Caroline Di Cocco
Encyclopedia
Caroline Di Cocco is a politician
in Ontario
, Canada
. She is a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, representing the riding
of Sarnia—Lambton
for the Ontario Liberal Party
from 1999 to 2007 and was a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty
until her defeat in the 2007 provincial election
.
Di Cocco was born in Fontechiari
, in Frosinone
, Italy
, and moved to Canada at a young age. She was educated at the Royal Conservatory of Music
, and worked as a music teacher before entering political life. She is also the author of a work entitled One By One ... Passo Dopo Passo, chronicling the history of the Italian community in Sarnia from 1870 to 1990. In 1989, she founded the International Wine Gala.
Di Cocco served as a city councillor in Sarnia
from 1997 to 1999. She was elected to the Ontario legislature in the Ontario general election of 1999
, defeating incumbent Progressive Conservative
Dave Boushy by almost 3000 votes in Sarnia—Lambton. The Progressive Conservatives won the election, and Di Cocco served as her party's critic for Culture, Recreation and Heritage for the next four years. She also became known for her promotion of local environmental issues. In 2002, she was awarded a knighthood (Cavalieri
) by the Republic of Italy.
She was easily re-elected in the provincial election of 2003
, defeating Tory candidate and private-school promoter Henk Vanden Ende by over 6000 votes, and was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Michael Bryant
in his capacity as Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal on October 23, 2003. On September 27, 2004, she was named Parliamentary Assistant in Marie Bountrogianni
in her capacity as Minister of Children and Youth Services.
Di Cocco was promoted to cabinet on April 5, 2006, replacing Madeleine Meilleur
as Minister of Culture.
In the 2007 provincial election
, Di Cocco was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Bob Bailey
.
|Bob Bailey
|align="right"|16,303
|align="right"|38.3
|align="right"|+7.31
|-
|Caroline Di Cocco
|align="right"|12,509
|align="right"|29.4
|align="right"|-18.14
|-
|Barb Millitt
|align="right"|11,412
|align="right"|26.8
|align="right"|+9.85
|-
|Tim van Bodegom
|align="right"|2,384
|align="right"|5.6
|align="right"|+1.90
|}
Swing: 12.73 from Lib to PC (PC gain)
|-
|Caroline Di Cocco
|align="right"|18,179
|align="right"|47.54
|align="right"|-1.37
|-
|Henk Vanden Ende
|align="right"|11,852
|align="right"|30.99
|align="right"|-10.97
|-
|Glenn Sonier
|align="right"|6,482
|align="right"|16.95
|align="right"|+9.13
|-
|Bradley Gray
|align="right"|1,414
|align="right"|3.7
|-
|Andrew K. Falby
|align="right"|316
|align="right"|0.83
|}
Swing: 4.80 from PC to Lib (Lib hold)
|-
|Caroline Di Cocco
|align="right"|19,440
|align="right"|48.91
|-
|Dave Boushy
|align="right"|16,679
|align="right"|41.96
|-
|Mark Kotanen
|align="right"|3,110
|align="right"|7.82
|-
|Andrew K. Falby
|align="right"|517
|align="right"|1.3
|}
Swing:
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She is a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
, representing the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Sarnia—Lambton
Sarnia—Lambton (provincial electoral district)
Sarnia—Lambton is a provincial electoral district in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It elects one member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario....
for the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
from 1999 to 2007 and was a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
until her defeat in the 2007 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
.
Di Cocco was born in Fontechiari
Fontechiari
Fontechiari is a town and comune in province of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy.The town has borders with the towns of Arpino, Broccostella, Casalvieri, Posta Fibreno and Vicalvi.-External links:* * *...
, in Frosinone
Frosinone
Frosinone is a town and comune in Lazio, central Italy, the administrative seat of the Province of Frosinone. It is located about 75 km south-east of Rome close to the Rome-Naples Autostrada A1...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and moved to Canada at a young age. She was educated at the Royal Conservatory of Music
Royal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is a music school and performance venue in Toronto, Canada. Other uses of the term include:*The Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain*The Royal Academy of Music, London, United Kingdom...
