Jim Cowan

James S. Cowan (born January 22, 1942) is a Canadian lawyer, a senator from Nova Scotia from 2005 to 2017, and was Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 2008 to 2015 and leader of the Independent Liberal caucus until June 15, 2016. Cowan was a lawyer and a partner at the legal firm Stewart McKelvey from 1967 until 2020. He retired from the senate on January 22, 2017, having reached the mandatory retirement age for senators. Education He received a Bachelor of Arts degree and Bachelor of Law degree from Dalhousie University, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He received his Master of Laws degree in 1966 from the London School of Economics. Nova Scotia politics In November 1985, Cowan announced he would seek the leadership of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party, but was defeated by Vince MacLean at the February 1986 leadership convention. Senate He was appointed to the Senate on the advice of prime minister Paul Martin on March 24, 2005 as a Liberal Party of Canada Senator. In 2008, he was appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Senate of Canada