Fred Dixon
Encyclopedia
Fred Dixon was a Manitoba
politician, and was for several years the dominant figure in the province's mainstream labour
movement.
Born in Englefield, England, Dixon was not (except perhaps in a very general sense) a socialist. He was influenced by the reformist labour politics of his home country, and also favoured the single tax ideas of Henry George
.
Dixon arrived in Manitoba
in 1903, and worked as a lecturer. He was a member of the Independent Labour Party
during this period, and opposed the efforts of some party members to declare the ILP as socialist. This controversy led to the disintegration of the ILP in 1908.
Dixon first ran for the provincial legislature in the 1910 provincial election
as a candidate of the Manitoba Labour Party
. He was also supported by the provincial Liberal Party
, whose platform he generally supported. Dixon's centrist labourism brought about opposition from the Socialist Party of Canada
, which ran a spoiler candidate against him. Dixon lost to Conservative
Thomas Taylor by 73 votes; the SPC polled 99.
The SPC's actions provoked a backlash among the Winnipeg trade unions, and increased Dixon's popularity in the city. He ran as an independent in the provincial election of 1914
, receiving support from both the Liberals and the Labour Representation Committee (a successor to the MLP). Despite further SPC opposition, he was elected for Winnipeg Centre "B". He was again returned in the 1915 election
, as an "Independent Progressive".
During World War I
, Dixon emerged as one of the leading anti-conscriptionists in Winnipeg, and also defended the rights of conscientious objectors to the war effort. These efforts placed him in conflict with the Manitoba Liberals, who generally supported the conscription policies of Robert Borden
's Unionist government. In March 1918, Dixon helped to found the first branch of the Dominion Labour Party
in Winnipeg. Though never a strong or centralized party, the DLP would subsequently branch out to other cities in the Canadian prairies.
Dixon supported the strikers during the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, and undoubtedly played an important role in legitimizing their efforts among the city's reformist labourites. Dixon was subsequently accused of seditious libel
for his activities during the strike, defended himself, and was found not guilty.
In the provincial election of 1920
, Dixon headed a united labour list in the city of Winnipeg, which had been re-designed as a single constituency with ten members elected by a single transferable ballot. He easily topped the poll with 11,586 votes, almost 7000 more than his nearest Liberal competitor. There can be little doubt that Dixon was the most popular politician in the city at the time.
Nine DLP supporters, along with one member apiece from the SPC and SDPC
, were elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1920. Dixon was the unquestioned leader of the labour parliamentary caucus. He was able to cooperate with more left-wing figures, and kept the group reasonably united through to the election of 1922
.
In late 1920, the DLP in Winnipeg was taken over by rightist labourites who had opposed the General Strike. Dixon led a walkout of DLP members, and was involved in founding the province's new Independent Labour Party
. The ILP became the primary voice of the parliamentary left in Manitoba, and later become part of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation.
Dixon again topped the Winnipeg list in 1922, albeit by the reduced margin of almost 4000 votes over the nearest Liberal. The total labour caucus was reduced to six members.
In 1923, Dixon resigned as an Member of the Legislative Assembly
following the death of his wife and two of his children. John Queen
, formerly of the SDPC, became ILP leader in his place. Dixon spent the rest of his life working as a part-time insurance salesman, and died of cancer at age fifty. The tragedy of his later years robbed Canada's labour movement of one of its most dynamic voices.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
politician, and was for several years the dominant figure in the province's mainstream labour
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...
movement.
Born in Englefield, England, Dixon was not (except perhaps in a very general sense) a socialist. He was influenced by the reformist labour politics of his home country, and also favoured the single tax ideas of Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
.
Dixon arrived in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
in 1903, and worked as a lecturer. He was a member of the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party (in Manitoba) (I)
Before World War I, there were at least two organizations in Winnipeg calling themselves the Independent Labour Party. The first of these was set up by British trade unionists in 1895, and collapsed soon thereafter....
during this period, and opposed the efforts of some party members to declare the ILP as socialist. This controversy led to the disintegration of the ILP in 1908.
Dixon first ran for the provincial legislature in the 1910 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1910
Manitoba's general election of July 11, 1910 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fourth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin. Roblin's electoral machine won...
as a candidate of the Manitoba Labour Party
Manitoba Labour Party
The Manitoba Labour Party was a reformist, non-Marxist labour party in Manitoba, Canada. It was created in early May 1910 as a successor to the province's second Independent Labour Party . Former Member of Parliament A.W. Puttee was a leading MLP organizer...