, and worked as a music teacher before entering political life. She is also the author of a work entitled One By One ... Passo Dopo Passo, chronicling the history of the Italian community in Sarnia from 1870 to 1990. In 1989, she founded the International Wine Gala.
Di Cocco served as a city councillor in Sarnia
Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
from 1997 to 1999. She was elected to the Ontario legislature in the Ontario general election of 1999
Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, defeating incumbent Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
Dave Boushy by almost 3000 votes in Sarnia—Lambton. The Progressive Conservatives won the election, and Di Cocco served as her party's critic for Culture, Recreation and Heritage for the next four years. She also became known for her promotion of local environmental issues. In 2002, she was awarded a knighthood (Cavalieri
Cavalieri
Cavalieri is an Italian surname.* Bonaventura Cavalieri , Italian mathematician* Caterina Cavalieri , Italian opera soprano* Diego Cavalieri Cavalieri is an Italian surname.* Bonaventura Cavalieri (1598–1647), Italian mathematician* Caterina Cavalieri (1755–1801), Italian opera soprano*...
) by the Republic of Italy.
She was easily re-elected in the provincial election of 2003
Ontario general election, 2003
The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, defeating Tory candidate and private-school promoter Henk Vanden Ende by over 6000 votes, and was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Michael Bryant
Michael Bryant (politician)
Michael J. Bryant is former public administrator and former politician in Ontario, Canada. A Harvard-trained lawyer, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the electoral district of St. Paul's for the Ontario Liberal Party from 1999 until 2009...
in his capacity as Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal on October 23, 2003. On September 27, 2004, she was named Parliamentary Assistant in Marie Bountrogianni
Marie Bountrogianni
Marie Bountrogianni BA, MEd, D.Ed is a psychologist, politician, and was the President and Executive Director of ROM Governors. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and a cabinet minister in the government of Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty.Bountrogianni was born in Hamilton,...
in her capacity as Minister of Children and Youth Services.
Di Cocco was promoted to cabinet on April 5, 2006, replacing Madeleine Meilleur
Madeleine Meilleur
Madeleine Meilleur is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and is a cabinet minister in the government of Premier Dalton McGuinty.-Background:...
as Minister of Culture.
In the 2007 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
, Di Cocco was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Bob Bailey
Bob Bailey (politician)
Bob Bailey is a Canadian politician. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2007 provincial election, representing the riding of Sarnia—Lambton. He is a member of the Progressive Conservatives....
.
Electoral Record
|-|Bob Bailey
Bob Bailey (politician)
Bob Bailey is a Canadian politician. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2007 provincial election, representing the riding of Sarnia—Lambton. He is a member of the Progressive Conservatives....
|align="right"|16,303
|align="right"|38.3
|align="right"|+7.31
|-
|Caroline Di Cocco
|align="right"|12,509
|align="right"|29.4
|align="right"|-18.14
|-
|Barb Millitt
|align="right"|11,412
|align="right"|26.8
|align="right"|+9.85
|-
|Tim van Bodegom
|align="right"|2,384
|align="right"|5.6
|align="right"|+1.90
|}
Swing: 12.73 from Lib to PC (PC gain)
|-
|Caroline Di Cocco
|align="right"|18,179
|align="right"|47.54
|align="right"|-1.37
|-
|Henk Vanden Ende
|align="right"|11,852
|align="right"|30.99
|align="right"|-10.97
|-
|Glenn Sonier
|align="right"|6,482
|align="right"|16.95
|align="right"|+9.13
|-
|Bradley Gray
|align="right"|1,414
|align="right"|3.7
|-
|Andrew K. Falby
|align="right"|316
|align="right"|0.83
|}
Swing: 4.80 from PC to Lib (Lib hold)
|-
|Caroline Di Cocco
|align="right"|19,440
|align="right"|48.91
|-
|Dave Boushy
|align="right"|16,679
|align="right"|41.96
|-
|Mark Kotanen
|align="right"|3,110
|align="right"|7.82
|-
|Andrew K. Falby
|align="right"|517
|align="right"|1.3
|}
Swing: