Sam Walsh
Encyclopedia
Sam Walsh (August 31, 1916 - March 18, 2008) was leader of the Communist Party of Quebec
for 28 years, from 1962 to 1990, and was a leader in the Communist Party of Canada
and Labour-Progressive Party
since the 1940s.
Walsh ran for public office at least 30 times in his career and managed to get elected once, as a school trustee in Toronto.
Born in Montreal, his father was Hirsch Wolofsky, publisher of the Keneder Adler (Canadian Eagle), Canada's first Yiddish newspaper.
At the age of 17, he took part in a student strike against an increase in high school tuition fees. He became a Communist with the encouragement of his older brother, Moishe, a union organizer. His father asked them to change their names in order not to embarrass the family and so Moishe became Bill Walsh and Saul became Sam Walsh.
Walsh enrolled in biology at McGill University
and obtained a bachelor of science degree in 1938 before moving to Toronto.
When the Communist Party was banned in 1940, Walsh went underground and evaded arrest under the wartime Defence of Canada Regulations
. Once the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union
, the USSR became Canada's ally and Communists were able to organize the new Labour-Progressive Party
as a legal front.
Walsh enlisted in the Canadian Army during World War II
becoming a second lieutenant instructing soldiers how to operate military vehicles. He was denied further promotion because of his political affiliations. According to his niece "His commanding officer told him, 'Sam, I'd like to promote you, but I understand you're pink.'" Walsh replied “I'm not pink, I'm flaming red.”
Walsh became a permanent party organizer for the Labour-Progressive Party
following Fred Rose
's election victory in 1943.
In 1948, Walsh was elected to the Toronto Board of Education by acclamation and was re-elected in 1949 before being defeated in 1950.
Walsh ran in the 1958 federal election
in Spadina
and then in a by-election in Trinity
, both Toronto ridings, but was unsuccessful.
He returned to Montreal in the 1960s becoming leader of the Quebec wing of the Communist Party in 1962. In 1972 he denounced Trotskyist support for Quebec independence resulting in a number of defections from the party.
Communist Party of Quebec
The Parti communiste du Québec or PCQ is a communist political party in Quebec. The PCQ was the Quebec branch of the Communist Party of Canada until 2005 when the PCQ split at convention with a majority opposing the CPC's stance on Quebec independence...
for 28 years, from 1962 to 1990, and was a leader in 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...
and Labour-Progressive Party
Labour-Progressive Party
For the Labour-Progressive Coalition Government in New Zealand see the Fifth Labour Government of New ZealandThe Labor-Progressive Party was the legal political organization of the Communist Party of Canada between 1943 and 1959....
since the 1940s.
Walsh ran for public office at least 30 times in his career and managed to get elected once, as a school trustee in Toronto.
Born in Montreal, his father was Hirsch Wolofsky, publisher of the Keneder Adler (Canadian Eagle), Canada's first Yiddish newspaper.
At the age of 17, he took part in a student strike against an increase in high school tuition fees. He became a Communist with the encouragement of his older brother, Moishe, a union organizer. His father asked them to change their names in order not to embarrass the family and so Moishe became Bill Walsh and Saul became Sam Walsh.
Walsh enrolled in biology at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
and obtained a bachelor of science degree in 1938 before moving to Toronto.
When the Communist Party was banned in 1940, Walsh went underground and evaded arrest under the wartime Defence of Canada Regulations
Defence of Canada Regulations
The Defence of Canada Regulations were a set of emergency measures implemented under the War Measures Act a week before Canada's entry into World War II in the fall of 1939....
. Once the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, the USSR became Canada's ally and Communists were able to organize the new Labour-Progressive Party
Labour-Progressive Party
For the Labour-Progressive Coalition Government in New Zealand see the Fifth Labour Government of New ZealandThe Labor-Progressive Party was the legal political organization of the Communist Party of Canada between 1943 and 1959....
as a legal front.
Walsh enlisted in the Canadian Army 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...
becoming a second lieutenant instructing soldiers how to operate military vehicles. He was denied further promotion because of his political affiliations. According to his niece "His commanding officer told him, 'Sam, I'd like to promote you, but I understand you're pink.'" Walsh replied “I'm not pink, I'm flaming red.”
Walsh became a permanent party organizer for the Labour-Progressive Party
Labour-Progressive Party
For the Labour-Progressive Coalition Government in New Zealand see the Fifth Labour Government of New ZealandThe Labor-Progressive Party was the legal political organization of the Communist Party of Canada between 1943 and 1959....
following Fred Rose
Fred Rose (politician)
Fred Rose was a Communist politician and trade union organizer in Canada. He was born in Lublin in what is now Poland, part of Russia at the time. He emigrated to Canada as a child in 1916. He became involved with the Young Communist League of Canada, and then joined the Communist Party of Canada...
's election victory in 1943.
In 1948, Walsh was elected to the Toronto Board of Education by acclamation and was re-elected in 1949 before being defeated in 1950.
Walsh ran in the 1958 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
in Spadina
Spadina (electoral district)
Spadina was a Canadian electoral district that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1988. It covered a portion of the western-central Toronto. Its name comes from the Spadina Avenue, which runs through the heart of the riding....
and then in a by-election in Trinity
Trinity (electoral district)
Trinity was an electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons 1935 to 1988. It covered a portion of the western Toronto. Its name comes from the Trinity-Bellwoods area that was once home to Trinity College....
, both Toronto ridings, but was unsuccessful.
He returned to Montreal in the 1960s becoming leader of the Quebec wing of the Communist Party in 1962. In 1972 he denounced Trotskyist support for Quebec independence resulting in a number of defections from the party.