Ed Finn
Encyclopedia
Edward Finn, Jr. (born June 4, 1926) is a Canadian trade unionist and journalist, editor, author and former Newfoundland
politician. He was the leader of the Newfoundland Democratic Party and the first leader of the Newfoundland New Democratic Party.
. In 1942, Finn joined his father at the paper mill at the age of 16 and worked there for four years. He went into journalism working for Corner Brook's local newspaper, The Western Star from 1946 to 1953, when he went to work for the Montreal Gazette for two years before returning to the Star as editor.
Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood
responded to the labour dispute by introducing legislation to decertify the International Woodworkers of America
and also used police to harass picket lines.
Finn, as editor of the Western Star, war ordered by the newspaper's publishers to report only the company's and government's side of the dispute. As a result, Finn and two other journalists quit the newspaper. He and two friends started their own newspaper, The Newfoundland Examiner with Finn as publisher and editor and devoted the journal to uncovering government and business corruption. The newspaper was unable to attract advertising revenue and folded after a year.
founded the Newfoundland Democratic Party in 1959 in an attempt to give political expression to the growing workers movement and in an attempt to channel worker opposition to the Liberal government of Joey Smallwood. The new party absorbed the small Newfoundland section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
and anticipated the 1961 founding of the New Democratic Party
(NDP) of Canada by the Canadian Labour Congress and the CCF.
After being fired by his publisher, Finn was hired by the Canadian Labour Congress and persuaded to lead the Newfoundland Democratic Party into the 1959 provincial election
. Smallwood sent his Minister of Labour, Charlie Ballam, to run against Finn in Humber West
. Finn came within less than 300 votes of defeating Ballam. He remained leader of the Newfoundland Democratic Party, which became the Newfoundland New Democratic Party, until 1963 and ran in the 1962 provincial election
as well as for the federal NDP in Humber—St. George's
in the 1962
and 1963 federal election
s but was unable to win a seat in either the Newfoundland House of Assembly or the Canadian House of Commons
.
with whom he remained until his retirement in 1991.
Finn also wrote a weekly labour column for the Toronto Star
from 1968 until 1982 and has also contributed articles to various publications.
He has worked for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
since 1993 and is currently editor of its monthly journal, The CCPA Monitor. The CCPA has published several collections of Finn's essays in three books, The Right is Wrong and the Left Is Right - Cutting through the Neoliberal Bafflegab, Under Corporate Rule and Who Do We Try to Rescue Today?.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
politician. He was the leader of the Newfoundland Democratic Party and the first leader of the Newfoundland New Democratic Party.
Early years
Finn was born in Spaniard's Bay, Newfoundland and raised in Corner Brook. His father worked at the Bowater's paper mill during the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. In 1942, Finn joined his father at the paper mill at the age of 16 and worked there for four years. He went into journalism working for Corner Brook's local newspaper, The Western Star from 1946 to 1953, when he went to work for the Montreal Gazette for two years before returning to the Star as editor.
Logger's strike
Under his stewardship The Western Star sympathetically covered the Newfoundland logger's strike of 1958-59. Finn later wrote of the period "It was such a heated and emotionally charged labour dispute that journalistic objectivity was simply not tolerated... you were either with the paper companies and the government, or you were with a gang of mainland union thugs, which was how the International Woodworkers' of America (IWA) leaders were unfairly depicted."Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood
Joey Smallwood
Joseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was the main force that brought Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation, and became the first Premier of Newfoundland . As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and...
responded to the labour dispute by introducing legislation to decertify the International Woodworkers of America
International Woodworkers of America
International Woodworkers of America was an industrial union of lumbermen, sawmill workers, timber transportation workers and others formed in 1937....
and also used police to harass picket lines.
Finn, as editor of the Western Star, war ordered by the newspaper's publishers to report only the company's and government's side of the dispute. As a result, Finn and two other journalists quit the newspaper. He and two friends started their own newspaper, The Newfoundland Examiner with Finn as publisher and editor and devoted the journal to uncovering government and business corruption. The newspaper was unable to attract advertising revenue and folded after a year.
Political career
As a result of the strike, labour unions with the support of the Canadian Labour CongressCanadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
founded the Newfoundland Democratic Party in 1959 in an attempt to give political expression to the growing workers movement and in an attempt to channel worker opposition to the Liberal government of Joey Smallwood. The new party absorbed the small Newfoundland section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
and anticipated the 1961 founding of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
(NDP) of Canada by the Canadian Labour Congress and the CCF.
After being fired by his publisher, Finn was hired by the Canadian Labour Congress and persuaded to lead the Newfoundland Democratic Party into the 1959 provincial election
Newfoundland general election, 1959
The 33rd Newfoundland general election was held on 20 August 1959 to elect members of the 32nd General Assembly of Newfoundland, the fourth general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada...
. Smallwood sent his Minister of Labour, Charlie Ballam, to run against Finn in Humber West
Humber West
Humber West is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2011, there are 8,403 eligible voters living within the district....
. Finn came within less than 300 votes of defeating Ballam. He remained leader of the Newfoundland Democratic Party, which became the Newfoundland New Democratic Party, until 1963 and ran in the 1962 provincial election
Newfoundland general election, 1962
The 34th Newfoundland general election was held on 19 November 1962 to elect members of the 33rd General Assembly of Newfoundland, the fifth general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.-Results:...
as well as for the federal NDP in Humber—St. George's
Humber—St. George's
Humber—St. George's was a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1949 to 1968.This riding was created in 1949 when Newfoundland joined the Canadian Confederation....
in the 1962
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
and 1963 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1963
The Canadian federal election of 1963 was held on April 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 26th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of the minority Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.-Overview:During the Tories' last year in...
s but was unable to win a seat in either the Newfoundland House of Assembly or the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
Later career
In 1963, Finn resigned as NDP leader and moved to Ottawa to accept a position with the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway, Transport and General Workers. He remained with that union until 1980 when he and three other union staffers were dismissed after they refused to open mail during a strike by the union's clerical staff. He then joined the Canadian Union of Public EmployeesCanadian Union of Public Employees
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is a Canadian trade union serving the public sector - although it has in recent years organized workplaces in the non-profit and para-public sector as well...
with whom he remained until his retirement in 1991.
Finn also wrote a weekly labour column for the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
from 1968 until 1982 and has also contributed articles to various publications.
He has worked for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan, policy research institute in Canada that leans to the political left. It concentrates on economic policy, international trade, environmental justice and social policy. It is especially known for publishing an alternative...
since 1993 and is currently editor of its monthly journal, The CCPA Monitor. The CCPA has published several collections of Finn's essays in three books, The Right is Wrong and the Left Is Right - Cutting through the Neoliberal Bafflegab, Under Corporate Rule and Who Do We Try to Rescue Today?.