activist, politician, former railway worker, miner, logger
Charles Macnamara (Charlie) O'Brien (March 2, 1875 – February 23, 1952) was a Canadian socialist activist and politician in Alberta, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1913.
A dedicated socialist,[3] he joined the Socialist Party of Canada and became a national organizer for the party, and leader of its Alberta branch.[2][4]
In 1909, O'Brien ran for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the new Rocky Mountain constituency. Despite not garnering official union support, he nevertheless attracted wide support among the district's coal-miners. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a member of the Socialist Party of Alberta, narrowly defeating Liberal John Angus Macdonald by 32 votes.[3] The first Socialist elected to the legislature, the vote "reflected a growing radicalization" among Alberta coal miners, O'Brien's core constituency.[3]
The local newspaper, Coleman Miner, claimed O'Brien's election was engineered by his supporters through their manipulation of the immigrant vote:[5]
The election just past goes to show just what little interest was taken in the affairs of the province by the thinking people, especially the votes of the Rocky riding. The Socialists deserve great credit for the way every man of them got out and hustled; also the supporters of the Independent who were made up of, principally, the working classes—including Dagos and Slavs who neither read, write, or speak, our language. These people are herded to the polls like so many cattle and voted according to instructions from their leaders who are paid well for the service rendered. The services of these men are always at the disposal of the highest bidder. Surely this is a disgraceful state of affairs, never-the-less true.
During his term in office, he worked to improve the working conditions of miners. In December 1910, he introduced an amendment to the existing Coal Mines Act, proposing many additional safety measures in the industry.[6] O'Brien also initiated a bill permitting the Alberta government to protect an apparent Russian fugitive (charged with murder for assassination of a Russian governor and arson) by refusing to extradite him back to Russia if investigation showed that he faced political persecution back in Russia.[7][8][9] Upon the death of King Edward VII, members of the legislature made speeches of condolence to the royal family. However, O'Brien said, "Why all this empty hypocrisy? The king was a man who worked little and ate well," which prompted the members to pelt him with debris.[10] He also participated in the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway debate and set a provincial legislative record for filibustering with a speech to the house on February 13, 1912, that lasted five hours and fifty minutes; he still had not finished when the session was adjourned late at night.[11]
While in office, he continued to work as a socialist activist. In 1909, he was arrested while giving a speech near a highway in Regina. A crowd of 500 had gathered, which resulted in O'Brien's arrest for obstructing traffic.[12] In 1911, he made a Canada-wide tour to promote socialist ideals.[13]
The Trades and Labour Congress of Canada endorsed O'Brien when he ran for re-election in 1913.
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