16 Facts About Elaine McCoy

Elaine Jean McCoy was a Canadian politician from Alberta.

Elaine McCoy designated herself a member of the Progressive Conservative Party despite its dissolution two years prior; following the retirement of Lowell Murray in 2011, she was the last remaining member of the Senate to sit as a Progressive Conservative.

Elaine McCoy was an alumna of the University of Alberta, and held an LLB and Bachelor of Arts in English.

From 1986 to 1993, Elaine McCoy was the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary-West in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

Elaine McCoy succeeded Peter Lougheed in the riding, whom she had previously campaigned with and who had suggested she run in the constituency after he retired.

Elaine McCoy expected to be a backbencher, as she was not well-connected within the party, and was surprised to be immediately appointed to the Executive Council of Alberta.

Elaine McCoy was involved in developing foreign credentials recognition for immigrant professionals.

In 1989, Elaine McCoy was appointed Alberta's Minister of Labour and Minister responsible for Human Rights, in which portfolio she was responsible for Alberta's personnel administration office.

Elaine McCoy set up an Alberta Human Rights Commission inquiry into the Aryan Nations which was responsible for investigating and eliminating supremacist activity in the province.

Elaine McCoy shed light on violence against women and spearheaded the Lake Louise Declaration, which was Alberta's first action plan designed to fight violence against women, and the first all-Canada declaration on the subject.

Elaine McCoy placed 8th in a field of nine and was eliminated on the first ballot; the contest was won by Ralph Klein.

In 1995, Elaine McCoy was asked by the government of Alberta to chair a joint review committee into whether or not right-to-work legislation would be beneficial to the province.

Elaine McCoy was appointed to the Senate by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Paul Martin, on March 24,2005.

Elaine McCoy represented Alberta as a member of the Canadian Senators Group.

Elaine McCoy changed her designation to Independent PC in 2013 and then to non-affiliated in 2016, following the decision by the government of Justin Trudeau to make the Senate a non-partisan institution and appoint independent senators.

Elaine McCoy was one of the first members of the Senate of Canada to blog and tweet on her experiences in Ottawa and the political issues of the day.