Doug Tomlinson
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
A Descriptive Inventory of the Doug Tomlinson Fonds
Accession Number: 98-14 & 2001-160
Lynn McPherson
Fall 2003
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Doug Tomlinson Fonds
This guide was prepared with financial assistance from the Archives Society of Alberta, Access to Holdings program. The University Archives gratefully acknowledges the assistance of this grant. Without it, these important records could not have been made accessible to researchers and the public.
Fall 2003
Doug Tomlinson Fonds
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Descriptive Inventory of the Doug Tomlinson Fonds
PREFACE......
INTRODUCTION......
BIOGRAPHY......
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE......
I. Farm Organization Files......
Box 1......
Box 2......
Box 3......
II. Union/Labour Movements Files......
Box 4......
Box 5......
Box 6......
Box 7......
III. Political Activities and Movements files......
Box 8......
Box 9......
Box 10......
Box 11......
Box 12......
Box 13......
IV. Causes......
Box 14......
Box 15......
Box 16......
Films......
Soviet Material – Photographs......
Doug Tomlinson Fonds
PREFACE
The University of Alberta Archives was established in 1968 at the recommendation of the President’s Standing Committee on Archives and Documents. Its primary mandate is to acquire, maintain, and preserve the records of the University, in any medium, which contain continuing administrative, legal, and historical value. The Archives constitutes the official “memory” of the University and represents the accumulated experience of our educational community. In addition to these official records, the University Archives also contain the private papers of the University staff whose subjects of research and teaching encompass the world.
Doug Tomlinson Fonds
INTRODUCTION
The Doug Tomlinson fonds consist of documents created and collected by Doug Tomlinson, and donated to the University of Alberta Archives in two accessions. The donated records reflect the many interests and passions of Doug Tomlinson, and consist primarily of textual records, with a small collection of photographs, 35 mm film, and ephemera. Topics covered in the donation include farm organization records, labour history, political activities, and issues surrounding the peace movement, human rights, and social justice causes. The records are arranged in four series, and within each series, the files are described in a basic chronological order. The donated records span nearly a century of history, with a concentration of records from the 1940’s to the mid-1990’s.
SOURCE: The Doug Tomlinson records were received as two separate donations to the University of Alberta Archives from Doug Tomlinson (in 1988 and 2001).
ARRANGEMENT NOTE: The Tomlinson records were quite jumbled when boxed and donated to the Archives, and a thorough initial inspection was necessary to determine possible series, weed out duplicates, and bring like materials together. Because of the nature of the issues and causes Doug Tomlinson was involved with or interested in, some records could certainly belong to more than one series (i.e.The Communist Party peace initiatives could be placed in either the Political Movements series or the series revolving around Causes). In the end, the archivist made a determination about what would be placed where. As far as possible, the material within a file was not rearranged, and this helped in determining where a file belonged, and what series titles were appropriate.
The records are in good physical shape.
RELATED ACCESSIONS: Researchers may wish to consult the card catalog for records that contain similar topics (farm and labour movements; political activities, etc.); accession #95-54 consists of a Technocracy publication donated by Doug Tomlinson, and other technocracy material is also available for researchers to consult.
ACCESS: The Doug Tomlinson records are open for research.
EXTENT: 3.4 m of textual records, 399 photographs, 15 35 mm film
DATERANGE: 1906-2001
Doug Tomlinson
1919 - Present
BIOGRAPHY
William James Douglas Tomlinson (Doug) was born in Toronto in 1919 to Henry Tomlinson and Helen Keenan. His family moved to Quebec in 1929 when his father accepted a job with Swift’s Packing Plant in Montreal. He grew up in the working-class district of Verdun and graduated from St. Willibrods High School in Montreal. Growing up in this depression-era community, he told one interviewer, gave him an appreciation for the social justice work he later embraced. At the beginning of the war years, Doug farmed in the Eastern Townships, and later enlisted and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. He also met and married his wife Evelyn (nee Rasmussen) during the war, and was discharged to Winnipeg in 1945.
