Home > Major James Coldwell

Coldwell was born in England. He moved to Canada in 1910 and became a school administrator in Regina, Saskatchewan. He became known nationally as a leader of teacher's associations from 1924 until 1934. He was elected to the city council in Regina and developed links with labour and farmers organizations.

When the Saskatchewan Farmer-Labour Party was formed in 1932, Coldwell was chosen to be its first leader. The party fought the 1934 provincial election under Coldwell's leadership, and won five seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, making it the official opposition to the Liberal government. Coldwell was defeated in his election bid. After the election, the party affiliated itself with the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]], and became the Saskatchewan CCF.

In the 1935 federal election, Coldwell was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for the ridingThis page refers to a Riding as a unit in local government. For the more usual meaning, see horse and related articles In the British Isles, a riding is a sub-division of a county. The word is a corruption of the Old Norse riding thridhing or thrithing me of Rosetown-Biggar. He split with CCF leader J.S. Woodsworth when World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough broke out in 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26. Woodsworth, a pacifist, opposed the war effort, while Coldwell and the rest of the CCF caucusA caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries. In the United States, a caucus is a meeting of local members of a political party or supported the war. When Woodsworth resigned as CCF leader in 1942, shortly before his death, Coldwell was unanimously elected the party's new leader. He lead the party through five general elections.

Coldwell had a moderating influence on party policy, and in 1956, the party passed the Winnipeg DeclarationThe Winnipeg Declaration (sometimes referred to as the Winnipeg Manifesto was the programme adopted by the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation to replace the Regina Manifesto. Its full name is the "1956 Winnipeg Declaration of Principles of the Co-operati as a statement of party principles to replace the more radical Regina ManifestoThe Regina Manifesto was the programme of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and was adopted at the first national convention of the CCF hed in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1933. The CCF was a democratic socialist party founded in 1932 by farmers, worker. After an upsurge of support for the party immediately after World War II, the party embarked on a long decline during the Cold War.

In the 1958 election, Coldwell lost his seat, and the party was reduced to a rump of eight MPs. Coldwell retired as party leader in 1960.

He was unenthusiastic about the movement to merge the CCF with the Canadian Labour Congress and create a "New Party", but he joined the New Democratic Party of Canada at its founding, and remained an elder statesman in the party until his death in 1974. In 1967, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.