The Huron Expositor, 1990-09-12, Page 5Histo y of NDP is history of this century
BY SUSAN OXFORD
Unlike the other two inlet
C>inaadtan puhuc:al porus the New
Democratic Party (NDP) has a
hu*iry that is totally within thus
L.e ntury . Stronger through a joining
of other panics in 1961, the NDP
has become a political farce to be
reckoned with.
In the beginning of this century
Canada was a two-party country.
The Liberal and Conservative par-
ties were modeled on British party
examples raogouing allegiance to
the Bnush crown and economic
traditions. Eventually the parties
would compete for allegiance from
Quebec, but originally they were
based an Bnuah prwcipleaa. Out of
the Canadian West came a party
that was c4xnpietGely Canadian and
separated itself frcxn European
Aim w become a mama ut Howie
of Commons procedure aid he used
his abilities to brag about Caneds's
fust, but limited, aid age peritonea
legislation to a minority
government. He rejected to offer by
the Liberals of a cabinetposition.
Dun ng the 192A's wealthy people
thnved while low wages and pover-
ty was a problem lived by many
Canadians. Unions and labour
movements were divided In their
policies of dealing with the
probhms. As the Depression of the
1930's advanced Western farmers
and workers realized they had more
in common titan their destitution
and saw the need for a unified
�Western labour groups began
holding confereix es in 1929 and in
Regina, 1932, they formed a uruty
W7. —� 11M
1111
LOOKING FOR WORK • Families like these travelled from town
to town looking for work, or a home, during the Depression.
styles of political policy.
When the 1900's arrived Canada
was an advanced capitalist state and
labour movements had been around
for a while. As in Britain child -
labour had been dismissed and adult
workers made up the workforce.
Members of labour unions had
suxessfully run in elections as
Independents, or allied themselves
with one of the major parties, and a
few had been elected as Members
of Parliament (MP) in Ottawa.
Some labour movements attempted
to form socialist political parties
and their first lasting party was
founded in 1932.
J.S. Woodsworth, a former
longshoreman and Methodist
minister that had been jailed as a
leader of the failed Winnipeg
General Strike of 1919, won a seat
in parliament in 1921, and
represented Winnipeg until his
death in 1942. In parliament he
watched many labour parties
flounder with no co-operative
unification. Their lessons taught
with farm groups and founded the
Co-operative Commonwealth
Federation (CCF). In its founding
the CCF proposed in its eight -point
programme "a co-operative com-
monwealth, in which the basic
principal regulating production,
distribution and exchange will be
the supplying of human needs
instead of making profits." Its first
national leader was Woodsworth.
In the midst of the 1930's
Depression the CCF replaced the
eight -point programme with the
Regina Manifesto that emphasized
economic planning, nationalization
of financial institutions, public
utilities and natural resources,
security of tenure for farmers, a
national labour code, socialized
health services and greatly
increased economic powers for the
central government. This came after
police charged a group of relief
camp workers in what became
known as the 1935 Regina Riot.
Woodsworth continued to hold his
Winnipeg seat in Parliament and
was joined by seven other CCF
MP's in the 1935 election. When
World War Two reared its head in
Ethiopia, Woodsworth, who was ill,
considered resigning his position
because his pacifist principals were
not shared by the majority of CCF
members. Canada joined Britain in
the war in 1939 after Germany
invaded Poland.
M.J. Coldwell became the CCF's
second national leader in 1942. The
war in Europe showed Comdata&
the CCF's message taxa the 1930's
Depression that resources cxxikl be
found to SU.I4U1 fullez*luYulont
and a buunw,g c homy if only the
wall dad the planning were
available. The CCF was +plc w win
and hold smut in Parliawkat, but it
was in Saskatchewan that u made
its biggest sondes.
The Saskatchewan CCF won its
first provincial election in 1944
under the leadership of former
Bapust minister T.C. (Tommy)
thelas, who had won a seat for
in Parliament previously.
After the war many European
countries ousted previous
govu iuncats of traditional politics
in favour of labour governments.
Even Britain's Winston Churchill,
who had helped lead Britain to
victory in the war, was ousted in
favour of the new ideas of labour
a 1 In944 Saskatchewan was almost
bankrupt after suffering seriously in
the 1930's. Douglas remained in
power in Saskatchewan for almost
20 years and fulfilled virtually all
the CCF promises. He brought in
civil servants that restored and
diversified the province's economy
and made Saskatchewan the fust
province to implement hospital,
health and automobile insurance. He
set firsts in welfare and labour
legislation and created some
publicly -owned industries.
The success of the CCF in Sas-
katchewan did not spread like
wildfire, yet, to the other Canadian
provinces. Saskatchewan was dif-
ferent from the other provinces in
that it had suffered terribly with
unemployment and poverty during
the 1930's Depression and ad-
ditional problems such as drought
and soil loss. By the time the
1950's arrived the CCF and its
Depression image was having
trouble being accepted nationally by
the people of the new economic
boom.
In 1956 the Regina Manifesto was
supplemented by the Winnipeg
Declaration in which the CCF
recognized the reality of a mixed
economy and Canada's involvement
with the wider world. Unlike the
other two major parties whose
leaders had frequently been chosen
because of personality and image,
the CCF still had its leaders from
the Depression. Not willing to
change its proven leaders for more
flamboyant characters, the CCF
decided to strengthen itself by ac-
cepting an invitation to join forces
with other national labour parties.
In 1961 the CCF, with the Canadian
Labour Congress, a strong national
movement, and other labour groups,
became the NDP. Needing a
national leader, the NDP had a
leadership convention that was won
by old CCF member, Tommy
Douglas.
