne Cools tried twice to be elected to the House of Commons of Canada. She ran as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada. In 1978, she sought the Liberal nomination for a special election in Rosedale but did not win. Her campaign was featured in a 1979 film called The Right Candidate for Rosedale. She ran again in 1979 and won the nomination. However, she was not elected in either the 1979 or 1980 elections.

Becoming a Senator

In 1984, Anne Cools was appointed to the Senate of Canada. This appointment was made by Governor General Edward Schreyer, following a recommendation from Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. With this appointment, she became the first Black person to serve in the Canadian Senate. She represented the Senate division of Toronto-Centre-York.

Over time, Anne Cools began to disagree with some of the policies of the Liberal governments led by Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin. She also held different views on certain social topics. Because of these differences, on June 9, 2004, she announced that she was changing her political party to join the Conservative Party of Canada.

In 2006, Anne Cools was removed from her committee duties for the Conservative Party after she questioned a new government bill. In 2007, she left the Conservative party group after some disagreements and difficult situations arose. She then served as an independent Senator until 2017, when she joined the Independent Senators Group.

From September 26, 2011, until her retirement on August 12, 2018, Anne Cools was the longest-serving member of the Senate. She holds the distinction of being the first female Black Senator in North America. When Charlie Watt retired, Anne Cools was the last Senator still serving who had been appointed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

See also

• Canadian titles debate
• Lists of Canadian senators
• List of Ontario senators
• Ninth Floor, a documentary about the 1969 student protest