# Rodger Cuzner > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rodger_Cuzner > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rodger_Cuzner.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodger_Cuzner > Source revision: 1356173601 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Rodger Trueman Cuzner** (born November 4, 1955) is a Canadian politician and diplomat who currently serves as a [Senator](/source/Senate_of_Canada) for [Nova Scotia](/source/Nova_Scotia) in the [Senate of Canada](/source/Senate_of_Canada). He previously served as the [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(Canada)) in the [House of Commons of Canada](/source/House_of_Commons_of_Canada) for the riding of [Cape Breton—Canso](/source/Cape_Breton%E2%80%94Canso) and its predecessor, [Bras d'Or—Cape Breton](/source/Bras_d'Or%E2%80%94Cape_Breton), from 2000 to 2019. For most of 2003, he served as [Parliamentary Secretary](/source/List_of_Parliamentary_Secretaries_of_Canada) to the [Prime Minister](/source/Prime_Minister_of_Canada) under [Jean Chrétien](/source/Jean_Chr%C3%A9tien), and served as [Parliamentary Secretary](/source/Parliamentary_secretary) for [Employment, Workforce Development and Labour](/source/Employment_and_Social_Development_Canada) in the [Justin Trudeau government](/source/29th_Canadian_Ministry).[1] Between 2020 and 2023, Cuzner served as the [Consul General](/source/Consul_General) of [Canada](/source/Canada) to the [United States](/source/United_States) ([Boston](/source/Boston)). ## Early life and education Cuzner was born the second of six children born to Trueman and Kay Cuzner in [Glace Bay](/source/Glace_Bay), [Nova Scotia](/source/Nova_Scotia). He studied physical education at [St. Francis Xavier University](/source/St._Francis_Xavier_University) in [Antigonish](/source/Antigonish,_Nova_Scotia). He worked as the special event coordinator for the [Cape Breton](/source/Cape_Breton_Regional_Municipality) Department of Recreation, Culture and Facilities, where he was responsible for major events like the Millennium Countdown 2000. Cuzner has been very involved with hockey throughout his life. He coached Team Nova Scotia at the [Canada Games](/source/Canada_Games) in 1995 and 1999. ## Political career Cuzner was a member of the [Liberal Party of Canada](/source/Liberal_Party_of_Canada) in the [House of Commons of Canada](/source/House_of_Commons_of_Canada), representing the riding of [Bras d'Or—Cape Breton](/source/Bras_d'Or%E2%80%94Cape_Breton) and, later, [Cape Breton—Canso](/source/Cape_Breton%E2%80%94Canso). He was first elected in 2000.[2] Cuzner served as [Parliamentary Secretary](/source/Parliamentary_Secretary) to former [Prime Minister](/source/Prime_Minister_of_Canada) [Jean Chrétien](/source/Jean_Chr%C3%A9tien) from January 13, 2003, to December 11, 2003, and held other key positions within the [Liberal](/source/Liberal_Party_of_Canada) Caucus, including chair of [Nova Scotia](/source/Nova_Scotia) Caucus, chair of [Atlantic](/source/Atlantic_Canada) Caucus, and [Chief Opposition Whip](/source/Chief_Opposition_Whip_(Canada)). He also served as the [Parliamentary Secretary](/source/Parliamentary_Secretary) for [Employment, Workforce Development and Labour](/source/Employment_and_Social_Development_Canada).[3][4] In his early years in Parliament, Cuzner focused on matters surrounding both [Veteran Affairs](/source/Veterans_Affairs_Canada) and [Fisheries and Oceans](/source/Fisheries_and_Oceans_Canada). During the later part of his Parliamentary career, much of his attention was directed toward [Workforce Development](/source/Employment_and_Social_Development_Canada) and National Labour issues.[5] As an elected official representing [Nova Scotia](/source/Nova_Scotia) and [Cape Breton Island](/source/Cape_Breton_Island), Cuzner worked with community and industry to further develop the tourism sector through major investments in infrastructure projects, including Cabot Cape Breton's [Cabot Links](/source/Cabot_Links) and Cabot Cliffs, notably becoming two top-rated golf courses in the world.[5] Cuzner regularly represented the [Liberal Party](/source/Liberal_Party_of_Canada) on the weekly MP panel on [CTV News Channel's](/source/CTV_News_Channel_(Canada)) *[Power Play](/source/Power_Play_(Canadian_political_affairs_series))*, and was regularly asked to appear on other national political affairs programs, on television, and radio. Cuzner traditionally delivered a humorous, politically themed rewrite of "[Twas the Night Before Christmas](/source/Twas_the_Night_Before_Christmas)" on the last house sitting before the holiday break.[6] After his retirement, it was delivered by [Darren Fisher,](/source/Darren_Fisher) MP for [Dartmouth—Cole Harbour](/source/Dartmouth%E2%80%94Cole_Harbour).[7] He was twice voted as "Most Collegial" [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(Canada)) by his Parliamentary colleagues, and was described by [Maclean's](/source/Maclean's) in 2017 as "Parliament's Sense of Humour".