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Michael Cooper (politician)

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Michael Cooper
MP
Cooper in 2019
Member of Parliament
for St. Albert—Edmonton
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byBrent Rathgeber
Personal details
Born (1984-03-08) March 8, 1984 (age 40)
St. Albert, Alberta, Canada[1]
Political partyConservative
Residence(s)St. Albert, Alberta
ProfessionPolitician

Michael Cooper is the Conservative Member of Parliament for St. Albert—Edmonton. First elected in 2015, Cooper was re-elected in 2019, and again in 2021.[2][3] Cooper serves as the Shadow Minister for Democratic Reform, and as vice-chair of Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.[4] He is also a member of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.[5]

Cooper is a lifelong resident of St. Albert and an active community volunteer. He is a Lector at St. Albert Catholic Parish and a member of the Knights of Columbus, St. Albert Rotary Club and the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce.[6] A graduate of the University of Alberta, Cooper received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, both with distinction. He was called to the Alberta Bar in 2010. Prior to being elected Cooper worked as a civil litigator at a leading Edmonton law firm.[6]

Political career

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On November 20, 2015, Michael Cooper was appointed Official Opposition Deputy Justice Critic by Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose.[7] Cooper was re-appointed to this role by Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer as Deputy Shadow Minister.[8] Following the 2019 federal election Cooper was appointed by Scheer as the Deputy Shadow Minister of Finance.[9]

Cooper currently serves as vice-chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs and is a member of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. Perviously, he served as vice-chair of the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).

Cooper contributed to the 2017 book Turning Parliament Inside Out: Practical Ideas for Reforming Canada’s Democracy, which features a cross-section of Parliamentarians on ideas for Parliamentary reform.  Cooper wrote a chapter on how to fix Question Period.[10]

Physician-assisted dying

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Ambrose also appointed Cooper as vice-chair of the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying.[11] He, along with the other Conservative MPs on the committee authored a dissenting report from the majority committee report cautioning against advance directives and opening physician-assisted dying to minors.[12]

On April 14, 2016, then Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould introduced Bill C-14, the government's Physician-Assisted Dying Legislation in the House of Commons.[13] Bill C-14 was assented June 17, 2016 and incorporated several of the recommendations from the Conservative MPs' dissenting report, including limiting physician-assisted dying to competent adults suffering from a physical illness and prohibiting advance directives.[14]

Wynn’s Law

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Cooper sponsored in the House of Commons Bill S-217, known as Wynn's Law, introduced by Senator Bob Runciman on February 3, 2016.[15] Bill S-217 sought to amend the Criminal Code to make it mandatory for the criminal history of bail applicants to be presented at bail hearings.[16] The Bill was introduced after Constable David Wynn was shot and killed and Auxiliary Constable David Bond was shot by Shawn Rehn at a St. Albert casino in January 2015. Rehn was on bail at the time, despite a lengthy criminal history. A similar Bill was introduced by Cooper's predecessor, Brent Rathgeber, in June 2015.[17]

Bill S-217 passed the Senate in October 2016.[18] When the Bill was debated at second reading in the House of Commons, Marco Mendicino, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice announced the Liberal government's opposition to the Bill.[19] Despite this, it passed second reading with the unanimous support of Conservative, NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Green MPs, plus 27 Liberal MPs.[20] However, when Bill S-217 was studied at the Justice Committee, Liberal and NDP MPs on the Committee voted to recommend that the Bill not proceed.[21] On June 14, 2017, the House of Commons voted not to proceed with Bill S-217 by a vote of 199 to 103.[22]

Juror Mental Health Bill

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On October 29, 2018, Cooper introduced Private Members’ Bill C-417, which sought to amend the jury secrecy rule section of the Criminal Code.[23] The Bill would amend the section so that former jurors suffering from mental health issues arising from their jury service can disclose all aspects of the jury deliberation process with a medical professional. The jury secrecy rule prohibits former jurors from disclosing aspects of the jury deliberation process with anyone for life.[24] The Bill would implement a recommendation of a report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights entitled: Improving Support for Jurors in Canada.[25]

