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M.J. COLDWELL, MP |
Major James Coldwell, "probably the best parliamentarian in the House of Commons" was born at Seaton, Devon, England, in 1888. The son of an old farming family, his upbringing and the basically conservative outlook of the farming people tended to make him a Tory in the old tradition. However, when he attended University College in Exeter and came into contact with liberal progressive ideas his views underwent change. Mr. Coldwell became sympathetic to the ideals of the British Labour Party, founded less than a decade before, and to the socialist teachings of the Fabian Society.
Because his new ideas came into conflict with the restricted, conservative society of England nearly a half century ago, Coldwell left his native Devon in 1910 at the age of 21, and came to Canada. He was seeking a land where traditions were just in the making, where new social ideas might have a better chance to develop. He went first to Edmonton, and soon became a teacher in a rural prairie school. He returned to England in 1912, just long enough to marry his fiancee, Norah Dunsford, and bring her back with him to Canada.
In 1914, he accepted a post as principal of a Regina public school, and he kept this position for the following twenty years during which he was entering more and more vigorously into public life of his adopted country. During that time, too, he gained national eminence in his profession, actively assisting in the work of the Canadian Teachers' Federation and holding the office of President of the CTF in 1927 and of Secretary-Treasurer from 1929 to 1934.
It was in 1921 that Mr. Coldwell first ran as aldermanic candidate in the city of Regina. He did so because a group of city workers asked him to voiceon their behalf some special grievances in their district. To his own surprise, he was elected with the second highest number of votes in the city, and from then until 1932 he topped the poll each year.
Perhaps the following incident explains the reason for Mr. Coldwell's popularity. It is certainly a key to his character as a fighter against injustice.
In 1921 there was a good deal of unemployment in Regina, and he became a member of the Relief Committee which provided the unemployed with two 15 cent meals a day. Complaints reached Mr. Coldwell about a particular restaurant which was giving the men very inadequate meals under this scheme, but when he protested other members of the Committee refused to accept his charge.
So, during the Christmas holiday, Mr. Coldwell let his whickers grow, put on a cap and a pair of overalls, and lined up at the City Hall for a meal ticket. He got one (and also discovered to his delight that an associate in the Teachers' Association failed to recognize him in this garb). He went to the restaurant and was sent to a special section where the unemployed men were fed. He got a bit of soup and a very small portion of meat and potatoes -- no tea or coffee nor dessert. Mr. Coldwell went back to his Relief Committee and confronted them with first-hand evidence. The city contract with the restaurant was withdrawn.
When Mr. Coldwell first ran as a Progressive candidate for Regina in the 1925 federal election, his Liberal opponents used the slogan "Keep Coldwell on the Council" and he was so popular that the citizens did just that at the next municipal election. He was soundly trounced in the federal race but his majority for municipal office was higher than ever.
At this time some Progressives wanted a coalition with the Liberals, but his loyalty was with the "ginger group" which continued alone in the House of Commons. The temptation of immediate power by a coalition of expediency, which attracted some Progressives, made Mr. Coldwell realize that Canada must have an independent party of the people, with a distinct philosophy and program. He helped form the Independent Labour Party of Saskatchewan in 1930 and became its first president. In that capacity he attended the 1932 Calgary conference of socialist and farmer-labour movements from which sprang the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation.
Mr. Coldwell immediately became head of the Saskatchewan section of the CCF and helped lay the groundwork for the subsequent successes of the CCF in that province. A provincial election was called for June 1934 and the CCF elected five members to the legislature, though Mr. Coldwell did not win his seat. He was nominated as candidate for the federal constituency of Rosetown-Biggar and when the election date was postponed until 1935, the school board refused to extend his leave of absence.
Mrs. Coldwell had recently contracted the serious illness which was hence-forth to confine her to a wheelchair; they had two growing children, and the depression was at its peak. Nevertheless he took the chance. He threw in his lot with the new CCF, and was dismissed by the school board from the position he had filled with distinction for twenty years.
Swift vindication followed. The school board members were all defeated at the next municipal test, and the in-coming board at its first meeting passed a resolutions commending Mr. Coldwell for his service to education in the city of Regina, and offering to reinstate him.
