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Legacy

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{{Short description|19/20th-century Canadian coal miner and labor rights activist}}
{{about|Albert Goodwin, the Canadian trade unionist|other similarly named people|}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Albert "Ginger" Goodwin
| honorific_suffix =
| native_name =
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| image = Albert Goodwin fair use.jpg
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| birth_name = Albert Goodwin
| birth_date = May 10, 1886
| birth_place = [[Treeton]], Yorkshire, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1918|07|27|1887|05|10}}
| death_place = "Mount Ginger Goodwin" west of [[Cumberland, British Columbia]], Canada
| death_cause = Single gunshot/head trauma
| body_discovered =
| resting_place = Cumberland cemetery
| resting_place_coordinates = {{Coord|49.637485|-125.006775|type:landmark|display=inline}}
| monuments = Memorial headstone
| other_names = Ginger Goodwin
| citizenship = British-Canadian [[dual national]]
| occupation = Coal miner, labour activist
| years_active = 16
| known_for = Advocacy of workers' rights, his controversial death, [[martyrdom]]
| party = [[Socialist Party of Canada]] (SPC)
| movement = Labour
| criminal_charge = Evading conscription into the Canadian Army
| criminal_penalty = State-ordered apprehension
| criminal_status = Killed during apprehension
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}}

'''Albert '''"'''Ginger'''"''' Goodwin''' (May 10, 1887–July 27, 1918), nicknamed Ginger for his bright red hair, was a migrant coal miner who advocated for workers' rights and promoted the cause of [[trade union|unions]] in British Columbia, Canada.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|title=Fighting for dignity : the Ginger Goodwin story|last=Stonebanks, Roger.|date=2004|publisher=Canadian Committee on Labour History|isbn=1894000064|location=St. John's, NL|oclc=53305977|url-access=registration|url=https://www.aupress.ca/books/cclh16-fighting-for-dignity/}}</ref> Angered by the working conditions in coal mines, Goodwin sought to increase wages and improve working conditions, and fought companies that disregarded workers' rights.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal|last=Parker|first=Keith|date=Spring 1997|title=Ginger Goodwin: Union Organizer|journal=B.C. Historical News|volume=30|pages=24}}</ref> He participated in and led multiple strikes, and served as a delegate for the [[British Columbia Federation of Labour]] and as an organizer for the [[Socialist Party of Canada]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last=Leier|first=Mark|year=1997|title=Plots, Shots, and Liberal Thoughts: Conspiracy Theory and the Death of Ginger Goodwin|journal=Labour/Le Travail|volume=39|pages=215–224|doi=10.2307/25144113|jstor=25144113 |s2cid=142190350 |issn=0700-3862|url=http://www.lltjournal.ca/index.php/llt/article/view/5064/5933|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In the years following his increased activism and involvement with labour unions, Goodwin fell under scrutiny for his opposition to [[Conscription Crisis of 1917|military conscription]] during World War I. He was killed by a police officer in 1918.<ref name=":5" /> There is debate on whether Goodwin was a victim of murder or if his death was the result of the officer's self-defence.<ref name=":4" /> His death sparked a one-day general strike in Vancouver on August 2, 1918, which was the first [[general strike]] ever held in Canada.<ref name=":5" /> The strike was a precursor of the [[Winnipeg general strike]] of 1919 and other labour conflicts.

==Early life and radicalization==
Goodwin was born in [[Treeton]], Yorkshire, England on May 10, 1887.<ref name=":4" /> In 1906 at age 19, he emigrated to Canada to work as a coal miner in [[Glace Bay|Glace Bay, Nova Scotia]].<ref name=":5" /> In 1911, he relocated to Vancouver Island, where he worked for the Canadian Collieries mining company in [[Cumberland, British Columbia|Cumberland]], British Columbia.<ref name=":5" />

While in Cumberland, Goodwin's participation in labour activism began, joining the [[Socialist Party of Canada]] and becoming an active member of the Cumberland Local 2299 union.<ref name=":4" /> During the 1912–1914 Coal Miners' Strike against Canadian Collieries, Goodwin became a key activist, speaking out against working conditions and advocating for mine safety and union recognition.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":7" /> While the workers did not win, the strike nevertheless had a major political and economic impact on the country, leading to recognition of the strikers' demands.<ref name=":4" /> Following the strike, Goodwin emerged as a dedicated socialist and union activist. However, as a result of his involvement in the strike, he found himself blacklisted from his workplace and was forced to leave Cumberland.<ref name=":5" />

