Shortly following World War I, the Communist Party of Canada was formed illegally by means of a convention in a barn on the outskirts of Guelph, Ontario. The motives behind these many men and women gathering together to form a party was a result of both the First World War and the inspiring success of the social revolution in Russia. The War was viewed by learned and uneducated Canadians alike as nothing more than a chess match amoung imperial powers, with the desire and result of redistribution of power amoung those already established as shareholders in land and means of production. Unfortunately, many of these ‘radical’ views were subject to censorship by most popular press releases, publishers and spokesmen. ("The Communist Party of Canada")

The great Socialist revolution in Russia, although fool-hearty in the end, was a rousing event for many aspiring Canadian socialists. Canada, unfortunately being one of the 19 nations involved in the attempted quell of this uprising, was also hit with a wave of labour activism. Evolving from the mass poverty and economic crises that followed the end of the First World War, many unemployed and underemployed men and women were simply looking for a way to vent their frustrations. (Morton, 35) A few of these individuals had discovered the effectiveness of combining their economic struggle with a firm political ideology. In application: Communism.

Most Communists were active in unions, having their first loyalty to the Communist International. The idea that all Canadian communists were linked to Russia is a misconception, as most Canadian Communists were passionately nationalistic with little tie to or even knowledge of the working of the revolution in Russia. Many Canadians viewed this primary social revolution in Russia as a gateway, not a model. (Buck, 73)

Following its creation, the communist party had little power, its membership numbering only a little over twenty-five thousand. Membership grew quickly as word spread and people realized they were not only sympathizers, but also supporters of the cause. The Great Depression, as well known, was a time of economic strife for all of Canada. Factories and plants closed down, farmers were evicted, and unemployment and poverty devastated families; both rural and urban people’s ways of life were threatened. The lack of any type of social security net or organization on part of the government in preparation for potential episodes such as the Depression led to humiliation and indignity for the working class, although the social perspective is often forgotten about when discussing economic crises.

Despite being the underdog (to this day), the communist party took the lead in the efforts to improve rights for our workers and stabilize our economy. After all, the workers are the economy, not the people who reap the benefits of the labourer’s toil. One of the many developments of the communist party to combat poverty was the Trade Union Educational League (TUEL), spreading awareness of the instrumental purposes of the trade unity. The Workers Unity League (WUL), the more legal sister organization of the Communist Party of Canada, was also a clear player in the development of union militancy. ("The Communist Party of Canada")

Most major publications regarded the effects of communist unions as inefficient and with little progress for workers’ rights, while placing right-wing trade unions on a pedestal and rewarding them for their successful compromises with the capitalist elite. "In Toronto and Montreal, strong unions amoung clothing workers were wrecked by communist efforts to seize control. In Quebec, employers learned the Catholic unions sometimes become quite reasonable in their demands after a chat with their chaplains." (Bella, 56) I would like to dispel the idea, for the readers of this essay, that unions are for compromise. Nothing has ever been effectively accomplished through pacifism. If one is not willing to vehemently defend a view or fight for a cause, then one’s ideology is flawed. The right-wing unions in question were openly content to give up fighting for their people.

During the thirties, the Communist Party and the Worker’s Unity League headed nearly 90% of the strikes and demonstrations, legal and illegal. ("The Communist Party of Canada") The spread of Worker’s unity began to intimidate the Canadian State, which had finally resorted to oppressing Canadians themselves. An example of these acts was the RCMP’s onslaught on striking miners in Estavan, Saskatchewan, 1931. This careless event left three workers dead and 13 wounded. ("Canadian Labour History")

Following World War II, the CPC had a number of issues to deal with. During the world war, Communists were accused (and in many cases this was correct) of holding contrasting opinions throughout the war regarding Canada’s involvement, as a result of the shiftiness of the Soviet Union. Bob Russell, a noted communist activist, was ordered directly from Moscow to capture control of the Trades and Labour Congress by "borrowing from within", which would entail eliminating his already well established and effective unions and reallocating members for more strategic use. Russell refused his order and was denounced by Russian communists. This in turn had no bearing on the attitudes of Canadian socialists towards Russell, but was easily used against him by people wishing to foment anti-Communist sentiments in Canada. Other commendable leaders if the CPC, such as Tim Buck and Tom Ewen, lost credibility with their indecisiveness in relation to the Soviet Union. These problems were the least of their worries however as McCarthyism swept through our nation. (Bella 77-78)

Although divided and devastated, with little confidence left, the party continued, its members declined as the years passed. Whether the remaining members believed the actions of Russian socialists undermined the bases of Marxism and Communism, or advocated the actions and results of the revolution, these few continued to rally countless strikes and unions. From the Cold War until recently, the party has had a difficult time resurrecting itself and gathering strength. Fortunately, The Communist Party is beginning to rise again. There is not much information about unions and communism during the Cold War, as a result of the lack of unity amoung the long string of communist-headed trade and labour disputes. During the 1950’s, most communist influence was eliminated from the larger unions. Many sub-factions that elevated following the CPC’s downfall fought bitterly for control of labour unions, along side the Cooperative Common Federation (CCF) and non-partisans. The lack of unity amid these groups stunted the abilities of socialists to help their fellow Canadians. (Bella, 54)

It is possible that the CPC will always be a minor party, with few repercussions to the elitist parties that are quite happy swapping power occasionally. From the perspectives of the general masses, the Communist Party may simply be a party that steals votes away from the big players. That is fine, as long as those votes are being stolen for the greater good. It doesn’t matter if the CPC does not receive much of the recognition it deserves (although this would be good) or ever come to power (which would be even better), so as long as there are organizations like the CPC, whether they be legitimate or not, that are struggling with the people, for the people... Even if the people are not aware of these facts.

Abella, Irving. "The Canadian Labor Movement 1902-2960". Toronto; 1978.

Buck, Tim. Thirty Years: "The Story of the Communist Party Movement in Canada, 1922-1952". Toronto; 1975

Buck, Tim. "Yours in the Struggle: Reminiscences of Time Buck". Toronto; 1972.

Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. "Canadian Labour History"

Communist Party of Canada. "The Communist Party of Canada"www.communist-party.ca