Hazen Argue

The Honourable
Hazen Argue
PC
3rd Leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
In office
1960–1961
Preceded by M. J. Coldwell
Succeeded by Tommy Douglas
(as leader of the NDP)
Senator for Regina, Saskatchewan
In office
February 24, 1966 – October 2, 1991
Appointed by Lester B. Pearson
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Assiniboia
In office
1949–1963
Preceded by Edward McCullough
Succeeded by Lawrence Watson
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Wood Mountain
In office
1945–1949
Preceded by Thomas Donnelly
Succeeded by District was abolished in 1947
Personal details
Born Hazen Robert Argue
(1921-01-06)January 6, 1921
Kayville, Saskatchewan
Died October 2, 1991(1991-10-02) (aged 70)
Regina, Saskatchewan
Political party CCF (1945–1961)
New Democratic Party (1961–1962)
Liberal (1962–1991)
Cabinet Minister of State (Canadian Wheat Board) (1980–1984)
Committees Chair, Special Committee on Preventive Health Care
Chair, Standing Committee on Agriculture

Hazen Robert Argue, PC (January 6, 1921 – October 2, 1991) was a Canadian politician based in Saskatchewan who served in Ottawa for 43 years at various levels of Canada's federal government. He was first elected as a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) Member of Parliament (MP) in 1945 and ended his career as a Liberal Party Senator. He was the last leader of the democratic socialist CCF, from 1960 to 1961. He was briefly a member of the CCF's successor, the New Democratic Party (NDP), before crossing the floor in the House of Commons to become a Liberal MP in 1962 until his defeat in 1963. He was appointed, by Governor General Georges Vanier, on the advice of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, as a federal senator in 1966. He entered federal cabinet in 1980, as the only Saskatchewan representative, with responsibilities for the Canadian Wheat Board. He became the first senator ever to have been charged with fraud, in 1989. The charges were eventually dropped as he had been suffering from cancer for a year; he died shortly thereafter in 1991.

CCF/NDP MP

Born in Kayville, Saskatchewan. His family owned a farm, which he worked until he entered the House of Commons.[1] He was first elected to Parliament in 1945 representing the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF).[1] He was, at the time, the youngest MP, at the age of 24.[1] When the party was nearly wiped out in the Diefenbaker sweep of 1958, Argue managed to hold on to his seat, and remained the only CCF MP from Saskatchewan. Party leader M.J. Coldwell lost his seat, and the CCF parliamentary caucus elected Argue as their House Leader.[2] When Coldwell resigned as the national CCF leader in 1960, Argue succeeded him when he was elected leader at the party's last convention in the summer of 1960.[3]

At the time, the CCF was engaged in a three-year plan to create a new party from the union between itself and organized labour forces as represented by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). Both the CCF and CLC executives approved going down this route starting in April 1958. Argue, like many grassroot CCFers, was not convinced that this merger was necessarily the best route to revitalizing the party.[4] As an organizing tool during this period, the organization was called the New Party.[4] New Party clubs sprung up around the country during 1958-1961. On October 31, 1960, Walter Pitman won a stunning by-election victory in Peterborough running as a New Party candidate.[5] This gave credibility to the forces organizing to remodel the CCF along the British Labour Party model.[4] Argue became a candidate in the race to be the first leader of the newly formed NDP at their August 3, 1961 leadership convention. He was up against long-time Saskatchewan Premier, and CCF favourite-son, Tommy Douglas.[6] Douglas had the support of the CLC, its president Claude Jodoin and CCF president David Lewis.[4] Douglas easily defeated him 1,391 votes to 380 votes on the first and only ballot.[6] In his concession speech, Argue stated that, "No matter what my role is in the years ahead, I shall speak for you. I shall work for you, I shall never let you down."[4] He remained in the party's caucus, in the House of Commons, for the rest of the year, having little contact with Douglas in those months.[4]

Liberal Party MP and Senator

Argue crossed the floor six months later to join the Liberal Party arguing that divisions were rife in the NDP and that farmers' interests were overwhelmed by those of labour.[1] He was re-elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) in 1962 but was defeated in 1963 and again in 1965.[7] In 1966, Argue was appointed to the Senate as a Liberal.[8]

When the Liberal Party failed to win any seats in the House of Commons from ridings west of Winnipeg in the 1980 election, Argue was appointed to Pierre Trudeau's Cabinet from 1980 to 1984 as Minister of State (Canada Wheat Board).[9]

In 1989, he became the first senator ever charged with misuse of public funds and fraud.[1] The RCMP alleged that he used public funds to help his wife's bid to obtain the Liberal Party nomination in their Ottawa-area riding, for the 1988 Canadian federal election.[10] The charges were dropped in 1991 by the crown prosecutor, because it became apparent that Argue was near death, as he was bedridden for most of the year with cancer.[11] He died three months later in Regina, on October 2, 1991.[1]

Argue is the only former leader of the CCF or NDP whose portrait is not on the walls of NDP headquarters.

References and notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Downey, Donn (1991-10-03). "Liberal senator spoke for Prairie farmers". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. pp. E6.
  2. ↑ Canadian Press (1958-04-24). "Hazen Argue elected leader of CCF party in House of Commons". Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. Quebec City. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  3. ↑ "C.C.F. selects Hazen Argue". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. 1960-08-13. p. 4. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Morton, Desmond (1986). The New Democrats, 1961-1986 : the politics of change (3 ed.). Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman. pp. 39–44. ISBN 0-7730-4618-6.
  5. ↑ MacDonald, Donald C. (1998). The Happy Warrior: Political Memoirs (2nd ed.). Toronto: Dundurn Press. pp. 109–111. ISBN 1-55002-307-1.
  6. 1 2 Sears, Val (1961-08-04). "NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAILS DOUGLAS AS LEADER". The Toronto Star. Toronto. pp. 1, 4.
  7. ↑ Canadian Press (1963-04-17). "City, farm vote split more evident this time". The Leader-Post. Regina, Saskatchewan. p. 9.
  8. ↑ "Mr. Argue in the Senate". The Leader-Post. Regina, Saskatchewan. 1966-02-26. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  9. ↑ Lynch, Charles (1980-03-04). "'Same old bunch' surrounds Trudeau". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal. p. 68.
  10. ↑ Reuters (1989-12-13). "Mounties investigating 15 Parliament members". Toledo Blade. Toledo, Ohio. p. 2.
  11. ↑ Canadian Press (1991-07-31). "Charges stayed against senator". The Toronto Star. Toronto. p. A4.
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