==Labour activism==
In 1916, Goodwin moved to [[Trail, British Columbia]], where he worked in the smelter for the [[Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited]].<ref name=":4" /> That same year, he joined the Mining and Smelter Workers' Union where he was elected as Secretary for the Trail chapter.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book|title=The Canadian West.|last=National Archives of Canada. Library and Archives Canada.|date=2001|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|oclc=81089550}}</ref> Following his union involvement, Goodwin entered politics, running as a candidate for the Socialist Party of Canada in the 1916 provincial election representing Trail.<ref name=":4" /> Although he did not win, Goodwin carried on with his union activity. The following year, he was elected to the executive of the [[British Columbia Federation of Labour]] as Vice-President, and as the President of District 6 (Kootenays) of the [[International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers]].<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":8" />

Goodwin frequently spoke out against Canada's involvement in [[World War I]] as a [[conscientious objector]].<ref name=":5" /> He rejected [[conscription]] on the grounds that workers of one country should not be employed to kill workers of another country as a result of capitalist conflict.<ref name=":4" /> Goodwin is reputed to have said, "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."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.knowledge.ca/program/working-people-history-labour-british-columbia|title=Working People: A History of Labour in British Columbia|website=Knowledge|access-date=March 13, 2017}}</ref>

Goodwin eventually did sign up, but was initially exempted from conscription after a medical examination found him unfit for service.<ref name=":5" /> Following the exemption, Goodwin called a strike on November 10, 1917, at the Trail smelter in an attempt to get the company to agree to an [[Eight-hour day|eight-hour work day]].<ref name=":4" /> As the strike continued, Goodwin was recalled for another medical examination, whereupon he was ordered to report for duty for overseas, overturning the decision previously made.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":7" />

== Death ==
After being reinstated for conscription, Goodwin attempted to appeal the assignment, but was denied multiple times.<ref name=":7" /> He returned to Cumberland once more to prepare a final appeal.<ref name=":4" /> After returning to Vancouver Island, Goodwin and other draft evaders fled to the Cumberland hills sometime in April or May 1918, hiding out in the mountains around [[Comox Lake]].<ref name=":4" /> By breaking into a cabin, they were able to survive with supplies provided by friends and community members.<ref name=":4" />
[[File:Ginger Goodwin's Grave.jpg|thumb|Headstone of Ginger Goodwin at the Cumberland Municipal Cemetery in Cumberland, British Columbia. Flowers have been left on the grave. Note that the date inscribed on the headstone is inaccurate.]]On July 27, 1918, [[Dominion Police]] ventured into the hills to locate and arrest the men.<ref name=":5" /> On that day, Dominion Police Officer Dan Campbell encountered Goodwin in the woods at Comox Lake<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":8" /> and shot him with a .30-30-calibre lever-action hunting rifle.<ref name=":4" /> Campbell claimed that the shot was fired in self-defence after Goodwin raised his own rifle when he was asked to surrender.<ref name=":5" />

It remains unknown how the two men actually encountered each other since there were no other witnesses.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-myth-and-mystery-of-ginger-goodwin/article982238/|title=The myth and mystery of Ginger Goodwin|last=Hawthorn|first=Tom|date=March 17, 2009|website=The Globe and Mail|access-date=March 14, 2017}}</ref> There is debate on whether Campbell fired in self-defence or if he shot Goodwin deliberately, acting under special military orders.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> Goodwin died instantly after being shot in the neck, with the bullet severing his spinal cord on impact.<ref name=":5" />

Local undertakers refused a police request to bury Goodwin on the spot where he was shot, and also refused to retrieve his body for authorities.<ref name=":7" /> His body was retrieved by friends and brought to Cumberland, where it was taken through the streets in a mile-long procession.<ref name=":7" /> Goodwin was interred at the Cumberland Municipal Cemetery, with thousands attending his funeral on August 2, 1918.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" />

Campbell was charged with manslaughter following Goodwin's death.<ref name=":5" /> A grand jury in [[Victoria, British Columbia]] dismissed the charges against the policeman, who continued to claim that he had fired in self-defence. Despite the jury's decision, police officers and two justices of the peace believed there was enough evidence to warrant a further proceeding.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":7" />

There are conflicting opinions on the actual date of Goodwin's death. While many sources date the death on July 27, others including his headstone state he died on July 26, 1918.

