| Caroline Cochrane | |
| Birth Date: | 5 December 1960 |
| Birth Place: | Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada |
| Residence: | Yellowknife, Northwest Territories |
| 1Blankname1: | Commissioner |
| 1Namedata1: | Margaret Thom |
| Deputy1: | Diane Archie |
| Office1: | 13th Premier of the Northwest Territories |
| Term Start1: | October 24, 2019 |
| Term End1: | December 8, 2023 |
| Predecessor1: | Bob McLeod |
| Successor1: | R. J. Simpson |
| Office2: | Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories |
| Term Start2: | November 23, 2015 |
| Term End2: | November 14, 2023 |
| Constituency2: | Range Lake |
| Predecessor2: | Daryl Dolynny |
| Successor2: | Kieron Testart |
| Party: | Independent |
Caroline Cochrane (formerly Caroline Cochrane-Johnson; born December 5, 1960) is a former Canadian politician, who served as the 13th premier of the Northwest Territories, from 2019 to 2023.[1] She is the second female premier of the Northwest Territories after Nellie Cournoyea, who served from 1991 to 1995.[2]
Cochrane was born in Flin Flon, Manitoba, in 1960 and moved with her family to Yellowknife in 1963, where she grew up. She received a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University College of the Cariboo (now known as Thompson Rivers University or TRU) in Kamloops, British Columbia, in 1999.[3] [4] In 2023 Cochrane was recognized as a distinguished alumni at TRU and was awarded for her public service.[5] She was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in the 2015 election,[6] representing the electoral district of Range Lake.
Prior to her election to the legislature, Cochrane was CEO of the Centre for Northern Families, a social-service agency administered by the Yellowknife Women's Society in Yellowknife.[7]
In October 2019, Cochrane defeated three other candidates after three rounds of secret-ballot votes and was elected Premier of the Northwest Territories.[8]
Following one term as premier and two terms as MLA, Cochrane announced her retirement from politics in September 2023 and announced that she would not seek re-election in the 2023 Northwest Territories general election.[9]