ust over seventy-five years ago the of 1933 to debate the finer points of Saskatchewan, British Columbia, JCo-operative Commonwealth of the Regina Manifesto and discuss Manitoba and Ontario. Federation (CCF) held its first national strategy on electing a new party to help The Regina Manifesto eventually left convention in Regina, Saskatchewan. alleviate the ills befalling our country. a huge footprint on the Canadian Times were desperate. The indus- Even though the CCF never managed landscape. It provided the guiding trialized world was consumed with to “eradicate capitalism”, even its principles to the CCF government of an economic crisis of unimaginable worst critics would be hard pressed Tommy Douglas and much of what horror and Canada was no exception. to deny that the party and its succes- the Manifesto advocated, although Unemployment in our country was at sor the New Democratic party have under constant attack, is now well- an all-time high. Millions of people had significant impact on Canadian established in Canadian life. The were relying on public relief. Work politics and society. The claim could Fourteen Points were very progressive camps for single, unemployed males rightfully be made that because of the for their time, calling for public health were deplorable and dust storms and CCF, capitalism in Canada became insurance, unemployment insurance droughts made matters even worst in more humane and that some of the and pension plans, expansion of the prairies where crops failed year sharper edges of the economic system Crown corporations in transportation, after year. it hoped to replace were at the very resources and banks, and the adoption Neither the National Liberal Opposi least, smoothed. Case in point — of a Canadian constitution with an tion nor the provincial governments Canada has a social welfare state, entrenched Charter of Rights. offered solutions to the desperate times which includes minimum wage laws, The Regina Manifesto is also an facing Canadians — a political vacuum unemployment insurance, government important Canadian historical docu- was waiting to be filled. The depression pensions and progressive taxation, ment because it allows us to see and served as a catalyst to bring together and, of course, a medical care system hear the desperation of the times in the a wide spectrum of reform-minded the envy of many countries around words written 75 years ago. But, more people from across the country to form the world. This is in large thanks to importantly, the Regina Manifesto pro- a new political party. Over 250 people, the CCF’s success as an influential vided a vision to strive for, something went to extraordinary lengths to travel Opposition party at the national level that many social democrats still believe to the dustbowl of the prairies in July and as government in the Provinces is sorely needed in the present day. January Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3
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25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Preamble stimulus to economic effort, our society seek is a proper collective organization of oscillates between periods of feverish our economic resources such as will make … The present order is marked by glar- prosperity in which the main benefits go possible a much greater degree of leisure ing inequalities of wealth and oppor- to speculators and profiteers, and of catas- and a much richer individual life for every tunity, by chaotic waste and instability; trophic depression, in which the common citizen. and in an age of plenty it condemns the man’s normal state of insecurity and hard- great mass of the people to poverty and … It appeals for support to all who ship is accentuated. insecurity. Power has become more and believe that the time has come for a far- more concentrated into the hands of a … The new social order at which we aim reaching reconstruction of our economic small irresponsible minority of financiers is not one in which individuality will be and political institutions and who are and industrialists and to their predatory crushed out by a system of regimentation. willing to work together for the carrying interests the majority are habitually sacri Nor shall we interfere with cultural rights out of the following 14 policies. ficed. When private profit is the main of racial or religious minorities. What we
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Family Day 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1. Planning The establishment of a planned, socialized economic order, in order to make possible the most efficient development of the national resources and the most equitable distribution of the national income.
James Shaver Woodsworth “The machine has brought about an industrial revolution. We have passed from an age of individual production to an age of social production. But the machine has gotten into the hands of a few who control the operations of industry for their own advantage. The next step is for the people to gain control of the machine and operate it for the benefit of all.”
Allen Mills, Fool for Christ: The Political Thought of
Library Canada – C34443 and A rchives JS Woodsworth (Toronto: Toronto UP, 1991), 69