Doug Tomlinson was active in union and labour organizations his entire adult life, joining the Beverage Dispensers Union in 1948 in Brooks, Alberta. He transferred to Edmonton in 1949, serving on the grievance, social, and investigating committees for this Union. From 1949-1950, Tomlinson served as Secretary and part-time organizer for Union Local 677, Restaurant Employees Union. He served as President of Union Local 579 (Beverage Dispensers Union) from 1954 to 1972, and was also active in the Hotel Workers Local Joint Executive Board. His Union work led him to involvement with labour councils including the Alberta Federation of Labour, the Canadian Federation of Labour, and the Canadian Labour Council. He served as vice-president of the Edmonton and District Labour Council. In addition, Doug Tomlinson sat on many negotiating committees and arbitration boards, and was involved as shop steward for the Grand Hotel, and worked with Legions in the City of Edmonton, including 14 years with the Montgomery Legion. He also served for three years as director of the EdmontonCooperativeShopping Center and was involved with District E-15, Public Relations Cooperative Federation. Doug Tomlinson also befriended and supported individuals and groups involved with organizing labour, and was interested in collecting papers that documented their collective struggle and effort.
Doug Tomlinson is also a political activist who participated in some of the most significant political and social movements in twentieth century Alberta. He ran twice for alderman in the City of Edmonton, and once federally for the N.D.P., and campaigned frequently for others whose ideas he supported. He joined the Communist Party of Canada, and reminisces about the anti-Russian sentiment that prevailed post-World War II, and the difficulties he encountered personally when employers and others learned of his Communist Party membership. Tomlinson was an advocate for the often-marginalized members of society, including women, seniors, workers and students. As a veteran of World War II, and a strong supporter of the peace movement, Doug Tomlinson was an active member of VANA (Veterans Against Nuclear War). He was active in promoting socialist education through the work of the Dr. Norman Bethune Society, and was involved in many campaigns to oppose human rights violations. He participated in protest marches, and appeared before boards and commissions to present his views on such issues as health care, the free trade agreement, and constitutional reform. Doug Tomlinson was (and continues to be) a tireless advocate for seniors’ rights, serving on the One Voice Committee for the Society for the Retired and Semi-Retired, as well as serving as President of the United Senior Citizens of Edmonton East. He remains active with the S.A.L.T. (Seniors Action and Liaison Team) Committee and was also active in his community league, and served on numerous civic boards and committees.
Doug Tomlinson and his wife Evelyn have five children: Bill, Virginia, Larry, Michael and Stanley, and live in north-east Edmonton. In an interview with Doug Tomlinson, and commenting upon his lifetime of political action and advocacy, he observed that: “We are going to die anyway, so we might as well live fighting for what we believe in!”
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Doug Tomlinson
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The Doug Tomlinson fonds encompass a wide range of records, documenting the many areas of interest and pursuits Mr. Tomlinson enjoyed. As well as preserving the records that document his personal experiences, Doug Tomlinson actively collected papers associated with organizations and groups he both admired and supported. Hence, the Tomlinson fond contain a valuable collection of papers related to early agrarian organization in Western Canada, particularly the Prairie Provinces, as well as some early imprint and documents dating from just after the turn of the twentieth century.
