Pat Callaghan (politician)
Encyclopedia
Pat Callaghan was a politician in New Brunswick, Canada who was briefly leader of the New Democratic Party of New Brunswick.
Callaghan was born in Scotland
and raised in Dunbarton and the Red Clydeside
area of Scotland which was known for its radicalism. As a youth he joined the Scottish National Party
followed by the Labour Party
. In 1954, he emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia and then moved to New Brunswick where he settled in Fredericton, established a window cleaning business, and joined the province's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
which became the New Democratic Party in 1962.
He was a candidate for the federal NDP in 1965 and 1968. In 1970, he was approached by a group of young radical socialists active at the University of New Brunswick and established a riding association in York—Sunbury with himself as president. The group soon became involved with the Ontario-based Waffle movement, a left wing socialist faction within the NDP and helped found the New Brunswick chapter of the Waffle
in late 1970. The Waffle became a dominant force in the New Brunswick NDP in 1971 and Callaghan announced his intention to seek the party's leadership. Due to conflicts between Wafflers and anti-Wafflers over the legitimacy of the party's fall convention at which the New Brunswick Waffle manifesto had been approved, the party split into two, on October 16, 1971, with one faction led by Callaghan and a second, non-Waffle faction led by J. Albert Richardson
with both men claiming to be NDP leader. The federal NDP intervened on November 12, 1971 by suspending the New Brunswick NDP and calling a special convention for November 21 to resolve the dispute. The Wafflers were demoralized by this and Callaghan spoke of leaving the NDP and reviving the CCF. Callaghan and many other Wafflers did not attend the special convention which saw the re-election of J. Albert Richardson as party leader. The Waffle declined and was inactive by the end of the year.
Callaghan was born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and raised in Dunbarton and the Red Clydeside
Red Clydeside
Red Clydeside is a term used to describe the era of political radicalism that characterised the city of Glasgow in Scotland, and urban areas around the city on the banks of the River Clyde such as Clydebank, Greenock and Paisley...
area of Scotland which was known for its radicalism. As a youth he joined the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
followed by the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. In 1954, he emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia and then moved to New Brunswick where he settled in Fredericton, established a window cleaning business, and joined the province's 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...
which became the New Democratic Party in 1962.
He was a candidate for the federal NDP in 1965 and 1968. In 1970, he was approached by a group of young radical socialists active at the University of New Brunswick and established a riding association in York—Sunbury with himself as president. The group soon became involved with the Ontario-based Waffle movement, a left wing socialist faction within the NDP and helped found the New Brunswick chapter of the Waffle
The Waffle
The Waffle was a radical wing of Canada's New Democratic Party in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It later transformed into an independent political party, with little electoral success before it permanently disbanded in the mid-1970s...
in late 1970. The Waffle became a dominant force in the New Brunswick NDP in 1971 and Callaghan announced his intention to seek the party's leadership. Due to conflicts between Wafflers and anti-Wafflers over the legitimacy of the party's fall convention at which the New Brunswick Waffle manifesto had been approved, the party split into two, on October 16, 1971, with one faction led by Callaghan and a second, non-Waffle faction led by J. Albert Richardson
J. Albert Richardson
J. Albert Richardson was a trade unionist and politician who was leader of the New Brunswick New Democratic Party from 1970 until 1976 save for a one month interruption in late 1971....
with both men claiming to be NDP leader. The federal NDP intervened on November 12, 1971 by suspending the New Brunswick NDP and calling a special convention for November 21 to resolve the dispute. The Wafflers were demoralized by this and Callaghan spoke of leaving the NDP and reviving the CCF. Callaghan and many other Wafflers did not attend the special convention which saw the re-election of J. Albert Richardson as party leader. The Waffle declined and was inactive by the end of the year.