Anne Clare Cools
Anne Clare Cools is a notable Canadian politician and social worker, recognized as the longest-serving member of the Canadian Senate and the first Black Canadian appointed to this influential body. Born on August 12, 1943, in Barbados, Cools immigrated to Canada in 1957 with her politically active family. She pursued her education at McGill University, where she developed a strong interest in social justice and human rights, participating in significant protests against racism during her student years.
After earning her degree, Cools became a pioneer in addressing domestic violence by establishing shelters for women and organizing Canada’s first domestic violence conference. In 1984, she was appointed to the Senate, where she became a prominent advocate for fathers' rights and family values, notably contributing to discussions on child custody after divorce. Over her career, Cools's political alignment shifted, leading her to join the Conservative Party in 2004 after diverging from the Liberal Party's views, particularly on same-sex marriage.
Cools retired from the Senate in 2018, leaving a legacy of advocacy for domestic abuse victims and children affected by divorce. Her contributions have been recognized with multiple awards, and she remains an influential figure in Canadian politics. Outside of her political work, she enjoys cooking, music, and gardening, and is married to Rolf Calhoun.
Anne Clare Cools
Politician
- Born: August 12, 1943
- Place of Birth: Barbados, British West Indies
- Education: McGill University
- Significance: Anne Clare Cools was the longest-serving member of the Canadian Senate, and the first Black Canadian to be appointed to that body. She has been named one of CBC’s 100 Greatest Canadians and also one of CBC’s Top 20 Canadian Women.
Background
Anne Clare Cools was born in Barbados on August 12, 1943. Most of her family was involved in politics. Cools’s mother, Rosita Miller Cools, was a British Methodist and owned a small plantation. Her father, Lucius Cools, was a British Methodist who ran for the Barbados Labor Party (BLP). Her grandfather was elected as a vestryman and her cousin, Billie Miller, was the Barbadian minister of foreign affairs.
Her family immigrated to Canada in 1957, when Cools was fourteen. Cools attended Thomas D’Arcy McGee High School in Montreal, developing an interest in social justice and human rights. After graduating, Cools attended McGill University, where she majored in social sciences, sociology, and psychology.
While attending McGill, Cools was involved in various activist causes and participated in a sit-in in 1969 protesting racism at Sir George Williams University (later Concordia University). The protest caused $2 million worth of damage to the computer system at the university. She was sentenced to four months imprisonment, although she was not accused of damaging school property herself.
Social Work and Politics
After graduating from university in 1974, Cools moved to Toronto, where she became a social worker. She became a pioneer in awareness of family and domestic violence after she helped to establish Women in Transition Inc., a shelter for women escaping from domestic abuse. Later, she also established shelters in Ontario and throughout Canada. She organized Canada’s first domestic violence conference, Couples in Conflict, at which she stressed that it is a nongendered issue: both men and women can abuse and be abused. She also worked to help those below the poverty line. During this time, Cools operated as a field supervisor for Ryerson University, Seneca College, and more.
Joining the Liberal Party in 1978, Cools ran for the Liberal Party nomination for the House of Commons in Toronto’s Rosedale riding. It became the largest party nomination contest in Canadian history. She lost the nomination to John Evans, but ran again in 1979 and 1980, both times winning the nomination but losing the election. Her fight to be Toronto’s Rosedale nominee was documented in the film The Right Candidate for Rosedale (1979).
In 1984, she was appointed to the Senate for the division of the Toronto Centre on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Working in the Senate, Cools increasingly became a voice for fathers’ rights and family values. She helped to create the Senate-House of Commons Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access after Divorce. The committee’s 1998 report, For the Sake of the Children, encouraged both the mother and the father to maintain a relationship with the child after divorce.
Over time, Cools’s views diverged increasingly from those of the Liberal Party, especially on the subject of same-sex marriage, which Cools was strongly against. In 2004, Cools crossed over to the Conservative Party. After the passing of a motion of no confidence against Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, Cools argued that he should resign rather than dissolving Parliament and calling a general election; this unorthodox approach was not taken, however. In 2007, she was removed from the Conservative caucus after criticizing Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper. She then announced that she would sit as an Independent.
Cool retired from the Senate on August 11, 2018, the day before her seventy-fifth birthday, which is the mandatory retirement age for senators.
Impact
Cools is the longest-serving member of the Senate and has advocated for domestic abuse victims and children of divorce throughout her career. She has won a number of awards, including the Spiritual Mother of the Year Award, Outstanding Achievement Award in Politics, and Person of the Year for REAL Women of Canada.
Personal Life
Cools has been married to Rolf Calhoun, a business consultant, since 1986. She enjoys cooking, piano, and listening to classical music, and she is an avid practitioner of tai chi. She also enjoys working in her garden.
Bibliography
"Anne Cools on Racism, Her Historic Title and Staying on Top of Her Slang." Social. Bell Media, 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.
"Biography." Senator Anne C. Cools. Senate of Canada, n.d. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.
"Cools, The Hon. Anne C., B.A." PARLINFO. Library of Parliament, 2016. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.
"For the Sake of the Children: Report of the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access." Parliament of Canada. Parliament of Canada, Dec. 1998. Web. 8 Aug. 2016.
"The Journey of Senator Anne Cools." Black Pages Directory. Gleaner, 18 Dec. 2012. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.
Minsky, Amy. "‘It’s Not Wise,’ Longest-Sitting Senator Says after Trudeau Boots 32 from Caucus." Global News. Corus Entertainment, 29 Jan. 2014. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.
Rodriguez, Jeremiah. "Canada's First Black Senator Says Racial Diversity in Government Still a 'Big Order.'" CTV News, 24 Feb. 2022, www.ctvnews.ca/politics/Canada's first black senator says racial diversity in government is still a big order (1.5794727). Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
"A Senator on Mischief, Mutiny and Men’s Rights." Canadaland. Canadaland, 7 Jan. 2016. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.
Wählen, Claire. "Senator Anne Cools Calls Senate Audits ‘Unconstitutional.’" iPolitics. iPolitics, 1 Apr. 2015. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.