The Doug Tomlinson records arrived in two separate accessions to the University of Alberta Archives, but are merged in this finding-aid. The records arrived in files, but original order was difficult to determine. The papers within a file were generally intact, but within boxes, the files did not appear to be in any specific order. The archivist then surveyed everything to weed out duplicates, and determine series titles for the records. The series titles are based on the record contents, and are as follows:
Series 1: Farm Organizations
Alberta Federation of Agriculture
Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Alberta Farmers’ Union
Farmers’ Union of Alberta
Farm Organization Newsletters/Newspapers
Series 2: Union/Labour Movements
Edmonton and District Labour Council
Alberta Federation of Labour
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Federation of Labour
Specific Unions
Labour and Union Issues – Reference Material
Series 3: Political Activities/Movements
Communist Party
Socialism – Theory and Doctrine
National Political Movements/Parties/Government
Provincial Politics/Government/Affairs
Municipal/Local Politics and Affairs
Series 4: Causes
Seniors Issues
Peace Issues
Human Rights/Social Justice Issues
Other (including Soviet material and personal papers)
The records consist primarily of textual material, and include original minutes, meeting documents, correspondence, as well as published items and ephemera. In addition to the important early agriculture organization records, there are records documenting union and labour history in Alberta, with particular reference to union locals 47 and 579. Doug Tomlinson’s political involvements are represented, along with photographs and pamphlets he attained from the Ukrainian Society for Friendship (dating from the 1960’s and later). His involvement with the peace movement, social justice movements, and seniors’ rights groups are also well-documented in his papers. There is not much of the purely personal in his collection of papers, reflecting perhaps, the huge role issues and causes played in his, and in his family’s, lives.
Taken together, the records represent a rich documentation of Alberta’s social and political evolution from a network of strictly agrarian communities to a fully evolved post-industrial society. The records are of value to students of Canadian social and political history and supplement any discipline’s study of twentieth century Alberta from economics to sociology. Their value is also located in the dearth of primary material documenting Alberta socialism and left-wing movements.
Series 1
FARM ORGANIZATION RECORDS
- Farm Organization Records. --1940-1987. --.55 m of textual records.
Archival Description: The bulk of the earliest Tomlinson records are found in this series; some of the records were collected for their historical significance by Tomlinson and were created by individuals he knew and respected (e.g. Raymond Garneau, L.E. Pharis, E.R. Fay, etc). There is a sizeable amount of original material in the series, including meeting minutes, convention papers, and correspondence. The records in this series are somewhat frail physically, and must be handled carefully.
Scope and Content: : The farm organization records have been arranged by specific organization title, including the Alberta Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Alberta Farmers’ Union, Farmers’ Union of Alberta, and the National Farmers’ Union. There are also several farm publications and clipping files. This series contains a wealth of information about early (1940’s, 1950’s) agrarian organization and protest movements in Western Canada, and provide evidence surrounding the establishment of these organizations, and their relationship with one another. Of particular interest is the documentation of the movement to merge some of these organizations, thus increasing the farmers’ political lobbying power.
The series title is based on the content of the records.
A file listing follows.
I. Farm Organization Files
AccessionAnd File #. / Description / Date
i. Alberta Federation of Agriculture (A.F.A.)
Box 1
98-14-1 / A.F.A. Constitution and bylaws / Ca. 194098-14-2 / A.F.A. General information
Includes tour booklet and clippings / 1947
98-14-3 / A.F.A. Board of Directors’ meetings
Minutes and meeting reports / February-November, 1947
98-14-4 / A.F.A. Board of Directors’ meetings
Minutes and meeting reports / 1948-1949
98-14-5 / A.F.A. Raymond Garneau papers
Includes correspondence, convention booklets and newspaper articles. / 1944-1966, 1975
-
98-14-6 / A.F.A. Raymond Garneau papers
Garneau’s correspondence and reports as the Alberta Farmers’ Union member sitting on the A.F.A. Board / 1945-1948
98-14-7 / A.F.A. Director’s correspondence and reports / 1947-1950
98-14-8 / A.F.A. Annual Meeting, Calgary
Meeting minutes / December 7-8, 1944
98-14-9 / A.F.A. Annual Meeting, Edmonton
Minutes, annual report and resolutions / December 6-7, 1945
98-14-10 / A.F.A. Annual Meeting, Calgary
Meeting minutes / December 11-12, 1946
98-14-11 / A.F.A. Annual Meeting, Edmonton
Directors’ reports and financial statements, minutes and clipping / December 11-12, 1947
98-14-12 / A.F.A. Special Meeting, Regina
Meeting Minutes / May 10-11, 1948
98-14-13 / A.F.A. Annual Meeting, Calgary
Directors’ reports and financial statements; resolutions / December 16-17, 1948
98-14-14 / A.F.A. Annual Meeting, Calgary
Notice and memorandum / December 14-16, 1949
98-14-15 / A.F.A. Annual Meeting, Calgary
Directors’ reports and financial statements / January 11-13, 1956
98-14-16 / A.F.A. Reports, Briefs and Submissions
Presented to Provincial Government Premier and Ministers, Cabinet, and various boards and Royal Commissions / 1945-1949
98-14-17 / A.F.A. Committee on Income Tax
Correspondence, reports and background information / 1946-1949
98-14-18 / A.F.A. Bulletins
Monthly newsletters / 1947-1949
ii. Canadian Federation of Agriculture (C.F.A.)
