George Hara Williams
|
Hon. George Hara Williams MLA |
|
|---|---|
Williams' official Cabinet picture, September 1944.
|
|
| Minister of Agriculture | |
|
In office 1944 – 1945 |
|
| Leader of the Opposition | |
|
In office 1934 – 1940 |
|
| Preceded by | James T.M. Anderson |
| Succeeded by | John Hewgill Brockelbank |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 17, 1894 Binscarth, Manitoba |
| Died | September 12, 1945 (aged 51) Vancouver, BC |
| Political party | Farmer-Labour Group/ Saskatchewan CCF |
George Hara Williams (November 17, 1894–September 12, 1945) was a farmer activist and politician. Born in Binscarth, Manitoba, Williams attended Manitoba Agricultural College after serving in World War I. Upon graduating, he moved to Saskatchewan to become director of livestock and equipment in the province for the Soldier Settlement Board.
He began farming himself and joined and became an organizer for the Farmers Union of Canada in 1923. He served as president of its successor, the United Farmers of Canada, from 1929 to 1931, and steered it towards political action. Williams brought a militant class struggle perspective to the organization. He was also involved with the Marxist Farmers' Educational League and was founder and secretary of the short-lived Farmers’ Political Association formed in 1924.
In 1932, he and M.J. Coldwell cochaired a convention that brought together the United Farmers of Canada (Saskatchewan Section) and the Independent Labour Party to form the new Farmer-Labour Group (FLG) with Coldwell as party leader. The party was recognized as the unofficial provincial branch of the new Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) shortly after the CCF was formed. The FLG contested the 1934 provincial election. Williams tried to deal with claims by the Liberals and Conservatives that the FLP/CCF in power would expropriate farmers' land in order to collectivize agriculture by stating repeatedly that "the basis of CCF land policy was a recognition of the family farm as the fundamental unit."
The FLP elected five MLAs to the Saskatchewan legislature, including Williams in the constituency of Wadena, and he formed the official opposition to the Liberal government. Coldwell did not win a seat in the legislature and Williams became Leader of the Opposition. The FLG officially affiliated with the national CCF and became the Saskatchewan CCF. In 1935, with Coldwell's election to the Canadian House of Commons, Williams became acting party leader and officially became party leader and president in 1936.
...
Wikipedia