Errol Black
Encyclopedia
Errol Black is a retired university professor and former municipal politician in Brandon, Manitoba
, Canada
. He has been an activist with the New Democratic Party
for several years.
, where he taught for many years in the fields of Economics
and Industrial Relations. He is the co-editor of such books as Hard bargains : the Manitoba labour movement confronts the 1990s (1991), A square deal for all : historical essays on labour in Brandon (2000) and Building a better world : an introduction to trade unionism in Canada (2001). He has written several pieces for Canadian Dimension
magazine, and has done research for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
. During the early 1980s, Black argued that university president Harold J. Perkins was ruling the university in an autocratic manner, and supported his removal by the Board of Governors. He later served as president of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations in the 1990s.
in the 1990s, and strongly opposed efforts to bring "right-to-work" and workfare
legislation into Manitoba. He has also written in support of Canada's public health care system, criticized the financial dependence of governments on gambling revenues, argued for increases to the minimum wage
, and lobbied against spending public money on a new arena for the Winnipeg Jets hockey team in the 1990s. He was a particularly strong critic of the governments of Ralph Klein and Mike Harris
.
. He is considered to be on the left-wing of the NDP, and opposed the party's drift toward the "Third Way
" socialism favoured by Tony Blair
.
In 2001, he introduced a motion for Brandon to adopt one of the toughest anti-smoking motions anywhere in Canada. Two years later, he pushed the NDP government of Gary Doer
to extend labour rights to farm workers. Two years later, he called for the establishment of urban reserves in Brandon. In 2005, he wrote a piece criticizing the Doer government's record on labour issues.
In the 2010 Municipal Election, Black initially lost his bid to be re-elected by one vote. A recount was done and he was defeated by two votes in the recount.
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
, Canada
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...
. He has been an activist with 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...
for several years.
Academic
Black was born September 6, 1939 in Brandon, Manitoba. He is a Professor Emeritus at Brandon UniversityBrandon University
Brandon University is a Canadian university located in the city of Brandon, Manitoba, with an enrolment of 3383 full-time and part-time students. The current location was founded on July 13, 1899, as Brandon College as a Baptist institution. It was chartered as a university by then President Dr....
, where he taught for many years in the fields of Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and Industrial Relations. He is the co-editor of such books as Hard bargains : the Manitoba labour movement confronts the 1990s (1991), A square deal for all : historical essays on labour in Brandon (2000) and Building a better world : an introduction to trade unionism in Canada (2001). He has written several pieces for Canadian Dimension
Canadian Dimension
Canadian Dimension is a Canadian leftist magazine founded in 1963 by Cy Gonick, and published out of Winnipeg, Manitoba 6 times a year, with a circulation of 3,000 copies....
magazine, and has done research 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...
. During the early 1980s, Black argued that university president Harold J. Perkins was ruling the university in an autocratic manner, and supported his removal by the Board of Governors. He later served as president of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations in the 1990s.
Political views
Black supported reforms to the Ontario Labour Relations Act introduced by the government of Bob RaeBob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
in the 1990s, and strongly opposed efforts to bring "right-to-work" and workfare
Workfare
Workfare is an alternative model to conventional social welfare systems. The term was first introduced by civil rights leader James Charles Evers in 1968; however, it was popularized by Richard Nixon in a televised speech August 1969...
legislation into Manitoba. He has also written in support of Canada's public health care system, criticized the financial dependence of governments on gambling revenues, argued for increases to the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
, and lobbied against spending public money on a new arena for the Winnipeg Jets hockey team in the 1990s. He was a particularly strong critic of the governments of Ralph Klein and Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
.
Councillor
Black was elected to the Brandon City Council in 1998, and has been re-elected two times since then. He won the New Democratic Party's Brandon—Souris nomination in 2000 over Wayne Langlois, and finished fourth against Tory candidate Rick BorotsikRick Borotsik
Rick Borotsik is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as Mayor of Brandon from 1989 to 1997, was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in 2007...
. He is considered to be on the left-wing of the NDP, and opposed the party's drift toward the "Third Way
Third way (centrism)
The Third Way refers to various political positions which try to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a varying synthesis of right-wing economic and left-wing social policies. Third Way approaches are commonly viewed from within the first- and second-way perspectives as...
" socialism favoured by Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
.
In 2001, he introduced a motion for Brandon to adopt one of the toughest anti-smoking motions anywhere in Canada. Two years later, he pushed the NDP government of Gary Doer
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer, OM is a Canadian diplomat and politician from Manitoba, Canada. Since October 19, 2009, he has served as Canada's Ambassador to the United States...
to extend labour rights to farm workers. Two years later, he called for the establishment of urban reserves in Brandon. In 2005, he wrote a piece criticizing the Doer government's record on labour issues.
In the 2010 Municipal Election, Black initially lost his bid to be re-elected by one vote. A recount was done and he was defeated by two votes in the recount.
Electoral record
| Election | Division | Party | Votes | % | Place | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 municipal Manitoba municipal elections, 1998 The 1998 Manitoba municipal elections were held on October 28, 1998 to elect mayors, councillors and school trustees in various communities throughout Manitoba, Canada.-Brandon:... |
Brandon City Council, Ward Nine | n/a | accl. | - | 1/1 | himself |
| 2000 federal Canadian federal election, 2000 The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada.... |
Brandon—Souris Brandon—Souris Brandon—Souris is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1953.-Demographics:-Geography:The district is in the southwestern corner of the Province of Manitoba... |
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... |
4,518 | 12.33 | 4/6 | Rick Borotsik Rick Borotsik Rick Borotsik is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as Mayor of Brandon from 1989 to 1997, was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in 2007... , Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Party of Canada The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues.... |
| 2002 municipal Manitoba municipal elections, 2002 The 2002 Manitoba municipal elections were held on October 23, 2002 to elect mayors, councillors and school trustees in various communities throughout Manitoba, Canada.-Brandon:... |
Brandon City Council, Ward Nine | n/a | 842 | - | 1/2 | himself |
| 2006 municipal Manitoba municipal elections, 2006 -Brandon:*Jeff Harwood is a teacher in Brandon. He was a councillor for the city's second ward in the 1980s, and represented Brandon before the Royal Commission on National Passenger Transportation in 1990. Following the events of September 11, 2001, Harwood wrote a piece supporting increased... |
Brandon City Council, Ward Nine | n/a | accl. | - | 1/1 | himself |
| 2010 municipal Manitoba municipal elections, 2010 The Canadian province of Manitoba held municipal elections on October 27, 2010. Election day was on July 23, 2010 for several beach resorts including Winnipeg Beach, Dunnottar and Victoria Beach. Mayors, councillors, and school board trustees were elected.... |
Brandon City Council, Ward Nine | n/a | 540 | 49.95 | -/2 | TBA |
External links
- Errol Black, "Labour in Brandon Civic Politics: A Long View", Manitoba History