Michelle Dockrill

Michelle Dockrill (born May 22, 1959) is a former Canadian politician who represented the Nova Scotia riding of Bras d'Or in the House of Commons from 1997 to 2000.

Michelle Dockrill
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Bras d'Or
In office September 22, 1997 – October 22, 2000
Preceded by	district created
Succeeded by	Rodger Cuzner
Personal details
Born	(1959-05-22) May 22, 1959 Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political party	New Democratic Party

Early life

Prior to entering politics, Dockrill was a member of the Nova Scotia Government Employee's Union and a receptionist at a Cape Breton health care facility.

1997 election

Dockrill was nominated to run for the Canadian New Democratic Party in the federal election called for June 2, 1997. She was up against then-Health Minister David Dingwall, perceived as the most powerful Nova Scotian figure in the government of then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. With the NDP having only won 5% of the vote in 1993, Dockrill, nominated after the election had already been called, was not taken seriously by Dingwall's Liberals or the NDP, who initially devoted few resources to her campaign.

Dingwall, MP for the area since 1980, was seen as unable or unwilling to use his vast patronage powers to improve living conditions in his impoverished riding. Changes to laws governing unemployment insurance, restrictions on the fisheries, the slow destruction of the area's coal mining industry and problems with health care services all contributed to a growing sense that Dingwall was out of touch.

Dockrill ran an aggressive campaign, assisted by resources directed to the riding by then Nova Scotia NDP Provincial Secretary Ron Cavalucci. Cavalucci sent his assistant to manage the campaign; he launched a series of ads accusing Dingwall of lying and implicating him in secret discussions to close the coal mines. Dingwall was seen to lose a CBC Radio debate with Dockrill and the Progressive Conservative candidate.

On election night, Dockrill defeated Dingwall by more than 1,200 votes, capturing 41.30% of the vote.

Member of Parliament

She worked tirelessly on the issue of the coal industry, the last Cape Breton mine was closed soon after her defeat in the election of November 2000, when she lost in a landslide by Liberal Rodger Cuzner. She achieved brief fame for being the first MP to bring her newborn baby into the House of Commons.

In 2004 Dockrill, who had returned to her previous position working in a health facility, ran for and lost the NDP nomination to newcomer Shirley Hartery, who went on to be defeated by Cuzner in the June election.

Electoral record

2019 Canadian federal election: Cape Breton—Canso
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Mike Kelloway	16,694	38.88	-35.51	none listed
	Conservative	Alfie MacLeod	14,821	34.52	+20.07	$99,102.26
	New Democratic	Laurie Suitor	6,354	14.80	+6.59	none listed
	Green	Clive Doucet	3,321	7.73	+4.77	$23,886.83
	People's	Billy Joyce	925	2.15	-	$0.00
	Independent	Michelle Dockrill	685	1.60	-	none listed
	National Citizens Alliance	Darlene Lynn LeBlanc	140	0.33	-	$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit			42,940	98.62		$102,831.89
Total rejected ballots			601	1.38	+0.75
Turnout			43,541	71.73	+0.15
Eligible voters			60,699
	Liberal hold		Swing		-27.79
Source: Elections Canada

2000 Canadian federal election: Cape Breton—Canso
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rodger Cuzner	20,815	54.85	+16.41
	Progressive Conservative	Alfie MacLeod	8,114	21.38	+1.12
	New Democratic	Michelle Dockrill	7,537	19.86	-21.44
	Alliance	John Currie	1,483	3.91	–
Total valid votes			37,949	100.00
	Liberal gain from New Democratic		Swing		+18.93

1997 Canadian federal election: Cape Breton—Canso
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	New Democratic	Michelle Dockrill	17,575	41.30
	Liberal	David Dingwall	16,358	38.44
	Progressive Conservative	Frank Crowdis	8,620	20.26
Total valid votes			42,553	100.00

External links

• Michelle Dockrill – Parliament of Canada biography