Sheila Copps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheila Copps
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Copps in 2022
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| 6th Deputy Prime Minister of Canada | |
| In office November 4, 1993 – June 11, 1997 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Jean Charest |
| Succeeded by | Herb Gray |
| Minister of Canadian Heritage | |
| In office July 12, 1996 – December 11, 2003 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Hélène Scherrer |
| Minister of the Environment | |
| In office November 4, 1993 – January 24, 1996 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Pierre H. Vincent |
| Succeeded by | Sergio Marchi |
| Member of Parliament for Hamilton East |
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| In office September 4, 1984 – May 23, 2004 |
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| Preceded by | John Munro |
| Succeeded by | Riding abolished |
| Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Hamilton Centre |
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| In office March 19, 1981 – August 6, 1984 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Davison |
| Succeeded by | Lily Oddie Munro |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sheila Maureen Copps
November 27, 1952 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouses | Austin Thorne (?–present) Ric Marrero (1985–1990, div.) Bill Miller (?–?, div.) |
| Children | Danelle (March, 1987) |
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | King's University College (BA) |
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Sheila Maureen Copps (born November 27, 1952) is a Canadian politician who served as the sixth Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. She held this important role from November 1993 to April 1996, and again from June 1996 to June 1997. Her father, Victor Copps, was a well-known mayor of Hamilton, Ontario.
Sheila Copps was a strong voice for the left-wing side of the Liberal Party of Canada. She supported legal rights of women, minority rights, and protecting the environment. She was known for her energetic and direct style in politics.
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Early Life and Education
Sheila Copps was born in Hamilton, Ontario. She came from a family deeply involved in politics in the Hamilton area. Her mother, Geraldine Florence Guthro Copps, was a city councillor in Hamilton. Her father, Victor Copps, served as the mayor of Hamilton.
Sheila attended Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School. As a child, she was part of the Girl Guides of Canada youth programs. She is married to Austin Thorne and has one daughter, Danelle. Sheila Copps made history as the first sitting Member of Parliament in Canada to give birth while holding office.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and English from King's University College at the University of Western Ontario. She also studied at McMaster University in Hamilton and the University of Rouen in France. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a newspaper journalist for the Hamilton Spectator and the Ottawa Citizen.
Political Journey
Sheila Copps began her political career in provincial politics in Ontario. She ran for the Ontario Liberal Party in the 1977 provincial election in Hamilton Centre. She narrowly lost that election.
After working for the party leader, she ran again in the 1981 election and won. She joined other Liberals in the provincial parliament. In 1982, she ran for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party and finished second.
Moving to National Politics
In the 1984 federal election, Copps entered national politics. She ran for the federal Liberals in Hamilton East. She won her seat, even though her party lost the election by a large margin.
Copps became an important member of the Liberal opposition. She was part of a group of young Liberal Members of Parliament known as the "Rat Pack." This group was known for challenging the government of the time. She was fluent in both English and French.
In 1986, she published her autobiography, Nobody's Baby. The title came from a famous moment when a government minister told her to "quieten down, baby." Copps quickly replied, "I am nobody's baby." In 1987, her daughter Danelle was born, making Copps the first sitting Member of Parliament in Canada to give birth while in office. She was re-elected in the 1988 federal election.
Becoming a Federal Minister
The Liberal Party won the 1993 election, and Jean Chrétien became Prime Minister. He appointed Sheila Copps as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment. This was a historic moment, as she was the first woman to be named Deputy Prime Minister in Canada.
In 1996, she became the Minister of Canadian Heritage. During her time as a minister, Copps briefly resigned from her seat in 1996. This was because she had promised during the 1993 election that she would resign if the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was not removed. The government decided not to remove the tax. She then ran again in a special election for her seat and won.
After the 1997 election, she was no longer Deputy Prime Minister. She continued to serve as Minister of Canadian Heritage until 2003.
Leadership Bid and Nomination Battle
In 2003, after Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced he would retire, Sheila Copps was the first person to announce she would run to become the leader of the Liberal Party. She tried to gain support from women and minority groups, but she was far behind the main candidate, Paul Martin.
Before the 2004 federal election, there was a change in how electoral districts were drawn. This meant Copps had to compete against another Liberal Member of Parliament, Tony Valeri, for the nomination in the new riding of Hamilton East—Stoney Creek. Valeri won the nomination in March 2004.
After Politics
On May 14, 2004, Sheila Copps announced that she would not run for re-election. After leaving politics, she took on various roles. She acted in a dinner theatre production and guest-starred on a TV show called Train 48.
She also wrote her second autobiography, Worth Fighting For, which was published in October 2004. Copps wrote regular columns for newspapers like the National Post and the Toronto Sun. She also hosted a weekly radio talk show called Weekends with Sheila Copps.
In 2012, Copps ran to be the president of the Liberal Party of Canada but lost. After this, she announced her retirement from running for political office. On December 30, 2012, she was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada, which is one of Canada's highest honors.
Sheila Copps has often been asked if she would follow in her father's footsteps and become mayor of Hamilton. She has said that if she were to return to politics, it would be in her hometown. In September 2022, she supported Andrea Horwath for mayor of Hamilton.
Images for kids
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Copps at a municipal debate in 2010
