Home > Seymour J. Farmer

Farmer was born in Cardiff, Wales. He moved to Canada in 1901Events January 1 World celebrates what is regarded as the start of the new century. Zero-ists' argument that new century should be celebrated in 1900 rejected worldwide). January 1 The six colonies that make up Australia are federated as under an act of t, and worked as a railway clerk. In 1910Events January events January 13 The first live musical radio program. Lee De Forest broadcasts a live performance of Enrico Caruso from the Metropolitan Opera. January 26 ? Seine floods in Paris. February events February 8 The Boy Scouts of America is in, he was Fred DixonFred Dixon ( January 20, 1981- 1931) was a Manitoba politician, and was for several years the dominant figure in the province's mainstream labour movement. Born in Englefield, England, Dixon was not (except perhaps in a very general sense) a socialist.'s campaign manager in the latter's unsuccessful bid for election to the Manitoba legislature. He became an accountant for the International Grain Company in 19131913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. click on link for calendar) Events January-March January 30 House of Lords rejects Irish Home Rule Bill February 1 New York City's Grand Central Station opens as the world's largest train station. February 3 Th, and retained this position until 1927Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 See also 1927 in aviation 1927 in film 1927 in literature 1927 in mu.

Along with Dixon, Farmer opposed conscriptionConscription or mandatory military service is a general term for government policies that require citizens to serve in their armed forces. It is known by various names, for example, in the United States it is known colloquially as the Draft . However, the during the First World War. During the Conscription Crisis of 1917, he was nominated by the Anti-Conscription League to contest the federal riding of Winnipeg Centre in the 1917 Canadian election; he resigned in favour of another labour candidate, however.

Farmer supported the Winnipeg General Strike, and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1919 and 1920. In December 1920, he was one of the founding members of Manitoba's Independent Labour Party. He considered running for the federal riding of Winnipeg Centre in 1921, but withdrew in favour of J.S. Woodsworth.

Farmer was elected mayor of Winnipeg in 1922 and 1923, although he could not command majority support from the city's councillors on either occasion. He was defeated by Ralph Webb in 1924, though he subsequently served as a councillor in 1928 and 1929, and again in the 1930s.

Farmer was also elected to the provincial legislature for Winnipeg in 1922, along with fellow ILP members Fred Dixon, John Queen and William Ivens . He was re-elected in 1927 and 1932, and replaced Queen as party leader in 1935.

Farmer's early years as party leader were marked by conflict between the ILP and the newly-formed Cooperative Commonwealth Federation. In 1933, the ILP agreed to affiliate with the CCF and support the latter party's skeletal network in the province. By 1936, the CCF had grown into a more powerful organization and many ILP members were concerned about their autonomy. There were ideological differences between the two groups: the ILP was exclusively a labour party, whereas the CCF wanted to reach out to farmers as well.

For the election of 1936, the party campaigned under the "ILP-CCF" banner and increased their standing to seven seats. Subsequently, a number of disgruntled ILP members forced a temporarily disaffiliation from the CCF. Pressure from David Lewis and J.S. Woodsworth brought the two parties back in alignment, but the relationship remained shakey.

At the start of World War II, Farmer supported the pacifist stance taken by Woodsworth in the Canadian House of Commons. The ILP as a whole, however, supported of an all-out war effort, rejecting the CCF's call to conscript "wealth rather than men". This division undoubtedly contributed to the collapse of the ILP; it dissolved in 1943, after its internal operations were taken over by CCF loyalists.

Throughout the 1930s, Manitoba Premier John Bracken had attempted to bring the province's opposition parties into a "non-partisan" coalition government. Bracken's Progressives absorbed the provincial Liberals in 1932, but the other parties turned down his requests on two separate occasions. With the start of the war, however, "non-party" government became a more viable option. The Conservatives and Social Credit joined the government in 1940; despite opposition from David Lewis, Farmer was able to convince the CCF to do the same.

Farmer argued (somewhat dubiously) that Bracken was willing to adopt labour-friendly policies, and that the CCF would benefit more from joining government than from being the sole group in opposition. He also argued that an all-party government would defer the next provincial election for a year, and allow the CCF more time to organize. Lewis eventually resigned himself to the alliance, and the CCF entered Manitoba's government in late 1940. Farmer became the first socialist politician in Canada to receive a cabinet portfolio, being sworn in as Minister of Labour on 4 November.

By any measurement, the CCF's tenure in government was a disaster for the party. While the Conservatives were fully integrated into the management of the province, Social Credit and the CCF were marginalized. Bracken forced Farmer's labour legislation to face free votes in the legislature; these soon took the form of party votes, with the CCF invariably on the losing side.

The CCF was demoralized in the election of 1941. Keeping an earlier pledge, they only contested ten ridings, and fell from seven to three members.

Support for the CCF rose nationally throughout 1942, and there was a growing desire among many in the Manitoba party to leave the coalition. Farmer resigned from cabinet in December 1942, and the CCF formally left the government the following year.

Farmer continued as party leader through the election of 1945. This campaign was a disappointment to the party -- although they received more votes than the governing Liberal-Progressives (35% to 33%), they elected only 10 MLAs. Farmer resigned as party leader in June 1947, and was replaced the following year by E.A. Hansford.

Farmer did not contest the election of 1949. He died on January 16, 1951.