Cooper's Bill was seconded by NDP MP Murray Rankin.[24] The Bill passed the House of Commons unanimously on April 12, 2019, but died on the order paper when the 2019 federal election was called.[26]

Cooper sponsored Bill S-207, introduced by Conservative Senator Pierre-Hughes Boisvenu in December 2019.[27] The Bill is substantively similar to Cooper's Bill C-417 but died on the order paper at the dissolution of the 43rd Parliament. Following the 2021 election, Senator Boisvenu re-introduced the juror bill, as Bill S-206, with Cooper as the House of Commons sponsor. On December 8, 2021, Bill S-206 passed the Senate unanimously,[28] and had passed through the House of Commons, receiving unanimous support during third reading on September 28, 2022. Bill S-206 received royal assent on October 18, 2022, finally becoming law.[29]

2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race

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Cooper endorsed MP Erin O'Toole during the 2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race.[30] O’Toole placed third behind MP Maxime Bernier and the winner MP Andrew Scheer.[31]

2019 Statements to Justice Committee reciting NZ shooter's manifesto

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During the 42nd Canadian Parliament, Cooper served as vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. In May, 2019, Cooper quoted from the manifesto of the man accused of the mass killings in Christchurch, New Zealand in an attempt to check the testimony of a committee witness who tried to connect the killer's ideology to conservatism.[32] According to a media report, Cooper called out Faisal Khan Suri, president of the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council, for his testimony trying to link conservative commentators to the anti-Muslim extremist's heinous acts. The MP charged that Mr. Faisal's accusations were "defamatory" and stated his political posturing diminished his credibility as a witness.[33] Party leader Andrew Scheer removed Cooper from the justice committee as a consequence. Committee members later removed specific parts of the remarks from the official committee record.[34]

As a result of his comments in the standing committee, Cooper also faced resurfacing allegations about remarks he reportedly made while in law school. These allegations related to a statement Cooper reportedly made about "goat herder cultures" when in a seminar about Canadian multiculturalism.[35]

2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race

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Cooper endorsed Peter MacKay during the 2020 Conservative Party of Canada Leadership Race.[36]

Bill C-6 - Conversion Therapy

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On June 22, 2021, Cooper was one of 63 MPs to vote against Bill C-6. This bill was passed by majority vote and will make certain aspects of conversion therapy a crime, including "causing a child to undergo conversion therapy."[37][38] Cooper said that while he supported the objective of the Bill, he could not vote for it because the definition was “vague and overly broad.”[39][40] Cooper voted for the Bill at second reading stage.[41] As a member of the Justice Committee that studied the Bill, Cooper supported amendments to the legislation that were defeated.[42][39]

Canada-Taiwan Relations Framework Act

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On June 17, 2021, Cooper introduced Private Members’ Bill C-315, An Act respecting a framework to strengthen Canada-Taiwan relations. The Bill proposed a mechanism, given the absence of formal diplomatic relations, by which to conduct relations between Canada and Taiwan, including in respect of economic, cultural, and legal affairs.[43][44]

Convoy Protest 2022

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On January 29, 2022, Cooper attended the proclaimed Freedom Convoy 2022 protest in Ottawa and handed out coffee to participants alongside fellow Alberta Conservative MP Damien Kurek. Cooper was interviewed on-site by CBC News as a convoy protester in the background was seen holding a Canadian flag defaced with a swastika. The interview prompted a joint statement by Edmonton mayor Amarjeet Sohi and St.Albert mayor Cathy Heron declaring that they were troubled by the photograph and that Cooper did not represent the values of their constituents.[45] Later that night, Cooper released a statement saying that he was unaware of the swastika-defaced flag, condemned Nazism as "the purest form of evil" and the decision to fly the flag as "reprehensible", but said it was not representative of the majority of Freedom Convoy protestors.[46]

2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race

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Cooper endorsed Pierre Poilievre during the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada Leadership Race.[47] Cooper served as Poilievre’s Co-Caucus Liaison, along with New Brunswick M.P. John Williamson, during the race.[48]

2023 Hearing on Foreign Interference

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While questioning Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Cooper said "You've talked tough. You've talked tough with your Beijing counterpart, so you say. You even stared into his eyes, I'm sure he was very intimidated."[49] Liberal and NDP committee members called on Cooper to apologize.

