Murray Cotterill
Encyclopedia
Murray Cotterill was a Canadian
trade union
activist and organizer for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
(CCF).
In the 1930s, Cotterill was one of the organisers of the Co-operative Commonwealth Youth Movement. In the 1940s he was a CCF municipal candidate in Toronto
and, in 1942, ran for the leadership of the Ontario CCF, losing to Ted Jolliffe
. He was also an aide to Charles Millard
in organizing the Steel Workers Organizing Committee
and was active in rooting out Communists
in the fledgling Steelworkers union and was the union's public relations director for many years. Cotterill was also president of the Toronto Labour Council of the Canadian Congress of Labour
(one of two labour councils in the city) in the late 1940s. He worked as a labour relations specialist for the Canadian Congress of Labour and its successor the Canadian Labour Congress
and was for a time in the 1940s and 1950s the director of the CCL's national Political Action Committee, a position he used to encourage closer ties between the labour movement and the CCF. Cotterill was also the leading force in the OFL's Political Action Committee which helped create an informal alliance between the CCF and the labour movement that later led to the formation of the New Democratic Party
as a formal CLC-CCF project.
In the 1963 provincial election
he was the NDP's candidate in the suburban Toronto riding of Lakeshore
losing to Progressive Conservative Alan Eagleson
.
In late 1963, Cotterill was involved with what were described as "secret" negotiations with John Wintermeyer
, outgoing leader of the Ontario Liberal Party
and various federal Liberals
in pursuit of co-operation between the two parties and even their eventual fusion. Cotterill was reportedly offered the vice-presidency of the Ontario Liberal Party but declined. The talks ended due to the opposition of Ontario NDP leader Donald C. MacDonald
. Several leading Ontario Liberals also came out against the talks when they learned of them.
From 1940 until his retirement in 1972, Cotterill worked as public relations director of the Canadian Steelworkers and was also an occasional columnist for the Toronto Star. He was a vocal opponent of the Waffle
, a left-wing faction within the NDP in the early 1970s and called for the group to be disbanded or expelled from the party.
In retirement, Cotterill moved to Saskatchewan
and spent two years working for the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
government of Allan Blakeney
.
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...
trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activist and 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).
In the 1930s, Cotterill was one of the organisers of the Co-operative Commonwealth Youth Movement. In the 1940s he was a CCF municipal candidate in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and, in 1942, ran for the leadership of the Ontario CCF, losing to Ted Jolliffe
Ted Jolliffe
Edward Bigelow "Ted" Jolliffe, QC was a Canadian social democratic politician and lawyer from Ontario. He was the first leader of the Ontario section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and leader of the Official Opposition in the Ontario Legislature during the 1940s and 1950s...
. He was also an aide to Charles Millard
Charles Millard
Charles Hibbert Millard was a Canadian trade union activist and politician.-Early life:He was born in St...
in organizing the Steel Workers Organizing Committee
Steel Workers Organizing Committee
The Steel Workers Organizing Committee was one of two precursor labor organizations to the United Steelworkers. It was formed by the CIO in 1936. It disbanded in 1942 to become the United Steel Workers of America....
and was active in rooting out Communists
Communist Party of Canada
The Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario...
in the fledgling Steelworkers union and was the union's public relations director for many years. Cotterill was also president of the Toronto Labour Council of the Canadian Congress of Labour
Canadian Congress of Labour
The Canadian Congress of Labour was founded in 1940 and merged with Trades and Labour Congress of Canada to form the Canadian Labour Congress in 1956.-Founding:...
(one of two labour councils in the city) in the late 1940s. He worked as a labour relations specialist for the Canadian Congress of Labour and its successor the Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian 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 :...
and was for a time in the 1940s and 1950s the director of the CCL's national Political Action Committee, a position he used to encourage closer ties between the labour movement and the CCF. Cotterill was also the leading force in the OFL's Political Action Committee which helped create an informal alliance between the CCF and the labour movement that later led to the formation 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...
as a formal CLC-CCF project.
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....
he was the NDP's candidate in the suburban Toronto riding of Lakeshore
Lakeshore (provincial electoral district)
Lakeshore was a provincial electoral district that elected members to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It was roughly located in southern Etobicoke It existed from 1963 to 1987 when it was abolished into Etobicoke—Lakeshore....
losing to Progressive Conservative Alan Eagleson
Alan Eagleson
Robert Alan Eagleson is a disbarred Canadian lawyer, convicted felon in two countries, former politician, hockey agent and promoter...
.
In late 1963, Cotterill was involved with what were described as "secret" negotiations with John Wintermeyer
John Wintermeyer
John Joseph Wintermeyer was a politician in Ontario, Canada. Wintermeyer was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 1955 provincial election, and was chosen leader of the Ontario Liberal Party in 1958....
, outgoing leader of the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
and various federal Liberals
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in pursuit of co-operation between the two parties and even their eventual fusion. Cotterill was reportedly offered the vice-presidency of the Ontario Liberal Party but declined. The talks ended due to the opposition of Ontario NDP leader 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...
. Several leading Ontario Liberals also came out against the talks when they learned of them.
From 1940 until his retirement in 1972, Cotterill worked as public relations director of the Canadian Steelworkers and was also an occasional columnist for the Toronto Star. He was a vocal opponent of the Waffle
The Waffle
The Waffle was a radical wing of Canada's New Democratic Party in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It later transformed into an independent political party, with little electoral success before it permanently disbanded in the mid-1970s...
, a left-wing faction within the NDP in the early 1970s and called for the group to be disbanded or expelled from the party.
In retirement, Cotterill moved to Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and spent two years working for the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
government of Allan Blakeney
Allan Blakeney
Allan Emrys Blakeney, PC, OC, SOM, QC, FRSC was the tenth Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan from 1971 to 1982, and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party .-Life and career:...
.