On this day in 1918, Canadian socialist and labor activist Albert "Ginger" Goodwin was murdered by police while avoiding his draft into World War I by hiding out in the hills of Cumberland, British Columbia.

Born in Yorkshire, England on May 10th, 1887, Goodwin immigrated to Canada in 1909, at the age of 19, working as a coal miner in Nova Scotia.

In Canada, he organized with the Socialist Party of Canada and became a notable labor leader during the 1912–1914 Coal Miner's Strike against Canadian Collieries. Following the strike, he was blacklisted and was forced to move away from Cumberland to find work.

In 1916, he joined the Mining and Smelter workers Union and was elected as Secretary for the Trail chapter. Following his involvement with trade unions, Goodwin entered politics running as a candidate for the Socialist Party of Canada in the 1916 British Columbian election, although he did not win.

As World War I broke out, Goodwin became an outspoken advocate against the draft, initially refusing to sign up. When conscription became law in 1917, Goodwin was classified as fit for military service even though earlier health concerns had previously rendered him temporarily unfit. By then he had enemies not only in management and the government but also in the union of which he had been president. After twice vainly appealing his reclassification, he and several other draft evaders hid in the bush near Cumberland, where they were provided with supplies by people from the town. Police Constable Dan Campbell tracked Goodwin down and killed him. Campbell was charged with manslaughter but was exonerated before a grand jury, meeting in camera.

Goodwin's friends, both then and in the years since, have pointed out many discrepancies in the official record. On the day of his funeral, August 2, the Trades and Labor and Metal Trades Council of Vancouver called all members out for 24 hours to protest "the shooting of Brother A. Goodwin." The overwhelming response gave BC its first general strike.

"War is simply part of the process of Capitalism. Big financial interests are playing the game. They'll reap the victory, no matter how the war ends."

  • Albert Goodwin

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      • InsideOutsideCatside [they/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Yeah it's bullshit. They don't even tell me why, just "denied," I assume because I got fired "for misconduct" because I was swearing very audibly, got overheard by some busybody asshole who reported to corporate, and then a fucking month later I got fired. The thing is though I swore like a sailor for years with no reprimand, seems to me like the behavior was tacitly condoned by that point, and they were more than happy to keep me working for them for a solid month before corporate said I had to go. I said as much in my appeal but I assume some dipshit Republican is going to read it, laugh, and hit the Deny button again.

          • InsideOutsideCatside [they/them]
            ·
            2 years ago

            Thanks, hopefully your process goes more quickly and ends better than mine.

            I'm so frustrated about it because I think I have an argument, right? How can it be misconduct if it's behavior that was present the entire time and they never said anything about it? And then them keeping me at work for another month. Maybe corporate considers it misconduct, but my direct employer clearly didn't give a fuck about it.

            But like there's nothing I can do, i don't have lawyer money even if this is a compelling argument. I don't get a jury trial where I can try to convince someone I deserve benefits. For all i know my appeal goes to literally the same person who just denied me.

            Anyway don't let my experience discourage you, get your application out of the way asap instead of waiting around like me

            • kingspooky [he/him, they/them]
              ·
              2 years ago

              It seems to me like you have an argument as well, because if the behavior was there the whole time and you were never reprimanded it doesn't make sense to fire you for. Wish I was a real lawyer instead of a barely experienced paralegal and could offer any real advice :(
              I did send my application in tho, soon as I got fired.