Frank Howard (politician)
Encyclopedia
Frank Howard was a Canadian trade unionist and politician
.
Howard was born in Kimberley
, British Columbia
. After a career as a logger
and labour union organizer, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
as a BC CCF MLA in 1953. He was defeated in 1956 but won a seat in the House of Commons
representing Skeena
in the 1957 election
.
Howard first sat as a member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
and then for its successor, the New Democratic Party
(NDP). In Parliament, Howard and his caucus colleague Arnold Peters
were responsible for reforming Canada's divorce laws, and for achieving significant reforms to Canada's prison system. He was also instrumental in attaining full voting rights for Canadian First Nations
.
Howard stood as a candidate in the 1971 NDP leadership convention, finishing fifth. He was a Member of Parliament for seventeen years until he lost his seat in the 1974 general election
.
In 1979, Howard returned to politics, running again for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He won that election and served as Skeena's Member of the Legislative Assembly
until 1986.
Howard published an autobiography, From Prison to Parliament, in 2003.
Howard died on March 15, 2011 at the age of 85.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Howard was born in Kimberley
Kimberley, British Columbia
Kimberley is a small city in southeast British Columbia, Canada along Highway 95A between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. Kimberley was named in 1896 after the Kimberley mine in South Africa. From 1917 to 2001, it was the home to the world's largest lead-zinc mine, the Sullivan Mine...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. After a career as a logger
Lumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
and labour union organizer, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
as a BC CCF MLA in 1953. He was defeated in 1956 but won a seat in the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
representing Skeena
Skeena (electoral district)
Skeena was a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 2004.-Geography:This was a rural, mostly wilderness, riding in northwestern B.C...
in the 1957 election
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
.
Howard first sat as a member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
and then for its successor, the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
(NDP). In Parliament, Howard and his caucus colleague Arnold Peters
Arnold Peters
William Arnold Peters was a Canadian politician. He represented the riding of Timiskaming in the Canadian House of Commons from 1957 to 1980...
were responsible for reforming Canada's divorce laws, and for achieving significant reforms to Canada's prison system. He was also instrumental in attaining full voting rights for Canadian First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
.
Howard stood as a candidate in the 1971 NDP leadership convention, finishing fifth. He was a Member of Parliament for seventeen years until he lost his seat in the 1974 general election
Canadian federal election, 1974
The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Parliament of Canada. The governing Liberal Party won its first majority government since 1968, and gave Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau his third term...
.
In 1979, Howard returned to politics, running again for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He won that election and served as Skeena's Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
until 1986.
Howard published an autobiography, From Prison to Parliament, in 2003.
Howard died on March 15, 2011 at the age of 85.
External links
- From a cellblock to Centre Block Globe and Mail obituary