Senator Rodger Cuzner brings to the Upper Chamber 19 years of House of Commons experience as the Member of Parliament for Cape Breton Canso.

During his time in the House, Senator Cuzner served in a variety of key positions including Parliamentary Secretary to the Right Honourable Jean Chretien, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Skills Development and Labour Canada and Chief Opposition Whip.

His committee work included Vice Chair of Fisheries and Oceans, Procedure and House Affairs, Board of Internal Economy, Finance and Human Resources Social Development.

Upon his retirement from the House of Commons, Senator Cuzner accepted a three-year diplomatic post as Canada’s Counsel General to New England, where his focus was growing business opportunities and investment for Canadian companies, while working to enhance the critical relationship between Canada and our southern neighbours.

A graduate of Saint Francis Xavier University in Kinesiology, Senator Cuzner has held a lifetime attachment to coaching hockey, achieving an Advanced 2 Hockey Technical Certification and is a Master Course Conductor in the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). He has coached at the Major Midget, Junior and University levels and has twice coached Team Nova Scotia in the Canada Winter Games.

Senator Cuzner spent much of his early working years in Fort McMurray between 1976-1987, working at various times for Suncor Canada, the City of Fort McMurray and the Oil Barons Hockey Club.

Senator Cuzner intends to make fisheries, oceans and labour issues his prime focus, and subsequently hoping to engage in Canada-US relations.

Senator Cuzner was summoned to the Senate of Canada on November 7, 2023, by the Governor General, on the advice of Prime Minister Trudeau to serve his home province of Nova Scotia, where he and his wife Lynn live “Out on the Mira”.