Jennifer Cossitt (née Birchall, born 22 June 1948 in Redcar, Yorkshire, England) was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons. She was a business executive by career.
Her husband was Thomas Cossitt, member of Parliament for the Leeds—Grenville electoral district. Cossitt served as her husband’s executive assistant for nine years.Following his death in 1982, she campaigned at the riding in a 12 October 1982 by-election and won the seat. Cossitt took a fifth-ballot victory at a nominating convention of Leeds-Grenville Conservative Riding Association in the town of Prescott, Ontario, gaining 262 votes.On her first day in the House of Commons (27 October 1982), she spoke against Liberal employment policies and entered an unsuccessful motion to debate these.
Jennifer Cossitt won re-election in the 1984 federal election, but was defeated in the following 1988 federal election by Jim Jordan of the Liberal party. She served for the latter part of the 32nd Canadian Parliament and a full term in the 33rd Parliament.
Election Results
| Canadian federal election, 1988 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ∆% |
|---|
| Liberal | Jim Jordan | 20,141 | 43.39 | +20.07 |
| Progressive Conservative | Jennifer Cossitt | 18,053 | 38.89 | -22.61 |
| New Democratic | Barry Grills | 5,141 | 11.08 | -2.88 |
| Christian Heritage | David Butcher | 1,584 | 3.41 | |
| Confederation of Regions | Faye Garner | 1,497 | 3.23 | |
| Total valid votes | 46,416 | 100.00 |
| Canadian federal election, 1984 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ∆% |
|---|
| Progressive Conservative | Jennifer Cossitt | 26,961 | 61.50 | +4.50 |
| Liberal | Chuck Anderson | 10,222 | 23.32 | +2.59 |
| New Democratic | Jan Allen | 6,121 | 13.96 | +5.44 |
| Green | Mike Nickerson | 348 | 0.79 | |
| Libertarian | Hans Wienhold | 190 | 0.43 | -13.01 |
| Total valid votes | 43,842 | 100.00 |
| Canadian federal by-election, 12 October 1982 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ∆% |
|---|
| upon Tom Cossitt's death on 15 March 1982 |
| Progressive Conservative | Jennifer Cossitt | 18,401 | 57.00 | +5.78 |
| Liberal | Chuck Anderson | 6,693 | 20.73 | -10.98 |
| Libertarian | Neil Reynolds | 4,337 | 13.44 | |
| New Democratic | Mildred Smith | 2,751 | 8.52 | -8.55 |
| Independent | Ray Turmel | 99 | 0.31 | |
| Total valid votes | 32,281 | 100.00 |
