Cochrane, Dennis

CONVOCATION, OCTOBER, 2002
DENNIS COCHRANE
to be Doctor of Laws

Dennis Cochrane is the Deputy Minister of Education for Nova Scotia, but we know him best as a New Brunswicker who served his native province in a fascinating and rewarding career in education and public service.

He is a graduate of the New Brunswick Teachers College, where he won the Birks Medal for Leadership in Student Affairs, perhaps a harbinger of things to come. He went on to the University of New Brunswick, where he graduated in 1972 with his Bachelor of Arts in history. He began his thirty-year career as an educator in several schools in the Moncton area, specializing in history, geography, and language arts. While advancing to become a vice-principal and then principal, he completed Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education at the University of Moncton.

While education was, and has ever remained, the sheet anchor of Dennis Cochrane's career, the natural leader in him, and his fascination with public issues and the broader community drew him gradually into public service. He ran for city council in the City of Moncton and won a two-year term. His success paved the way for a run at the top job, and he succeeded in becoming mayor, serving with distinction for four years. When he decided to step back to the ranks of councillor at large, he retained a loyal following and broad public support that guaranteed future success in politics. In 1984, he accepted the nomination of the Progressive Conservative Party to contest the federal election, and he won. He served as the Member of Parliament for Moncton from 1984 to 1988, ably defending the interests of his constituents and giving voice to the needs of his region. When he lost in 1988 after a hard-fought, partisan campaign, he might easily have left politics behind him, particularly given the strong Liberal tide that swept over the province. But Dennis Cochrane was not a quitter, and he valued a system in which the public could choose among alternative points of view. While he gracefully returned to teaching and school administration for a couple of years, he eventually accepted the call of his party to return to public life, this time as provincial leader. His task was monumental. His party had been shut out in the previous provincial election, and he took over the leadership when the party held not a single seat in the legislature. He had less than three months to prepare his party for the general election of 1991, and against long odds and a fragmented electorate, he gained a foothold for his party and won personally in the riding of Petitcodiac. As one might expect, his platform had highlighted education and promised several innovative reforms. He served in the legislature for four years, helping his party rebuild towards the day when it eventually would once again form the government. Dennis Cochrane contributed much to his party and his province during these years of preparation and reassessment. He maintained the integrity of his party, one of the province's great political institutions, and he fulfilled his role as party leader with dignity and eloquence.

Life since politics has been for Dennis Cochrane a continuing story of remarkable achievement. He served as the superintendent of several New Brunswick school districts before accepting the request of the government to take over as the top civil servant in the Department of Education as Deputy Minister. His appointment is a measure of the enormous respect he had earned from all parties for his devotion to education in the province and his considerable administrative expertise. In fact, his reputation for excellence had spread well beyond the boundaries of the province. In the year 2000, the Hamm government in Nova Scotia invited him to become the Deputy Minister of Education for that province where he continues to serve.

As is often the case with careers in politics, there are high points and low. But for Dennis Cochrane, the true measure of his success is in his unblemished record of service to the community, and achievement as an educational administrator. Today, his department is a model of efficiency and innovation. He has helped the province of Nova Scotia develop a bold new plan for improving performance among students in the school system, and redefining the concept of education as life-long learning. His department operates with a business plan and with clear goals and objectives. It serves the ethnically diverse population of the province with special programs for Acadians, African-Canadians, and aboriginal people.

One man, of course, does not do it all. But it is the singular achievement of Dennis Cochrane that he has drawn people together to work for improved education, better schools, and enriched communities. The word for Dennis Cochrane's achievement is leadership. We recognize him today for his commitment, his tenacity, and his integrity. And we welcome him back to his alma mater for this our highest honour.

From: Honoris Causa - UA Case 70, Box 4