Michael James MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Michael James MacDonald was a union leader, coal miner, volunteer firefighter and politician in Nova Scotia
.
Born and raised in Cape Breton
, the son of James MacDonald, MacDonald worked in the coal mines as a young man in order to support his family following the death of his father. He was involved with the United Mine Workers of America and was president of Local Union 4521 from 1938 until 1941 when he had to quit mining after being seriously injured in a stone fall. He then worked as a salesman for a bakery in Sydney, Nova Scotia
, forming a union and becoming its president.
MacDonald was also involved in the co-operative movement helping to found the Reserves Mines Credit Union
and serving as its vice-president. He served as a member of the Reserve Mines Volunteer Fire Department for over 60 years having helped found it in 1934.
In the 1945 provincial election
, he was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
representing the Nova Scotia Co-operative Commonwealth Federation for Cape Breton Centre
. He and CCF leader Russell Cunningham were the only two Opposition members in the legislature until the 1949 provincial election
. He would remain a member of the assembly for 18 years.
MacDonald served as leader of the CCF from 1953 to 1963 leading the party through the 1956
and 1960 provincial election
. Despite the fact that the party received almost 9% of the vote in 1960, MacDonald was the only CCFer returned either time.
He stepped down as leader in 1963 and James H. Aitchison
became leader of the newly formed Nova Scotia NDP
. MacDonald lost his seat in the 1963 provincial election
and the NDP would not gain another seat in the House of Assembly until 1970.
MacDonald also continued his union work as business agent for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers from 1957 until his retirement in 1975 and was involved with the Cape Breton Labour Council and the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour. He also became active in municipal politics serving on the Cape Breton County Council from 1974 to 1976.
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...
.
Born and raised in Cape Breton
Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton Regional Municipality often shortened to simply CBRM, is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton County.According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the population within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is 102,250...
, the son of James MacDonald, MacDonald worked in the coal mines as a young man in order to support his family following the death of his father. He was involved with the United Mine Workers of America and was president of Local Union 4521 from 1938 until 1941 when he had to quit mining after being seriously injured in a stone fall. He then worked as a salesman for a bakery in Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, forming a union and becoming its president.
MacDonald was also involved in the co-operative movement helping to found the Reserves Mines Credit Union
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
and serving as its vice-president. He served as a member of the Reserve Mines Volunteer Fire Department for over 60 years having helped found it in 1934.
In the 1945 provincial election
Nova Scotia general election, 1945
The 20th Nova Scotia general election was held on 23 October 1945 to elect members of the 43rd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party....
, he was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...
representing the Nova Scotia Co-operative Commonwealth Federation for Cape Breton Centre
Cape Breton Centre
Cape Breton Centre is a provincial electoral district in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly....
. He and CCF leader Russell Cunningham were the only two Opposition members in the legislature until the 1949 provincial election
Nova Scotia general election, 1949
The 21st Nova Scotia general election was held on 9 June 1949 to elect members of the 44th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party....
. He would remain a member of the assembly for 18 years.
MacDonald served as leader of the CCF from 1953 to 1963 leading the party through the 1956
Nova Scotia general election, 1956
The 23rd Nova Scotia general election was held on 30 October 1956 to elect members of the 46th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservatives led by Robert Stanfield. This was the first election the Liberal Party fought without their...
and 1960 provincial election
Nova Scotia general election, 1960
The 24th Nova Scotia general election was held on 7 June 1960 to elect members of the 47th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservatives....
. Despite the fact that the party received almost 9% of the vote in 1960, MacDonald was the only CCFer returned either time.
He stepped down as leader in 1963 and James H. Aitchison
James H. Aitchison
James Hermiston Aitchison was a Canadian academic and politician and leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party....
became leader of the newly formed Nova Scotia NDP
Nova Scotia New Democratic Party
The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial party in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is aligned with the federal New Democratic Party . Originally founded as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in 1932, it became the New Democratic Party in 1961. It became the governing...
. MacDonald lost his seat in the 1963 provincial election
Nova Scotia general election, 1963
The 25th Nova Scotia general election was held on 8 October 1963 to elect members of the 48th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservatives.* party was then the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
and the NDP would not gain another seat in the House of Assembly until 1970.
MacDonald also continued his union work as business agent for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers from 1957 until his retirement in 1975 and was involved with the Cape Breton Labour Council and the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour. He also became active in municipal politics serving on the Cape Breton County Council from 1974 to 1976.
See also
- Co-operative Commonwealth FederationCo-operative Commonwealth FederationThe 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...
- List of articles about Nova Scotia CCF/NDP members