Electoral record

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2021 Canadian federal election: St. Albert—Edmonton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Michael Cooper 29,652 47.6 -13.09
New Democratic Kathleen Mpulubusi 17,816 28.6 +13.4
Liberal Greg Springate 11,188 17.9 -1.27
People's Brigitte Cecelia 3,684 5.9 +3.95
Total valid votes 62,340 99.46
Total rejected ballots 338 0.54 +0.03
Turnout 62,678 66.34 -3.66
Eligible voters 94,477
Conservative hold Swing
Source: Elections Canada[50]
2019 Canadian federal election: St. Albert—Edmonton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Michael Cooper 39,506 60.69 +15.46 $33,538.36
Liberal Greg Springate 12,477 19.17 -3.37 $10,807.28
New Democratic Kathleen Mpulubusi 9,895 15.20 +4.04 $832.26
Green Rob Dunbar 1,594 2.45 +1.06 $7,613.82
People's Brigitte Cecelia 1,268 1.95 - none listed
Veterans Coalition Robert Bruce Fraser 336 0.5 - none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 65,091 99.49
Total rejected ballots 336 0.51 +0.27
Turnout 65,427 70.00 +0.32
Eligible voters 93,468
Conservative hold Swing +9.41
Source: Elections Canada[51][52]
2015 Canadian federal election: St. Albert—Edmonton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Michael Cooper 26,783 45.24 -19.24 $57,186.82
Liberal Beatrice Ghettuba 13,383 22.54 +11.70 $12,254.31
Independent Brent Rathgeber 11,652 19.68 n/a $50,607.26
New Democratic Darlene Malayko 6,609 11.16 -8.92 $14,243.93
Green Andrea Oldham 821 1.39 -3.22 –
Total valid votes/expense limit 59,208 99.75   $220,664.92
Total rejected ballots 146 0.25 –
Turnout 59,354 69.67 –
Eligible voters 85,187
Conservative hold Swing -15.47
Source: Elections Canada[53][54]