But from that time on his life has been devoted to the service of his fellow Canadians and the defence of the under-privileged. In the 1935 elections Mr. Coldwell was elected to represent Rosetown- Biggar in parliament, a seat he has held since that date with overwhelming majorities.
At Ottawa, M.J. Coldwell seemed to be immediately at home. Very quickly he earned the respect of the House for his ability in debate, his forceful yet simple and courteous style. Mr. Coldwell had the gift of directing searching criticism at the government without losing his innate dignity, a dignity which derived from his keen sense of responsibility to the parliamentary institution which he holds in such high regard. He showed himself at once to be a parliamentarian of unusual calibre, determined to pursue his socialist goal with full regard for the great democratic concept of responsible government. He mastered parliamentary procedure in short order, and today is freely acknowledged to be one of the two or three outstanding parliamentarians in the House of Commons.
His qualities of leadership had been instantly recognized in the movement. He became National Secretary of the CCF in 1934, National Chairman in 1938, House Leader in 1940 and on the death of J.S. Woodsworth became National President and Parliamentary Leader in 1942. The conventions of 1944, 1946, 1948, 1950 and 1952 have all witnessed the warmest demonstrations of confidence in Mr. Coldwell from his CCF associates. He has never been opposed in the contest.
Mr. Coldwell is recognized as one of the outstanding political figures in the English-speaking world today and in recent years has assumed an increasing role in international affairs. He is a member of the External Affairs Committee of the House of Commons and has been prominent in House discussion on the Colombo Plan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
In 1941 and again in 1948, he attended London meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. In 1952, with Canada playing host to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mr. Coldwell took an active part in the Ottawa meetings of the Conference.
In 1944 and in 1947 he headed the Canadian delegation to the Conference of British Commonwealth Labour, Co-operative and Socialist Parties. He went to San Francisco in 1945 as a member of the Canadian delegation to the conference which launched the United Nations, and in 1946 and 1950 he was a Canadian delegate to the United Nations Assembly in New York, doing notable work on Economic and Social Council of the U.N. He retains an executive office in the Canadian section of the United Nations Society and is a member of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs.
The socialist philosophy which has guided Mr. Coldwell so surely and firmly along this political course stems from his deep humanitarianism and his religious faith. As he told a conference of Christian ministers a few years ago at Merrickville, Ontario: " While no truly democratic party can claim a monopoly of Christian motives, I am confident that the CCF has a good a claim as any to be considered a party based on those fundamental principles which we associate with Christianity. It began because men and women of goodwill sought to deliver both themselves and their fellows from the exploitation and suffering inherent in undeserved and unnecessary poverty."
When Mr. Coldwell came to Canada, he brought with him the tradition of fairness, tolerance and democratic behaviour which are so characteristic of British civilization. His life among the prairie pioneers of the early period of this century gave him an appreciation of the stuff that Canadian people are made of. His experience as school principal and as alderman taught him the grim realities of the anxious life which the majority of Canadian families lead. His years of parliamentary training, his countless trips across the length and breadth of this country, his intimate acquaintanceship with thousands of humble Canadians on the farm, in the mine, factory and office, his visits to the United States, Britain and the continent of Europe, and his intimate association with the leaders of the Labour Governments in Britain, New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere, have given him an insight into national and international affairs which few public men in Canada possess.
With his colleagues, Mr. Coldwell is dedicated to a cause. As in the twenties, he is still opposed to any coalition with the parties of capitalism. He is not bitter about our present society, because bitterness is foreign to his nature. But he feels deep indignation at the way in which, in his opinion, the people are exploited for the profits of big corporations. He believes that the people cannot come into their own, cannot have security or real democracy, until the power of the big corporations is broken.
He believes that most ills in our society are man-made, and can therefore be removed. Abhorring violence, detesting dictatorship, he is confident that it is possible to transform our society in an orderly, common-sense way. But to do this, we must have a well- informed intelligent citizenship.
Hence Mr. Coldwell believes that democratic politics is essentially adult education and collective action. His appeal is for open- mindedness, understanding and courage. His faith is in the people. And those who know him, return that faith.
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