98-14-19 / C.F.A. Constitution / 1946
98-14-20 / C.F.A. General information
Includes brochures and clippings / 1946
98-14-21 / C.F.A. Annual Meeting, Winnipeg
Copy of address to meeting by Sir John Boyd Carr and a report on resolutions / January 1947
98-14-22 / C.F.A. Annual Meeting, Brockville
President’s address and resolutions / January 28-30, 1948
98-14-23 / C.F.A. Western Agricultural Conference
Meeting documents / January 21-23, 1948
98-14-24 / C.F.A. Annual Meeting, Saskatoon
Minutes and resolutions / January 25-26, 1949
98-14-25 / C.F.A. Issue: Coarse Grains
Reports, correspondence and clippings / 1947-1949
98-14-26 / C.F.A. Issue: Wheat Agreement
Reports, correspondence and clippings / 1948-1953
98-14-27 / C.F.A. Hudson Bay Route Association
(re: the transport of Canadian grains to British and Continental European markets)
Convention reports and brochure / 1947, 1948
98-14-28 / C.F.A. Trades and Markets
Report and clippings / 1950-1952
98-14-29 / C.F.A. Reports, Briefs and Submissions
Made to Federal cabinet, boards, and Royal Commissions / 1947-1948, 1955
98-14-30 / C.F.A. Membership Bulletins
Monthly newsletter / 1947-1948
iii. Alberta Farmers’ Union (A.F.U.)
98-14-31 / A.F.U. Board of Directors’ and Executive Meetings
Meeting minutes / January-November 1947
Box 2
98-14-32 / A.F.U. Board of Directors’ and Executive MeetingsMeeting minutes / January-August 1948
98-14-33 / A.F.U. Board of Directors’ and Executive Meetings
Minutes - amalgamation issues discussed / 1969-1970
98-14-34 / A.F.U. Committee on Consolidation
Considering amalgamation of A.F.U., A.F.A., and the F.U.A.
Includes meeting minutes, statements, reports and clippings / 1944-1947
98-14-35 / A.F.U. Committee on Consolidation
Meeting minutes, handwritten notes, proposed constitution; Doug Tomlinson attached a note to the file in 1986 / 1948-1953, 1986
98-14-36 / A.F.U. Raymond Garneau (Director)
Directors’ reports to District 7 conventions. Includes information on wheat agreement / 1946-1947
98-14-37 / A.F.U. Circulars and communications
Sent to districts and locals / 1947-1949
98-14-38 / A.F.U. Convention
Convention Bulletin and resolutions / 1945
98-14-39 / A.F.U. Convention
Speaker’s notes and material; resolutions / 1946
98-14-40 / A.F.U. Convention
Program; Ray Garneau’s statement to convention on amalgamation / 1947
98-14-41 / A.F.U. Financial statements and report / 1948
98-14-42 / A.F.U. Reports, Briefs and Submissions / 1948-1949
98-14-43 / A.F.U. Radio Broadcasts
By Ray Garneau and Farmers United Show transcripts / 1946, 1947
98-14-44 / A.F.U. Farm/Labour Issues
Includes correspondence, meeting minutes, printed reports, and “The Meat of It” newsletters / 1945-1948
98-14-45 / A.F.U. Oil Rights Issues
Correspondence, reports and clippings / 1947-1948
98-14-46 / A.F.U. Freight Rates Briefs
Includes correspondence and clippings / 1947, 1948
98-14-47 / A.F.U. Women/Consumers
Report of the ‘Housewives Delegation to Ottawa’ and various other reports and correspondence related to women and consumerism / 1947
iv. Farmers’ Union of Alberta (F.U.A.)
