Fred Young
Encyclopedia
Fred Matthews Young was a Canadian
, democratic socialist
, politician
. He was an ordained
minister and long time organizer for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
(CCF).
and taught school in Woodstock, New Brunswick
. Later on, he graduated with a Bachelors of Arts Degree from Mount Allison University
. He attended the University of Toronto
and received both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor Degree in Divinty. He served as a minister in the United Church of Canada
, in both Nova Scotia
and Prince Edward Island
from 1934 until 1940.
, being personally recruited by the CCF's National Secretary, David Lewis
. Though, officially, he was a staff representative for the United Steel Workers of America, he was co-opted by the party. He travelled throughout Atlantic Canada
and Ontario
mostly doing work for the party. In May 1951, the Ontario CCF hired him, at the urging of Donald C. MacDonald
, then the CCF's national organizer, who persuade Young to relocate from the Maritimes. He became the Ontario party's full-time organizer.
In 1953, he ran for the leadership of the Ontario CCF, losing by six votes to Donald C. MacDonald in the CCF leadership convention
. After five unsuccessful attempts to gain a public office, he won election to the town council of North York, Ontario
in 1955. He served as deputy Reeve and chair of the executive committee.
He attempted on several occasions to win a seat for the CCF and its successor, the New Democratic Party
(NDP) either at the federal or provincial level. He finally won election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
in the 1963 provincial election
for the North York riding
of Yorkview
. Young sat as an Ontario New Democratic Party
Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) from 1963 until 1981.
He was a friend of consumer advocate Ralph Nader
. Both Nader and Young, as a legislator, fought for highway safety and mandatory use of seat belt
s. He was also an early advocate of airbag
s. In 1975, the Ontario government enacted the mandatory seatbelt reforms that he was advocating for years.
As a legislator, Young became one of the first MPPs to open a community office to help his electoral district constituents. He was also responsible for writing the daily prayer used in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
throughout the later half of the 20th century.
after him in 1990.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, democratic socialist
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was an ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
minister and long time organizer for 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...
(CCF).
Early life
Fred Young was born in Long Reach, New Brunswick, near the port city of Saint John, in 1907. He attended Teachers College in Fredericton, New BrunswickFredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
and taught school in Woodstock, New Brunswick
Woodstock, New Brunswick
Woodstock is a Canadian town in Carleton County, New Brunswick located on the west bank of the Saint John River at the mouth of the Meduxnekeag River, 92 km west of Fredericton and close to the Canada – United States border and Houlton, Maine.- History :Woodstock was settled by Loyalists...
. Later on, he graduated with a Bachelors of Arts Degree from Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
. He attended the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and received both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor Degree in Divinty. He served as a minister in the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
, in both Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
from 1934 until 1940.
Political career
After World War II, Young worked, as an organizer for the CCF in the MaritimesMaritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
, being personally recruited by the CCF's National Secretary, David Lewis
David Lewis (politician)
David Lewis, CC was a Russian-born Canadian labour lawyer and social democratic politician. He was national secretary of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1936 to 1950, and one of the key architects of the New Democratic Party in 1961...
. Though, officially, he was a staff representative for the United Steel Workers of America, he was co-opted by the party. He travelled throughout Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
mostly doing work for the party. In May 1951, the Ontario CCF hired him, at the urging of Donald C. MacDonald
Donald C. MacDonald
Donald Cameron MacDonald, CM, O.Ont was a long time Canadian politician and political party leader and had been referred to as the "Best premier Ontario never had." He represented the provincial riding of York South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1955 to 1982...
, then the CCF's national organizer, who persuade Young to relocate from the Maritimes. He became the Ontario party's full-time organizer.
In 1953, he ran for the leadership of the Ontario CCF, losing by six votes to Donald C. MacDonald in the CCF leadership convention
Ontario CCF/NDP leadership conventions
The Ontario New Democratic Party elects its leaders by secret ballot of the party members and/or their delegates at leadership elections, as did its predecessor, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation . The party leader can be challenged for the leadership at the party's biennial convention...
. After five unsuccessful attempts to gain a public office, he won election to the town council of North York, Ontario
North York, Ontario
North York is a dissolved municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. As of the 2006 Census, it has a population of 635,370. The official 2001 census count was 608,288...
in 1955. He served as deputy Reeve and chair of the executive committee.
He attempted on several occasions to win a seat for the CCF and its successor, 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) either at the federal or provincial level. He finally won election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
in the 1963 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1963
The Ontario general election of 1963 was held on September 25, 1963, to elect the 108 members of the 27th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
for the North York riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Yorkview
Yorkview
Yorkview is a defunct Ontario provincial electoral district , in the former city of North York. The riding was established for the 1963 Ontario general election. The riding was abolished in preparation for the 1999 Ontario general election. It was partitioned into the current provincial ridings of...
. Young sat as an Ontario New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) from 1963 until 1981.
He was a friend of consumer advocate Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
. Both Nader and Young, as a legislator, fought for highway safety and mandatory use of seat belt
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
s. He was also an early advocate of airbag
Airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
s. In 1975, the Ontario government enacted the mandatory seatbelt reforms that he was advocating for years.
As a legislator, Young became one of the first MPPs to open a community office to help his electoral district constituents. He was also responsible for writing the daily prayer used in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
throughout the later half of the 20th century.
Death
Young was hospitalized for many weeks at the York-Finch General Hospital before finally passing away on Monday, 13 December 1993.Awards
Following his career in politics, the City of North York honoured him by naming a small park adjacent to York UniversityYork University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
after him in 1990.