Senator Cordy was appointed to the Senate by the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien on June 9th, 2000. She was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia and now lives in Dartmouth with her husband Bob. Her daughters Alison and Michelle also live in Dartmouth.

Senator Cordy is a graduate of Holy Angels High School, the Nova Scotia Teachers College and Mount St. Vincent University. She taught elementary school for 30 years in Nova Scotia, teaching in Sydney, New Glasgow and the Halifax Regional Municipality. She has made numerous presentations at both local and provincial teachers’ conferences.

Senator Cordy has served as vice-chair of the Halifax-Dartmouth Port Development Commission. She was also the chair of the Board of Referees for employment insurance. She also served on the Board of Phoenix House for Youth. Senator Cordy served two terms as a Board Member of Mount St. Vincent University.

Senator Cordy is a past president of the Nova Scotia Women’s Liberal Commission. She also served on Prime Minister Chrétien’s task force on seniors. Senator Cordy was a member of the Senate committee which published a report “Out of the Shadows at Last” a study of the issues relating to mental health, mental illness and addiction in Canada. She was also a member of the Special Senate Committee on Aging.

Senator Cordy is the past chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association. She is presently serving as an international vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly representing North America on the executive. She is on the executive of the Civil Dimensions of Security Committee in the Assembly.

Senator Cordy has a particular interest in issues related to mental health, seniors and aging, Multiple Sclerosis, NATO and Gender Security, education and children. She has been Leader of the Progressive Senate Group since December 2019.