98-14-48 / F.U.A. Executive Meeting
Minutes / 1950
98-14-49 / F.U.A. Correspondence and circulars / 1949-1950
98-14-50 / F.U.A. Annual Convention, Calgary
Minutes and resolutions / December 6-10, 1949
98-14-51 / F.U.A. Annual Convention, Calgary
Presidents’ reports, resolutions, policy statements, and clipping scrapbook / December 10-14, 1951
98-14-52 / F.U.A. Annual Convention
Resolutions / December 8-12, 1952
98-14-53 / F.U.A. Annual Convention
President’s address, reports, resolutions and clippings (all glued into soft-covered scribbler) / December 7-11, 1953
98-14-54 / F.U.A. Annual Convention, Edmonton
Program, Presidents’ reports, and late resolutions / December 6-10, 1954
98-14-55 / F.U.A. Annual Convention, Edmonton
Program / December 5-9, 1955
98-14-56 / F.U.A. Annual Convention, Edmonton
Program, policy sheets and supplementary resolutions; report of the action committee; a handwritten letter / December 9-13, 1957
98-14-57 / F.U.A. Annual Convention
Policy sheets and supplementary resolutions / December 7-11,
1959
98-14-58 / F.U.A. Annual Convention, Edmonton
Program, reports and resolution information / December 7-11, 1964
98-14-59 / F.U.A. Reports, Briefs and Submissions
To Prime Minister and Government of Canada / 1950, 1962
98-14-60 / F.U.A. Issue: “Red-Baiting in F.U.A.”
Ray Garneau, Director’s report, re: ‘red-baiting at Provincial Convention’; Board meeting minutes and handwritten notes dealing with Board resignation requests / 1950-1951
98-14-61 / F.U.A. Peace Issues
Correspondence, resolutions and statements / 1952-1961
Box 3
98-14-62 / F.U.A. Trade PolicyCorrespondence between Ray Garneau and the F.U.A., re: trade policies / 1950-1954
98-14-63 / F.U.A. “Open Forum” articles in Organized Farmer newsletters
Correspondence to and from Ray Garneau and the F.U.A Central Office / 1948-1953
98-14-64 / F.U.A. Article in The Western Producer / 1951
v. National Farmers Union (N.F.U.)
98-14-65 / N.F.U. Annual Convention, Edmonton
Program, resolutions, policy statements and reports / December 8-12, 1975
98-14-66 / N.F.U. Annual Convention, Saskatoon
Policy statements, CN Railway submission to the Grain Handling and Transportation Commission / December 5-9, 1977
98-14-67 / N.F.U. Annual Convention, Ottawa
Policy statements, resolutions, president’s report and address to meeting / December 1978
vi. Farm Organization Newsletters/Newspapers
98-14-68 / Farm publications and imprint – general / 1955, 1978, 1986, 1987
98-14-69 / Farm Organization publications – The Western Farmer / 1942, 1943
98-14-70 / Farm Organization publications – A.F.U. Bulletin / 1946-1949
98-14-71 / Farm Organization publications – UFC Information / 1947-1949
98-14-72 / Farm Organization publications – F.U.A. Bulletin (Souvenir copy) / February 1949
98-14-73 / Farm Organization publications – The Organized Farmer; official organ of the Farmers’ Union of Alberta
Some annotation and the name E.R. Fay on many issues / 1949-1954
98-14-74 / Farm Organization publications – Farm Views / 1954
98-14-75 / Farm Organization publications – Alberta Round-Up / 1966-1969
98-14-76 / Farm Organization publications – Union Farmer / 1973, 1974, 1979, 1980
98-14-77 / Farming topics – newspaper clippings / 1950’s
Series II.