George Hara Williams
Encyclopedia
George Hara Williams was a farmer activist and politician. Born in Binscarth, Manitoba
, Williams attended Manitoba Agricultural College after serving in World War I
. Upon graduating, he moved to Saskatchewan
to become director of livestock and equipment in the province for the Soldier Settlement Board
.
He began farming himself and joined and became an organizer for the Farmers Union of Canada in 1923. He served as president of its successor – the United Farmers of Canada
– from 1929 to 1931, and steered it towards political action. Williams brought a militant class struggle
perspective to the organization. He was also involved with the Marxist Farmers’ Educational League and was founder and secretary of the short-lived Farmers’ Political Association formed in 1924.
In 1932, he and M.J. Coldwell co-chaired a convention that brought together the United Farmers of Canada (Saskatchewan Section)
and the Independent Labour Party
to form the new Farmer-Labour Group (FLG) with Coldwell as party leader. The party was recognized as the unofficial provincial branch of the new Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF)
shortly after the CCF was formed. The FLG contested the 1934 provincial election
. Williams tried to deal with claims by the Liberals and Conservatives that the FLP/CCF in power would expropriate farmers' land in order to collectivize agriculture by stating repeatedly that "the basis of CCF land policy was a recognition of the family farm as the fundamental unit".
The FLP elected five MLA
s to the Saskatchewan legislature – including Williams in the constituency of Wadena – and formed the official opposition to the Liberal government. Coldwell did not win a seat in the legislature and Williams became Leader of the Opposition
. The FLG officially affiliated with the national CCF and became the Saskatchewan CCF
. In 1935, with Coldwell's election to the Canadian House of Commons
, Williams became acting party leader and officially became party leader and president in 1936.
In 1931 Williams had served as a Canadian delegate to the World Wheat Conference and subsequently, under the auspices of the United Farmers of Canada, he visited the Soviet Union
. Unfortunately the Soviet tour resulted in false accusations that he was a "Red", and some CCFers came to believe he would be unable to take the party to power, even after it doubled its share of seats in the 1938 general election
under his leadership. The party moderated several of its policies and limited its policy on nationalization
of industry to transportation, communications and hydroelectric power
.
Williams' style and militancy alienated some party activists who called on Tommy Douglas
, a popular CCF MP
in the House of Commons, to take over the provincial party leadership. In 1941 Williams resigned his seat in the legislature in order to serve in the Canadian Army
during World War II
with the rank of Major
in the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
. John Brockelbank
, a Williams loyalist, became the CCF's house leader while Williams retained the party presidency and leadership. Douglas challenged Williams for the position of Saskatchewan CCF president at the 1941 party convention and was elected. In 1942, Douglas was elected party leader. Williams returned to Canada prior to the 1944 Saskatchewan election
and helped rally rural support for the party in its successful election campaign. Williams was appointed Minister of Agriculture
in the new CCF government but resigned in February 1945 due to ill health. He died later that year in Vancouver
.
Binscarth, Manitoba
Binscarth is a village in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Russell. It is located approximately northwest of Brandon and south from the town of Russell, Manitoba. The Manitoba government established the community in 1886. The Northwestern Railway...
, Williams attended Manitoba Agricultural College after serving in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Upon graduating, he moved to Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
to become director of livestock and equipment in the province for the Soldier Settlement Board
Soldier Settlement Board
The Soldier Settlement Board was established in Canada in 1917 to assist returned servicemen to set up farms.The Board would give assistance to any man who had served abroad with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, to any former Canadian serviceman who had not left Canada but was in receipt of a...
.
He began farming himself and joined and became an organizer for the Farmers Union of Canada in 1923. He served as president of its successor – the United Farmers of Canada
United Farmers of Canada
The United Farmers of Canada was a radical farmers organization. It was established in 1926 as the United Farmers of Canada as a merger of the Farmers' Union of Canada and the Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association...
– from 1929 to 1931, and steered it towards political action. Williams brought a militant class struggle
Class struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
perspective to the organization. He was also involved with the Marxist Farmers’ Educational League and was founder and secretary of the short-lived Farmers’ Political Association formed in 1924.
In 1932, he and M.J. Coldwell co-chaired a convention that brought together the United Farmers of Canada (Saskatchewan Section)
United Farmers of Canada
The United Farmers of Canada was a radical farmers organization. It was established in 1926 as the United Farmers of Canada as a merger of the Farmers' Union of Canada and the Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association...
and the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
to form the new Farmer-Labour Group (FLG) with Coldwell as party leader. The party was recognized as the unofficial provincial branch of the new Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF)
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...
shortly after the CCF was formed. The FLG contested the 1934 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1934
The Saskatchewan general election of 1934 was the eighth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 19, 1934, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
. Williams tried to deal with claims by the Liberals and Conservatives that the FLP/CCF in power would expropriate farmers' land in order to collectivize agriculture by stating repeatedly that "the basis of CCF land policy was a recognition of the family farm as the fundamental unit".
The FLP elected five MLA
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....
s to the Saskatchewan legislature – including Williams in the constituency of Wadena – and formed the official opposition to the Liberal government. Coldwell did not win a seat in the legislature and Williams became Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Saskatchewan)
A list of parliamentary opposition leaders in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, from 1906 to the present. There was no designated Leader of the Opposition for the sessions of 1921 and 1922.In the period 1925-1929 C.E. Tran and J.T.M...
. The FLG officially affiliated with the national CCF and became the Saskatchewan CCF
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
. In 1935, with Coldwell's election to the Canadian 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...
, Williams became acting party leader and officially became party leader and president in 1936.
In 1931 Williams had served as a Canadian delegate to the World Wheat Conference and subsequently, under the auspices of the United Farmers of Canada, he visited the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Unfortunately the Soviet tour resulted in false accusations that he was a "Red", and some CCFers came to believe he would be unable to take the party to power, even after it doubled its share of seats in the 1938 general election
Saskatchewan general election, 1938
The Saskatchewan general election of 1938 was the ninth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 8, 1938, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
under his leadership. The party moderated several of its policies and limited its policy on nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of industry to transportation, communications and hydroelectric power
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
.
Williams' style and militancy alienated some party activists who called on Tommy Douglas
Tommy Douglas
Thomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician...
, a popular CCF MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in the House of Commons, to take over the provincial party leadership. In 1941 Williams resigned his seat in the legislature in order to serve in the Canadian Army
First Canadian Army
The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps RCOC can trace its roots back to the Canadian Stores Department. Formed in 1871, the Canadian Stores Department was a civil department of the Canadian Government...
. John Brockelbank
John Hewgill Brockelbank
John Hewgill Brockelbank was a politician in Saskatchewan, Canada, who served as leader of the opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
, a Williams loyalist, became the CCF's house leader while Williams retained the party presidency and leadership. Douglas challenged Williams for the position of Saskatchewan CCF president at the 1941 party convention and was elected. In 1942, Douglas was elected party leader. Williams returned to Canada prior to the 1944 Saskatchewan election
Saskatchewan general election, 1944
The Saskatchewan general election of 1944 was the tenth provincial election in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 15, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
and helped rally rural support for the party in its successful election campaign. Williams was appointed Minister of Agriculture
Executive Council of Saskatchewan
The Executive Council of Saskatchewan is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
in the new CCF government but resigned in February 1945 due to ill health. He died later that year in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.