Dorise Nielsen
Encyclopedia
Dorise Winifred Webber Nielsen (July 30, 1902 – December 9, 1980) was a Canadian
politician and teacher.
Born in England, Nielsen arrived in Canada and settled in Saskatchewan in 1927 to work as a teacher and married a homesteader the same year. She joined the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
in 1934 and was a CCF campaign manager during the 1938 provincial election
. By 1937, she joined the Communist Party of Canada
but did not disclose her membership until 1943 remaining a member of the CCF until her riding association was dissolved in 1939 because of its support of a popular front
campaign with the Communists.
She was the first member of the Communist Party of Canada
to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons
, serving during World War II. She was the third woman elected to Canadian Parliament and the first to still be raising young children while holding political office. She won a seat in the 1940 federal election
representing the Saskatchewan
riding of North Battleford
on the "Unity
" or "United Progressive" label, beating the Liberal
candidate in a two-way race. Because of Communist opposition to the war the Canada became the only western democracy to ban the Communist Party in June 1940. Nielsen, through indirect contact with Montreal-based Communist leaders who had escaped imprisonment, became a spokeswoman for the Communist Party through speeches made in the House of Commons.
When the Labour-Progressive Party
was officially formed in 1943 as a legal front for the still banned Communist Party, Nielsen declared her affiliation with the party and was elected to its national executive committee. She ran for re-election in the 1945 election
for the Labour-Progressive Party (the name the Communist Party would use until 1959), but came in third behind the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and Liberal
candidates with 13% of the vote.
She ran again in the 1953 election
, this time in Brantford, Ontario
, but came in last place with 216 votes.
In 1957, Nielsen left Canada for the People's Republic of China
, where she lived until her death, working most of that time as an editor for the Foreign Languages Press
in Beijing.
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...
politician and teacher.
Born in England, Nielsen arrived in Canada and settled in Saskatchewan in 1927 to work as a teacher and married a homesteader the same year. She joined 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...
in 1934 and was a CCF campaign manager during the 1938 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1938
The Saskatchewan general election of 1938 was the ninth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 8, 1938, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
. By 1937, she joined the Communist Party of Canada
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...
but did not disclose her membership until 1943 remaining a member of the CCF until her riding association was dissolved in 1939 because of its support of a popular front
Popular front
A popular front is a broad coalition of different political groupings, often made up of leftists and centrists. Being very broad, they can sometimes include centrist and liberal forces as well as socialist and communist groups...
campaign with the Communists.
She was the first member of the Communist Party of Canada
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...
to be elected to 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...
, serving during World War II. She was the third woman elected to Canadian Parliament and the first to still be raising young children while holding political office. She won a seat in the 1940 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1940
The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Parliament of Canada...
representing the 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....
riding of North Battleford
North Battleford (electoral district)
North Battleford was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 1949.This riding was created in 1914 from parts of Battleford, Prince Albert and Saskatoon ridings....
on the "Unity
Unity (Canada)
Unity or Progressive Unity was the name used in Saskatchewan, Canada, by a popular front party initiated by the Communist Party of Canada for the 1938 Saskatchewan and 1940 Canadian election....
" or "United Progressive" label, beating the Liberal
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...
candidate in a two-way race. Because of Communist opposition to the war the Canada became the only western democracy to ban the Communist Party in June 1940. Nielsen, through indirect contact with Montreal-based Communist leaders who had escaped imprisonment, became a spokeswoman for the Communist Party through speeches made in the House of Commons.
When the Labour-Progressive Party
Labour-Progressive Party
For the Labour-Progressive Coalition Government in New Zealand see the Fifth Labour Government of New ZealandThe Labor-Progressive Party was the legal political organization of the Communist Party of Canada between 1943 and 1959....
was officially formed in 1943 as a legal front for the still banned Communist Party, Nielsen declared her affiliation with the party and was elected to its national executive committee. She ran for re-election in the 1945 election
Canadian federal election, 1945
The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canadian history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Parliament of Canada...
for the Labour-Progressive Party (the name the Communist Party would use until 1959), but came in third behind the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and Liberal
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...
candidates with 13% of the vote.
She ran again in the 1953 election
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
, this time in Brantford, Ontario
Brantford (electoral district)
Brantford was a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1925 and from 1949 to 1968, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1986 to 1999....
, but came in last place with 216 votes.
In 1957, Nielsen left Canada for the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, where she lived until her death, working most of that time as an editor for the Foreign Languages Press
Foreign Languages Press
The name Foreign Languages Press was given to two publishing houses, respectively in the Soviet Union and in the People's Republic of China.-Moscow Foreign Languages Press:...
in Beijing.