[8][9] Cuzner was re-elected to a sixth straight term with 74.4% of the vote in the [2015 Canadian federal election](/source/2015_Canadian_federal_election).[10] On April 26, 2019, Cuzner announced he wouldn't run for re-election in the [2019 election](/source/2019_Canadian_federal_election).[11][12] ## Post-political life On October 31, 2020, it was reported that Prime Minister [Justin Trudeau](/source/Justin_Trudeau) appointed Cuzner as the new Consul General to the United States (Boston).[13][14] On October 31, 2023, he was summoned to the [Senate of Canada](/source/Senate_of_Canada) by Governor General [Mary Simon](/source/Mary_Simon), on the advice of Prime Minister [Justin Trudeau](/source/Justin_Trudeau).[15] ## Personal life Cuzner and his wife Lynn (née Hopkins) have three children: Mitch, Scott and Brad. ## References 1. ["Rodger Cuzner"](https://pm.gc.ca/eng/parliamentary-secretaries/rodger-cuzner). *Prime Minister of Canada*. Retrieved 2018-11-24. 1. ["Liberals stage C.B. comeback"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050124084348/http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?2000%2F11%2F28+232.raw+FE00Nov28+2). *The Chronicle Herald*. November 28, 2000. Archived from [the original](http://www.herald.ns.ca/cgi-bin/home/displaypackstory?2000/11/28+232.raw+FE00Nov28+2) on January 24, 2005. Retrieved 2014-09-29. 1. ["Cuzner named parliamentary secretary"](https://www.saltwire.com/cape-breton/news/local/cuzner-named-parliamentary-secretary-10700/). *Cape Breton Post*. December 2, 2015. Retrieved 2021-04-26. 1. Fitz-Morris, James (2 December 2015). ["Bill Blair, Adam Vaughan among new parliamentary secretaries"](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-parliamentary-secretaries-named-1.3346942). *www.cbc.ca*. [CBC News](/source/CBC_News). Retrieved 2015-12-11. 1. Canada, Global Affairs (2019-03-28). ["Rodger Cuzner, Consul General of Canada in Boston, United States"](https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/us-eu/boston-rep.aspx?lang=eng). *GAC*. Retrieved 2023-05-18. 1. Maloney, Ryan (11 December 2015). ["Rodger Cuzner's Christmas Poem Mocks Tories, Salutes Kevin Vickers"](https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/rodger-cuzners-christmas-poem-mocks-tories-salutes-kevin-vicke_n_6304402). *[HuffPost](/source/HuffPost)* 1. ["Liberals recite 2023 Christmas poem in House of Commons tradition"](https://globalnews.ca/video/10171775/liberals-recite-2023-christmas-poem-in-house-of-commons-tradition). *[Global News](/source/Global_News)*. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2025. 1. ["2013 Parliamentarians of the Year - Macleans.ca"](https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/presenting-the-2013-parliamentarians-of-the-year/). *Macleans.ca*. 2013-11-18. Retrieved 2018-11-24. 1. ["Rodger Cuzner: Parliament's sense of humour - Macleans.ca"](https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/rodger-cuzner-parliaments-sense-of-humour/). *Macleans.ca*. 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2018-11-24. 1. ["Here are Nova Scotia's final riding-by-riding results | CBC News"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/nova-scotia-federal-election-1.3278654). *CBC*. Retrieved 2018-11-24. 1. ["Cape Breton-Canso MP Rodger Cuzner calls it a career"](https://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/cape-breton-canso-mp-rodger-cuzner-calls-it-a-career-305821/). *Cape Breton Post*. April 26, 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-27. 1. ["Longtime Cape Breton Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner will not re-offer"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/longtime-cape-breton-mp-rodger-cuzner-will-not-re-offer-1.5112047). CBC News. April 26, 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-27. 1. ["Trudeau names former Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner as new consul general in Boston"](https://globalnews.ca/news/7432563/trudeau-names-former-liberal-mp-rodger-cuzner-as-new-consul-general-in-boston/). *Global News*. Retrieved 2020-10-30. 1. ["Announcement of new diplomatic appointments"](https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2020/10/announcement-of-new-diplomatic-appointments0.html). Global Affairs Canada. October 30, 2020. Retrieved 2023-05-18. 1. ["The Prime Minister announces the appointment of five senators"](https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2023/10/31/prime-minister-announces-appointment-senators). Prime Minister of Canada. October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023. ## External links - [Official website](http://rodgercuzner.liberal.ca/en/default.aspx)[dead link] --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rodger Cuzner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodger_Cuzner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodger_Cuzner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.