(The following article is from the March 1-15, 2008 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St. Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3).

By Stephen Von Sychowski

On March 11, 1973, Tim Buck passed away quietly in Mexico at the age of 82. He was one of the most well known Communists in Canadian history, and from 1929-1962 was the General Secretary of our Party. Thirty five years later, many comrades in the movement are too young or too new to have ever met Tim Buck. Nonetheless, he should be remembered as a selfless fighter for peace, democracy and socialism, and one of the leaders who helped build the Communist movement in Canada.

     Tim Buck, a machinist, was born in Beccles, England and migrated to Canada in 1910 where he quickly became involved in working class struggles of the time. Like many workers in those days, he was inspired by the Great October Russian Revolution of 1917. In 1921, he participated in the founding convention of the Communist Party of Canada in a barn near Guelph, Ontario. From that moment on he dedicated his life to the interests of the working class in Canada and internationally.

     He was an important figure in the Communist Party's work to build Canada's labour movement; the Trade Union Education League (TUEL), Labour Defense League and Workers Unity League (WUL) as well as the Communist press. During the 1920s he played a key role in the Bolshevization of the party and the defeat of opportunist tendencies of both the left (Trotskyite) and right (North American Exceptionalist) variety. This helped lead to his election as General Secretary in 1929.

     The 1930s were a tumultuous time for the Party and the working class as a whole. While the Party and its mass organizations fought against the terrible effects of the Great Depression which had swept the capitalist world, the capitalist class sought to smash the revolutionary movements and save their collapsing system. Naturally, they targeted the movement's leaders, many of whom were arrested, harassed, attacked, deported and even murdered.

     In August 1931 the Party office in Toronto was raided by the RCMP. Tim Buck and other leaders were arrested, charged with sedition and sentenced to hard labour. But Tim Buck, a true Communist and natural organizer, couldn't be stopped so easily. He organized in prison, and during a protest against terrible conditions shots were fired into his cell. The shots missed and only further fuelled the fight for his freedom led by the Communist-led Canadian Labour Defense League. When the state was forced to free Tim Buck in 1934, he was greeted by a huge crowd at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

     He went on to lead the party's struggle for a united front against fascism. The Communists organized the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion which fought for freedom, democracy and socialism against Franco's fascist hordes in Spain. Under Buck's leadership, the Party continued its fight against Hitler fascism during World War Two, despite being made illegal in 1939.

     After the war Tim Buck and the Communist Party were again subject to an intense propaganda war as imperialism aimed to close in for the kill and smash the progressive and revolutionary movements in Canada and around the world. In these early decades of the Cold War, Tim Buck helped lead the party through some of its most difficult days, while carrying on our principled struggles for peace, democracy, independence and socialism.

     In 1962 Tim Buck stood down from his long held position as General Secretary and took on the position of Chairman. He was succeeded as General Secretary by two other celebrated leaders of our movement, Leslie Morris and later William Kashtan.

     As we mark 35 years since the passing of Tim Buck we should be reminded of the importance of knowing the history of our class and our movement in Canada and internationally. Thirty five years later the struggle continues against fascism and imperialist war, and for peace, jobs, education, democracy, independence and socialism. It is our struggle today, just as 35 years ago it was the struggle of Tim Buck. We will continue to fight in the spirit of those before us, with our eyes to the stars and our feet on the ground.

Found at: http://www.peoplesvoice.ca/articleprint13/15_REMEMBERING_TIM_BUCK.html