Charles M. O'Brien
| Charles M. O'Brien | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
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In office March 1909 – March 1913 |
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| Succeeded by | Robert E. Campbell |
| Constituency | Rocky Mountain |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 2, 1875 Bells Rapids, Ontario |
| Died | February 23, 1952 (aged 76) Los Angeles County, California |
| Political party | Socialist Party of Alberta, Socialist Party of Canada |
| Occupation | activist, politician, former railway worker, miner, logger |
Charles Macnamara "Charlie" O'Brien (March 2, 1875 – February 23, 1952) was a Canadian socialist activist and politician in Alberta, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1913.
O'Brien was born at Bells Rapids, near Bangor, Hastings County, Ontario to John Patrick and Matilda (née Price) O'Brien. His father, J.P. O'Brien would perish in the sinking of a boat, the Mayflower, at the Madawaska River, in 1912. He worked in the logging, mining industry and in railroad camps. In 1899, he came west to Alberta while working for the railway, via the Crowsnest line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. An evangelist, he was also a national organizer for the Socialist Party of Canada, and leader of the Alberta branch.
O'Brien was described as a "dedicated socialist", and a skilled orator and author, drawing comparisons to prominent activists Bill Haywood, Jack London and Eugene V. Debs, in terms of his impact in Socialism in Canada. O'Brien ran for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1909 in the new Rocky Mountain constituency, and, despite not garnering union support, was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1909 Alberta general election as a member of the Socialist Party of Alberta, narrowly defeating Liberal John Angus Macdonald by 32 votes. He was the first Socialist member elected to the Alberta Legislature. It was said that O'Brien's election to the legislature "reflected a growing radicalization" of coal miners in Alberta; O'Brien's constituency at the time was also mainly miners. The Coleman Miner however down-played his election, saying:
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