[1] Born in Chicago,[2] Cowan left the United States of America during the Vietnam War to avoid that nation's military draft.
In 1977, Cowan was sent by Manitoba NDP leader Edward Schreyer to the northern riding of Churchill to scout for suitable candidates.
Perhaps contrary to Schreyer's expectations, he secured the nomination for himself (despite the fact that he was not yet a Canadian citizen) and was duly returned in the general election that followed,[1] defeating Progressive Conservative Mark Ingebrigtson by about 300 votes.
[1] The NDP were unexpectedly defeated in the legislature in 1988, after disgruntled backbencher Jim Walding voted with the opposition in a narrowly divided house.
Cowan was director of special projects at the Anokiiwin Training Institute, working with aboriginal groups in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.