. He was also supported by the provincial Liberal Party
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
, whose platform he generally supported. Dixon's centrist labourism brought about opposition from the Socialist Party of Canada
Socialist Party of Canada (in Manitoba)
The Socialist Party of Canada was a revolutionary Marxist organization, founded in 1904 as a merger of the Socialist Party of British Columbia and related groups in Manitoba and Ontario, Canada....
, which ran a spoiler candidate against him. Dixon lost to Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
Thomas Taylor by 73 votes; the SPC polled 99.
The SPC's actions provoked a backlash among the Winnipeg trade unions, and increased Dixon's popularity in the city. He ran as an independent in the provincial election of 1914
Manitoba general election, 1914
Manitoba's general election of July 10, 1914 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fifth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party, led by premier Rodmond P. Roblin...
, receiving support from both the Liberals and the Labour Representation Committee (a successor to the MLP). Despite further SPC opposition, he was elected for Winnipeg Centre "B". He was again returned in the 1915 election
Manitoba general election, 1915
Manitoba's general election of August 6, 1915 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held only one year after the previous general election of 1914. In that election, the governing Conservatives of premier Rodmond P. Roblin were...
, as an "Independent Progressive".
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Dixon emerged as one of the leading anti-conscriptionists in Winnipeg, and also defended the rights of conscientious objectors to the war effort. These efforts placed him in conflict with the Manitoba Liberals, who generally supported the conscription policies of Robert Borden
Robert Borden
Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...
's Unionist government. In March 1918, Dixon helped to found the first branch of the Dominion Labour Party
Dominion Labour Party (in Manitoba)
The Dominion Labour Party was a reformist labour party, formed in Canada in 1918. The party enjoyed itsgreatest success in the province of Manitoba....
in Winnipeg. Though never a strong or centralized party, the DLP would subsequently branch out to other cities in the Canadian prairies.
Dixon supported the strikers during the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, and undoubtedly played an important role in legitimizing their efforts among the city's reformist labourites. Dixon was subsequently accused of seditious libel
Seditious libel
Seditious libel was a criminal offence under English common law. Sedition is the offence of speaking seditious words with seditious intent: if the statement is in writing or some other permanent form it is seditious libel...
for his activities during the strike, defended himself, and was found not guilty.
In the provincial election of 1920
Manitoba general election, 1920
Manitoba's general election of 29 June 1920 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.-Background:...
, Dixon headed a united labour list in the city of Winnipeg, which had been re-designed as a single constituency with ten members elected by a single transferable ballot. He easily topped the poll with 11,586 votes, almost 7000 more than his nearest Liberal competitor. There can be little doubt that Dixon was the most popular politician in the city at the time.
Nine DLP supporters, along with one member apiece from the SPC and SDPC
Social Democratic Party of Canada (in Manitoba)
When the Social Democratic Party of Canada broke away from the Socialist Party of Canada in 1911, many Winnipeg SPC members joined the new organization...
, were elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1920. Dixon was the unquestioned leader of the labour parliamentary caucus. He was able to cooperate with more left-wing figures, and kept the group reasonably united through to the election of 1922
Manitoba general election, 1922
Manitoba's general election of July 18, 1922 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.As in the previous election of 1920, the city of Winnipeg elected ten members by the single transferable ballot...
.
In late 1920, the DLP in Winnipeg was taken over by rightist labourites who had opposed the General Strike. Dixon led a walkout of DLP members, and was involved in founding the province's new Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party (in Manitoba) (II)
Prior to 1920, there were a number of groups in Winnipeg which called themselves the "Independent Labour Party". For information on these groups, see Independent Labour Party ....
. The ILP became the primary voice of the parliamentary left in Manitoba, and later become part of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation.
Dixon again topped the Winnipeg list in 1922, albeit by the reduced margin of almost 4000 votes over the nearest Liberal. The total labour caucus was reduced to six members.
In 1923, Dixon resigned as an Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
following the death of his wife and two of his children. John Queen
John Queen
John Queen was a Manitoba politician, and the second parliamentary leader of that province's Independent Labour Party...
, formerly of the SDPC, became ILP leader in his place. Dixon spent the rest of his life working as a part-time insurance salesman, and died of cancer at age fifty. The tragedy of his later years robbed Canada's labour movement of one of its most dynamic voices.