Joseph Zuken
Encyclopedia
Joseph Zuken (December 12, 1912 – March 24, 1986) was a popular Communist politician in Winnipeg and the longest serving elected Communist party politician in North America
.
Joe Zuken's family immigrated to Canada
from the Ukraine
when he was still an infant. Raised in a secular Jewish environment in Winnipeg's working class
North End he was educated at a secular Yiddish school in a socialist environment. He joined the Communist Party of Canada
as a young lawyer
and intervened in struggles for workers rights and in anti-fascist movements during the Great Depression
.
Prior to the Second World War Zuken was connected with theatre
in the city, both on-stage as an actor and off-stage, including an attempt to put on Eight Men Speak
in a Winnipeg theatre.
As a lawyer he defended the party and left wing trade union
s in court against state repression and later established a legal clinic
to give poor people access to legal representation.
In 1941 Zuken was elected to Winnipeg's school board and was one of the few Communists to win re-election through the Cold War
. He fought for the establishment of kindergarten
s, free textbooks, and higher salaries for teachers.
After serving on the school board for twenty years he was elected, in 1961, to Winnipeg's city council
on behalf of the North End ward which had been represented since the 1930s by fellow Communist Jacob Penner
. As an alderman
he fought for public housing, public hospitals and rights for the poor.
Although Zuken's membership in the Communist Party was controversial, he was respected by politicians across the political spectrum for both his intelligence and his political commitment. In early 1969, he won the unanimous support of his colleagues on city council for changes to Winnipeg's Tenant Act. The reforms included the establishment of a landlord/tenant review board, restrictions on eviction notices, and improvements to the privacy rights of tenants.
In 1979 Zuken unsuccessfully ran for Mayor
of Winnipeg and won 18% of the vote.
He remained an alderman
until his retirement in 1983 due to poor health.
Though a loyal member of the Communist Party he expressed public criticisms of the Soviet Union
in the 1970s for its restrictions on Jewish emigration and official anti-semitism
in Poland
in the late 1960s.
Zuken's older brother, William Ross (Cecil Zuken), was also an active Communist politician, and served as leader of the Communist Party in Manitoba
from 1948 to 1981.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Joe Zuken's family immigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
when he was still an infant. Raised in a secular Jewish environment in Winnipeg's working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
North End he was educated at a secular Yiddish school in a socialist environment. He joined the Communist Party of Canada
Communist Party of Canada
The Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario...
as a young lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and intervened in struggles for workers rights and in anti-fascist movements during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Prior to the Second World War Zuken was connected with theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in the city, both on-stage as an actor and off-stage, including an attempt to put on Eight Men Speak
Eight Men Speak
Eight Men Speak is a Canadian play written in 1933 by a committee of Oscar Ryan, E. Cecil-Smith, Frank Love and Mildred Goldberg. Although the play made only one performance in its initial run, the attempts by the authorities to suppress it backfired into a political embarrassment for the Canadian...
in a Winnipeg theatre.
As a lawyer he defended the party and left wing trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s in court against state repression and later established a legal clinic
Legal clinic
The phrase legal clinic may refer to any private, nonprofit law practice serving the public interest. In the academic context, these law school clinics provide hands-on experience to law school students and services to various clients. Academic Clinics are usually directed by clinical professors...
to give poor people access to legal representation.
In 1941 Zuken was elected to Winnipeg's school board and was one of the few Communists to win re-election through the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. He fought for the establishment of kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
s, free textbooks, and higher salaries for teachers.
After serving on the school board for twenty years he was elected, in 1961, to Winnipeg's city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
on behalf of the North End ward which had been represented since the 1930s by fellow Communist Jacob Penner
Jacob Penner
Jacob Penner was a popular socialist politician in Canada. Penner was born and raised in a Mennonite family in Russia and emigrated to Winnipeg in 1904. In 1908, he met his wife Rose Shapack, a Jewish Russian immigrant, during an address by Emma Goldman at the Winnipeg Radical Club...
. As an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
he fought for public housing, public hospitals and rights for the poor.
Although Zuken's membership in the Communist Party was controversial, he was respected by politicians across the political spectrum for both his intelligence and his political commitment. In early 1969, he won the unanimous support of his colleagues on city council for changes to Winnipeg's Tenant Act. The reforms included the establishment of a landlord/tenant review board, restrictions on eviction notices, and improvements to the privacy rights of tenants.
In 1979 Zuken unsuccessfully ran for Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Winnipeg and won 18% of the vote.
He remained an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
until his retirement in 1983 due to poor health.
Though a loyal member of the Communist Party he expressed public criticisms of 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....
in the 1970s for its restrictions on Jewish emigration and official anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in the late 1960s.
Zuken's older brother, William Ross (Cecil Zuken), was also an active Communist politician, and served as leader of the Communist Party in Manitoba
Communist Party of Canada (in Manitoba)
The Communist Party of Canada was founded in 1921. It was an illegal organization for several years, and its meetings were conducted with great secrecy. Until 1924, the "Workers Party" functioned as its public, legal face...
from 1948 to 1981.