During the convention the premier
of British Columbia made it illegal
in his province for union dues to be
used for any political party, but the
law was abolished in the courts
with the judges insisting that
political contributions were purely
an individual matter.
After winning the national NDP
leadership race Douglas hurried
RIDING THE RAILS - People
rode frieght cars for free as they
travelled across Canada looking
for a place to earn wages.
RYAN'S
LANDSCAPING
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SPACIAL DISCOUNTS
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o_ >Nres
GA11100H CINT*1 HOUR
Fri. Twos. 9100 •.w*. -4:00 p.n.
Wed. 9100 •.m.-12100 p.m.
Closed Wood. afternoon 1 Thur*.
PLANT A TREE - IT'S
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
a
DEMONSTRATING FOR JOBS - In Canadian cities the
unemployed demonstrated for jobs. Govemment relief was
available, but it was pitifully low.
back to Bel a.. whew dui: -
ton wee to leave the
pQroviac;e and ate into dotiaaicre ti
North America's first health in-
surance pian Douglas invited
Europc:au and Asian doctors to
ppr�a�,uce in the province and Sas-
katchewan dtx:tun reacted with a
racism -based protest. Doctors cut
tack then services to the people of
Saskatchewan and the effect was stn
strong the NDP was ousted in an
election. The incoming provincial
government did not let the doctors
get away with thou shenanigans and
two years later Saskatchewan
implemented its health insurance
prognun. After its fust year of
operauon Douglas was able to
prove that doctor's incomes had
increased by $3,000 under the plan.
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SEAFORTH
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END OF SUMMER SALE
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(Not Included Clod *alders.
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1.•
As leader of the national NDP
Tommy Douglas was able to retain
a seat in Parliament but could not
compete against former NDP
worker, flamboyant Pierre Trudeau,
and the Trudeaumania that swept in
the new Liberal Prime Minister in
1968. However, Douglas and the
NDP did see many of their policies
such as family allowances (baby
bonus), unemployment insurance,
worker's compensation and univer-
sal old age pensions be adopted by
government.
The national NDP has had three
leaders since Tommy Douglas:
David Lewis, Ed Broadbent and
Audrey McLaughlin. The NDP have
been the Official Opposition in
Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia
and has formed governments in
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British
Columbia, the Yukon and now
Ontario. Nationally the NDP
favours more provincial rights
instead of more centralized power
of the federal government. They
oppose Canada's involvement in
NATO and NORAD and have
called to make Canada a nuclear -
free zone. The NDP is critical of
the high rate of foreign ownership
of Canadian industry and opposed
the Free Trade accord. Members of
the NDP have been appointed to
positions by other Canadian
governments: Stephen Lewis is
Canada's ambassador to the United
Nations and Ed Schreyer was
Governor General. Appointments
like this surely recognize the impor-
tance of the CCF -NDP in Canadian
history and in practice.
CIVIC
CORNER
THE SEAFORTH BIA will hold a
seminar on Wednesday September
12, 1990 from 7 to 10 p.m. in the
Seaforth Council Chambers. The
seminar deals with "Keeping
Business in Seaforth"
THE SEAFORTH BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT AREA COM-
MITTEE will meet Tuesday, Sep-
tember 18th at 7:30 p.m. in the
Council Chambers, Town Hall.
THE HURON EXPOSITOR. SEPTEMSER 12 1990 5
A Review of activities at
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
BE TRIM PROGRAM: Seaforth Community Hospital is now
offering the Be Trim Program. Be Trial is the largest hospital-
based weight control program in North America, conducted by
a Registered Professional Dietitian. The program is founded
on self awareness and understanding of the conditions that in-
fluence your habits and attitudes toward food, eating, exercise
and stress. Be Trim will provide the techniques and support
that will help you to chane your habits and attitudes in order
to achieve permanent weight loss. Ten Weeks, 2 Hour Classes.
Introductory Session: Tuesday, September 18 - 7:00 p.m. - Con-
ference Room 2 - Seaforth Community Hospital. Program
Facilitator: Lorraine Devereaux, R.P.Dt. Enrolment is limited
so call 527-1650 - Ext. 262 to pre -register.
ARTHRITIS MONTH: September Ls Arthritis month. The
public are invited to attend an information night on AR-
THRITIS. Professionals from your local hospital will be on
hand to answer questions on causes, diagnosis and treatment.
Come to the hospital to get reliable information on diet and ar-
thritis, medications for arthritis, tests for arthritis, and treat-
ment for arthritiis...heat or ice; rest or movement, the role of
x-rays and arthritis? The person to see for personal questions
is your doctor, but for general information in sorting out the
myths around arthritis, you are invited to attend the...AR-
TERMS INFORMATION NIGHT - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER
24, 1990 - PHYSIOTHERAPY DEPARTMENT - SEAFORTH
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFF MEMBERS: Linda Lam,
R.N., Evelyn Blake, R.N.A., Dorothy Barry, Dietary Aide, Lori
Terpstra, Lab Technologist, Pam Nesbitt, Accounting Analyst
and Ron Drager, Mainenance.
l •wrkr Leda l dldurll r .rn xr I.m•rw ♦yA'rM
Oitll l* l,,.r tiM.
If you're through with diets that don't work,
call Diet Center. Here, our expertise comes
from first=hand experience. In fact, all our
counselors have lost weight on our pro-
gram. We can give you the support you
need to succeed, too. We're here to help
you through it. Call us today!
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52 SESSIONS OF STRESS -FREE EXERCISE
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Part of the Cook's Crop Marketing Team
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Pauline Insley - Grain Merchandiser,
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Bruce Lamont - Centralia Branch
Manager, 16 years with Cook's
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