▁died ▁in ▁hospital ▁on ▁Th urs day ▁February ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁at ▁aged ▁ 7 8 . ▁ ▁Provin cial ▁politics ▁C ous ens ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Ontario ▁legisl ature ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁provincial ▁election , ▁defe ating ▁Liberal ▁Alf ▁St ong ▁in ▁the ▁r iding ▁of ▁York ▁Centre . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁back ben ch ▁supp orter ▁of ▁Bill ▁Davis ' s ▁government ▁for ▁four ▁years . ▁ ▁C ous ens ▁initially ▁supported ▁Dennis ▁Tim bre ll ▁to ▁succeed ▁Davis ▁in ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ' s ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁leadership ▁convention , ▁but ▁crossed ▁over ▁to ▁Frank ▁Miller ▁on ▁the ▁last ▁ball ot . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁parliament ary ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Cit iz ens hip ▁and ▁Culture ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁shortly ▁after ▁Miller ▁was ▁sw orn ▁in ▁as ▁Premier ▁of ▁Ontario . ▁ ▁C ous ens ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁provincial ▁election , ▁but ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv atives ▁were ▁reduced ▁to ▁an ▁un stable ▁minor ity ▁government . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁of ▁Cor re ction al ▁Services ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 7 , ▁▁ ▁but ▁accomplished ▁little ▁of ▁consequence ▁before ▁the ▁Miller ▁government ▁was ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁house ▁in ▁June . ▁ ▁Al ong ▁with ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁T ory ▁c au cus , ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁opposition