Shaughnessy Cohen

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Elizabeth Shaughnessy Cohen (February 11, 1948-December 9, 1998) was a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Windsor—St. Clair for the Liberal Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998.

She was born in London, Ontario, and worked as a lawyer before entering politics. She stood as the Liberal candidate in Windsor—St. Clair in the 1988 election, but lost to New Democratic Party incumbent Howard McCurdy. However, in the 1993 election, Cohen defeated McCurdy for the seat.

Cohen was then reelected in 1997.

On December 9, 1998, she collapsed in the House of Commons just seconds after standing to address the House. She had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, and was pronounced dead soon afterward.

In the byelection that followed in early 1999, Liberal candidate Rick Limoges narrowly defeated Joe Comartin of the NDP. However, in the federal election the following year, Comartin won the seat.

In 2000, the Writers' Trust of Canada instituted a literary award, the Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing, in her memory. Journalist Susan Delacourt published a biography of Cohen, Shaughnessy: The Passionate Politics of Shaughnessy Cohen, the same year.

Preceded by Howard McCurdy

Member of Parliament for Windsor—St. Clair 1993-1998

Succeeded by Rick Limoges