James Duggan (September 18, 1903 – August 13, 1980) was a union leader and politician who was described by
Joey Smallwood
Joseph Roberts Smallwood (December 24, 1900 – December 17, 1991) was a Newfoundlander and Canadian politician. He was the main force who brought the Dominion of Newfoundland into Canadian Confederation in 1949, becoming the first premier of ...
as one of the earliest and staunchest supporters of
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
's entry into
Canada.
["Railroad telegrapher, railway employee, station agent, train dispatcher, union officer: James Duggan'', Canadian Press, ''Globe and Mail'', August 15, 1980]
Duggan was born in
Riverhead,
Newfoundland Colony. At the age of 17 he obtained a job with the Reid Newfoundland Company as a
railway telegrapher and also worked as a station agent and dispatcher. He became active as a
trade unionist at the age of 20 and, in 1939, became general chairman of the
Order of Railroad Telegraphers.
["Macnaughton, five others appointed to Senate", ''Globe and Mail'', July 9, 1966] In the 1940s he was a prominent member of the Newfoundland Confederate Association
The Confederate Association was a political party formed and led by Joey Smallwood and Gordon Bradley to advocate that the Dominion of Newfoundland join the Canadian Confederation. The party was formed on February 21, 1948 prior to the launch of t ...
which promoted union with Canada.[ After Newfoundland joined confederation in 1949, the Confederate Association reorganized itself as the Newfoundland Liberal Party.
He was named to the ]Senate of Canada
The Senate of Canada (french: region=CA, Sénat du Canada) is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the House of Commons, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada.
The Senate is modelled after the B ...
in 1966 by Prime Minister Lester Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian scholar, statesman, diplomat, and politician who served as the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968.
Born in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of ...
and retired from the body in 1978.
References
External links
*
1903 births
1980 deaths
Canadian senators from Newfoundland and Labrador
Trade unionists from Newfoundland and Labrador
Dispatchers
Liberal Party of Canada senators
Dominion of Newfoundland people
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