==Legacy==
Goodwin's death outraged the BC labour movement.<ref name=":5" /> In protest, the [[1918 Vancouver general strike|Vancouver General Strike]] was held on August 2, 1918, the first of its kind in Canada.<ref name=":4" /> The Metal and Trades Council was the first to call for the 24-hour work stoppage, with the Vancouver Trades and Labour Council and other manual labourers following its lead.<ref name=":8" />

At Comox Lake, Goodwin was commemorated by the naming of Ginger Goodwin Creek in 1982, and Mount Ginger Goodwin in 1989.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://canadianlabour.ca/twlh-jul-4/|title=TWLH-Jul-4|date=October 12, 2017|website=Canadian Labour Congress|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref> A section of the Vancouver Island Highway 19 that passes through Cumberland was named Ginger Goodwin Way in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2017-2021/2018TRAN0097-001267.htm|title=Stretch of Highway 19 dedicated as Ginger Goodwin Way|date=June 23, 2018|website=archive.news.gov.bc.ca|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref> Although the signs were removed by the province's Liberal government in 2001, the NDP government reinstalled them in 2018.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018LBR0015-001454|title=Ginger Goodwin Day honours a champion of workers' rights|last=Labour|date=July 26, 2018|website=news.gov.bc.ca|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref>

On July 27, 2018, the BC government proclaimed Ginger Goodwin Day to acknowledge his work as a champion of labour rights.<ref name=":6" /> The centennial day of his death was also marked by widespread recognition of his achievement.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Provincial marker outside graveyard.jpg|thumb|Sign outside the Cumberland Municipal Cemetery erected by the Province of British Columbia offering a brief description of Goodwin's life and work.]] Goodwin's legacy was revived in Cumberland with Miners' Memorial Day in 1986.<ref name=":9" /> Organized by the Cumberland Museum and Archives, the annual event celebrates Cumberland's miners, including the 295 miners who died in accidents over the decades.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|url=https://minersmemorial.ca/home/about-miners-memorial/|title= About Miners Memorial|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref> A vigil is held every year during Miners' Memorial weekend, with people placing flowers on Goodwin's grave.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://minersmemorial.ca/ginger-goodwin/|title= Ginger Goodwin|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref>

In 2016, the film, ''Goodwin's Way'', directed by Comox Valley native Neil Vokey, debuted. The film documents the town of Cumberland resisting the opening of a new mine and resurrecting the legacy of Ginger Goodwin. Residents share their viewpoints on the life story of the labour hero.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.goodwinsway.com/about/|title=Goodwin's Way|website=Goodwin's Way|access-date=March 13, 2017}}</ref>

== Quotes ==
"...we know that all this misery is the outcome of someone's carelessness and that someone is the capitalists, those who own the machinery of production... This class of parasites have been living on the blood of the working class, they are responsible for the conditions existing at the present time... To throw this system over we have got to organize as a class and fight them as class against class... and our weapons are education, organization and agitation... and the principles of Socialism, for it is necessary that you know when to strike and how to strike, and if we have not these weapons when the time comes, we shall not be able to predict the outcome of the fight... we have the power and the lever to overthrow the existing society."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/07/25/Ginger-Goodwin-Is-a-Radical/|title=To Praise Ginger Goodwin Is to Revere a Radical|last=Leier|first=Mark|date=July 25, 2014|website=The Tyee|access-date=March 13, 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Organized labour}}
*''[[Ginger: The Life and Death of Albert Goodwin]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Mayse, Susan, January 1, 1990, ''Ginger: The Life and Death of Albert Goodwin'', Harbour Publishing, 212 pp., with index and bibliography, {{ISBN|9781550170184}}

== External links ==

*[http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=7403 Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online'']
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060427110838/http://recollectionbooks.com/bleed/05ref.htm#10/1887 Daily Bleed Calendar] May 10, 1887 Reference page
*[http://www.lib.sfu.ca/system/files/28909/FINDING%20AID%20GOODWIN.pdf Records of Albert Goodwin are held by Simon Fraser University's Special Collections and Rare Books]
*[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-government-proclaims-july-27-ginger-goodwin-day-1.4764622 BC government proclaims July 27 'Ginger Goodwin Day'.]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodwin, Albert}}
[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1918 deaths]]
[[Category:English emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:English miners]]
[[Category:Canadian coal miners]]
[[Category:Candidates in British Columbia provincial elections]]
[[Category:Trade unionists from British Columbia]]
[[Category:Conscientious objectors]]
[[Category:Socialist Party of Canada politicians]]
[[Category:People from the Comox Valley Regional District]]
[[Category:People from Treeton]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in British Columbia]]
[[Category:International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers people]]
[[Category:People shot dead by law enforcement officers in Canada]]

Albert Goodwin - Revision history

~2025-34102-93: /* Legacy */