Major James Coldwell : Ask Biography

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Major James William Coldwell, (December 2, 1888 - August 25, 1974), usually known as M.J. (Major was his first name, not a military title), was a Canadian social democratic politician, and leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) party from 1942 to 1960. He was born in England, and immigrated to Canada in 1910. Prior to his political career, he was an educator and union activist. In 1935 he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons, representing the Rosetown-Biggar electoral district. He would be re-elected five more times until he was defeated in the 1958 Diefenbaker sweep. He was the CCF's first national secretary in 1934, and became its national leader upon the death of J.S. Wordsworth in 1942. He remained as its leader until 1960, when there was a parliamentary caucus revolt against him. When the CCF was disbanded 1961, he joined its successor party, the NDP. He is mainly remembered for helping to introduce "welfare state" policies to Canada, by persuading the Canadian government to introduce an Old Age Security programme, and child benefits during the mid-1940s. Coldwell turned down several offers to cross the floor and join the governing Liberal Party of Canada, including one offer that eventually would have made him the Prime Minister of Canada. After his defeat in 1958, he was offered a Senate appointment, but declined it as well. He became a member of the Privy Council in 1964 and in 1967 became one of the initial inductees into the Order of Canada. After suffering two heart attacks on the same day, he died in Ottawa at the age of 85.