Keywords Born in 1952 Politicians, Federal-Provincial

An excellent campaigner with fluency in French and Italian, she held her seat in the 1988 election. A new, calmer Copps made an unsuccessful bid for the federal Liberal leadership in 1990 but proved herself to be a major power within the party. Following the 1993 Liberal victory, Copps was named deputy prime minister and minister responsible for the environment. In January 1996 she moved from the environment to Canadian Heritage. Copps had promised during the election to resign if the Liberals failed to eliminate the controversial GST. In the 1996 budget Finance Minister Paul Martin admitted that the tax, in one form or another, would remain. Copps's promise made her the target of the Opposition's anger, and under extreme pressure she resigned her seat in May of 1996 and announced she would seek redemption in a by-election. She was re-elected June 17, taking half the vote in the Hamilton East by-election and two days later Chrétien brought her back as deputy prime minister and minister of Canadian heritage.

After the election of 1997, Copps was re-appointed to the Heritage portfolio. Regarded as a cultural nationalist, she established the Canadian Television and Cable Production Fund for independent film and television production and introduced copyright protection for recording artists and producers. She has written an interim political autobiography, Nobody's Baby (1986). In a controversial May 1999 agreement with the United States, she agreed to amend Bill C-55, the Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act, allowing foreign publishers to publish up to 18% of advertisements aimed at the Canadian market in split-run magazines (editions of foreign magazines published in Canada with mostly foreign content but with Canadian advertisements), with increased tax deductions for advertisers who publish in magazines with at least 80% original or Canadian content.

Copps, Sheila
Copps resigned in May 1996 to honour her promise to do so if the Liberals did not cancel the GST. She ran again, however, and won back her seat (courtesy Maclean's).

Author NORMAN HILLMER

Links to Other Sites
Sheila Copps
This website honours Sheila Copps and other exemplary Canadian women in federal and provincial politics. Part of the "Celebrating Women's Achievements" series from Library and Archives Canada.