References

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  1. ^ "Michael Cooper - Conservative Party of Canada". 19 September 2015.
  2. ^ Gerein, Keith (October 5, 2015). "Riding profile: St. Albert-Edmonton".
  3. ^ Elections Canada. "Election Night Results".
  4. ^ Conservative Party of Canada. "Pierre Poilievre announces Inflation-busting Conservative Shadow Cabinet".
  5. ^ "ETHI - Members - House of Commons of Canada". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  6. ^ a b Michael Cooper, M.P. "About Michael Cooper".
  7. ^ "MP Cooper named as Official Opposition Deputy Critic for Justice". Michael Cooper MP. 2015-11-21. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  8. ^ "Shadow Cabinet". Canada's Official Opposition. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  9. ^ "Shadow Cabinet". Canada's Official Opposition. Retrieved 2020-01-25.
  10. ^ "Turning parliament inside out : practical ideas for reforming canada's democracy / edited by Michael Chong, Scott Simms and Kennedy Stewart". avrl.catalogue.library.ns.ca. 2017. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  11. ^ "PDAM - Members - House of Commons of Canada". www.parl.ca. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  12. ^ "Committee Report No. 1 - PDAM (42-1) - Parliament of Canada". www.parl.ca. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  13. ^ "Government Bill (House of Commons) C-14 (42-1) - First Reading - An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying) - Parliament of Canada". www.parl.ca. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  14. ^ "Government Bill (House of Commons) C-14 (42-1) - Royal Assent - An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying) - Parliament of Canada". www.parl.ca. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  15. ^ "LEGISinfo - Senate Public Bill S-217 (42-1)". www.parl.ca. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  16. ^ "St. Albert MP continues to fight for Wynn's Law to be passed". StAlbertToday.ca. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  17. ^ "Alberta MP introduces Dave Wynn's Law in honour of St. Albert Mountie | Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca. 2015-06-08. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  18. ^ Canada, Senate of (2016-07-22). "Senate of Canada - Debates". Senate of Canada. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  19. ^ "Debates (Hansard) No. 145 - February 22, 2017 (42-1) - House of Commons of Canada". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  20. ^ "Tory Bill Honouring Slain Mountie Passes With Help Of 27 Liberals". HuffPost Canada. 2017-03-09. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  21. ^ "'It is unlikely Wynn's Law will pass': St. Albert MP after committee opposes bill | Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca. 2017-05-09. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  22. ^ "Debates (Hansard) No. 194 - June 14, 2017 (42-1) - House of Commons of Canada". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  23. ^ "LEGISinfo - Private Member's Bill C-417 (42-1)". www.parl.ca. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  24. ^ a b "Ex-Juror With PTSD Lauds MPs For Uniting On Bill To Ease Secrecy Rule". HuffPost Canada. 2019-04-21. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  25. ^ https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/421/JUST/Reports/RP9871696/justrp20/justrp20-e.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  26. ^ "Bill C-417 (Historical) | openparliament.ca".
  27. ^ "Debates (Hansard) No. 17 - December 14, 2021 (44-1) - House of Commons of Canada".
  28. ^ "Public Bill (Senate) S-206 (44-1) - Third Reading - an Act to amend the Criminal Code (Disclosure of information by jurors) - Parliament of Canada".
  29. ^ "S-206 (44-1) - LEGISinfo - Parliament of Canada". www.parl.ca. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  30. ^ "Conservative endorsement tracker: Scheer, O'Toole lead among MPs | CTV News". www.ctvnews.ca. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  31. ^ "WATCH: Conservative Leadership Live Results 2017". HuffPost Canada. 2017-05-27. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  32. ^ Henderson, Jennifer (June 22, 2019). "Cooper denies allegations". Global News. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  33. ^ "Justice committee urges House to expunge Tory MP quote from NZ killer". iPolitic. 2019-06-07. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  34. ^ "Scheer strips Tory MP of committee role after confrontation with Muslim witness". CBC. 2017-06-01. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
  35. ^ Dyer, Evan (June 18, 2019). "MP Michael Cooper disparaged 'goat herder cultures' in 2008 law class discussion, lawyers claim". CBC News. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  36. ^ "Local conservatives split leadership endorsements". StAlbertToday.ca. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  37. ^ "Government Bill (House of Commons) C-6 (43-2) - First Reading - An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy) - Parliament of Canada". parl.ca. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  38. ^ "Unofficial Vote Results - Members of Parliament - House of Commons of Canada". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  39. ^ a b "Debates (Hansard) No. 82 - April 16, 2021 (43-2) - House of Commons of Canada".
  40. ^ "Bill C-6 is badly drafted, says MP Michael Cooper". 9 July 2021.
  41. ^ "Vote Detail - 14 - Members of Parliament - House of Commons of Canada".
  42. ^ "Evidence - JUST (43-2) - No. 16 - House of Commons of Canada".
  43. ^ "Debates (Hansard) No. 120 - June 17, 2021 (43-2) - House of Commons of Canada".
  44. ^ "Private Member's Bill C-315 (43-2) - First Reading - Canada-Taiwan Relations Framework Act - Parliament of Canada".
  45. ^ "Edmonton, St. Albert mayors concerned by local MP's presence at 'freedom convoy' rally in Ottawa". CTV News Edmonton. January 29, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  46. ^ Cooper, Michael (January 29, 2022). "Statement from MP Michael Cooper". Twitter. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  47. ^ "Our Party and country needs @PierrePoilievre". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  48. ^ Times, The Hill (2022-08-08). "Conservative MPs unsure 'which Poilievre they will get' as party leader if he wins leadership". The Hill Times. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  49. ^ Aiello, Rachel (March 9, 2023). "Conservative MP called out for 'shameful' comment to Joly during foreign interference hearing". ctvnews.ca. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  50. ^ "List of confirmed candidates – September 20, 2021 Federal Election". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  51. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  52. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  53. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. 29 February 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  54. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
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