Francene Cosman

Francene Cosman
1st Mayor of Bedford
In office
1979–1982
Succeeded byKeith A. Roberts
MLA for Bedford-Fall River
In office
1993–1999
Preceded bynew riding
Succeeded byPeter G. Christie
Personal details
Born (1941-01-14) January 14, 1941 (age 83)
Windsor, Ontario
Political partyLiberal

Francene Jen Cosman (born January 14, 1941) is a former nurse, businessperson and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada. She represented Bedford-Fall River in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1993 to 1999 as a Liberal member.[1]

Cosman was born in 1941 at Windsor, Ontario[2] and received her R.N. from Saint John General Hospital in New Brunswick and continued her studies at the Margaret Hague school in Jersey City, New Jersey. Cosman served as a member of the municipal council for Halifax County from 1976 to 1979[3] and was mayor of Bedford, Nova Scotia from 1979 to 1982.[4] She was president of the Nova Scotia Advisory Council Status of Women from 1982 to 1986.[5]

Cosman entered provincial politics in 1993, defeating Progressive Conservative Peter J. Kelly by 393 votes in the Bedford-Fall River riding.[6][7] A backbench member of the John Savage government, she served as Deputy Speaker.[8] When Russell MacLellan took over as premier in July 1997, he appointed Cosman to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as Minister of Community Services.[5][9] Cosman was re-elected in the 1998 election, defeating Progressive Conservative Peter G. Christie by 313 votes.[10][11] She retained the community services portfolio in a post-election cabinet shuffle,[12] but was given an additional role in cabinet as Minister of Human Resources when MacLellan shuffled his cabinet in December 1998.[13] Cosman did not reoffer in the 1999 election.[14]

  1. ^ "Electoral History for Bedford-Fall River". Nova Scotia Legislative Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  2. ^ "Francene Cosman fonds". Nova Scotia Archives. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  3. ^ "Halifax County elected officials" (PDF). Halifax Regional Municipality. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 16, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  4. ^ "Town of Bedford elected officials" (PDF). Halifax Regional Municipality. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Four fresh horses". The Chronicle Herald. July 19, 1997. Archived from the original on February 4, 1998. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  6. ^ "Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1993" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. p. 39. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. ^ "Female representation increases, but not by much". The Chronicle Herald. May 26, 1993. Archived from the original on October 7, 2000. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  8. ^ "Premier MacLellan, new cabinet sworn in". Government of Nova Scotia. July 18, 1997. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. ^ "MacLellan makeover". The Chronicle Herald. July 19, 1997. Archived from the original on February 4, 1998. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  10. ^ "Election Returns, 1998 (Bedford-Fall River)" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ^ "Grit veterans swept away by 'orange tide'". The Chronicle Herald. March 25, 1998. Archived from the original on January 24, 2005.
  12. ^ "A cabinet with four legs". The Chronicle Herald. April 9, 1998. Archived from the original on January 23, 2005.
  13. ^ "Premier MacLellan shuffles cabinet". Government of Nova Scotia. December 11, 1998. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. ^ "Cosman opts not to reoffer". The Chronicle Herald. June 22, 1999. Archived from the original on January 24, 2005.