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Canadan Teollisuusunionistinen Kannatus Liitto (CTKL) fonds English
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Canadian News Service

The CTKL distributed and supported the I.W.W. Finnish language paper Industrialisti, published in Duluth, Minnesota, by the Workers (Socialist) Publishing Company. The Canadian News Service (C.N.S), in Finnish the Canadan Uutistoimisto (C.U.T.), was the agency of the CTKL which managed the distribution of the paper. The CTKL secretary-treasurer was also the agent of the news service unless otherwise designated.

The C.N.S. was much more than a distributor of newspapers; it existed as a supportive agency for new immigrants. The C.N.S. at times operated as a travel agency, a book store, a record store, a book and play library, and often sent parcels and money on behalf of Finns and their relatives in Finland. During the latter part of the CTKL, it was the C.N.S. that was the active component in the community.

Series consists primarily of correspondence and financial records. Includes Workers (Socialist) Publishing Company minutes, correspondence, and financial records.

Canadan Teollisuusunionistinen Kannatus Liitto (CTKL) fonds

  • Fonds
  • 1909 - 1979

The CTKL fonds receives its title from Canadan Teollisuusunionistinen Kannatus Liitto, the Finnish organization which translates to the Canadian Industrial Union Support Circle. This organization was the majority shareholder of the Labour Temple at 314 Bay Street in Port Arthur from 1925 to 1972 and was disbanded in 1979. Prior to 1926, the central administration of the CTKL was in Sudbury after which it relocated to Port Arthur.

The CTKL was made up of supporters of industrial unionism who formed associations in their own local communities and observed rules and regulations as established by an executive committee. This executive committee, the Toimeenpanevakomitea (TPK), was comprised of members of the CTKL elected annually from the central administration and from the local associations. This committee managed the affairs of the league and supported industrial unionism through agitation by engaging speakers, supporting workers in their union activities, and through monetary assistance, as well as writing, publishing, and distributing written materials.

Significant cultural and social events at the Labour Temple and at other branches were supported by the CTKL during the peak years of labour organization.

The records contain minutes of meetings, correspondence, financial records, publications, and miscellaneous items. The fonds has been divided into series as follows:
A - Finnish Building Company
B - Hoito Restaurant
C - One Big Union
D - CTKL
E - Industrial Workers of the World
F - Lumber Workers Industrial Union #120
G - Canadian News Service
H - Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

Consists of additional organizations affiliated with labour and the Finnish immigrant experience. Materials on the Temperance Society, Defence Leagues, Workers International Relief, Finnish Organization of Canada, Finnish Socialist Local, INudstrial Worker, Work People's College, Communist Party, Lumberworkers International Union of Canada, numerous membership cards, community clubs, cooperative stores, photographs, and framed watercolours.

Finnish Building Company

The Finnish Building Company was formed in 1909 and raised funds for the construction of the Finnish Labour Temple (Big Finn Hall) at 314 Bay Street which was completed by March, 1910. The building became a focal point for local and regional labour and community activities. The Finnish Building Company is in existence today though the majority block of shares in the Labour Temple has changed hands on several occasions.

The series consists primarily of financial records.

Industrial Workers of the World

The C.T.K.L. supported the American-based labour organization, the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) The Canadian Administration of the I.W.W. was established in 1932 and was headquartered in Port Arthur at 314 Bay St, until [1936-1940?].

This series consists of minutes, correspondence, resolutions, ballots, financial records, and publications from both the Port Arthur office and from other branches throughout North America.Includes miscellaneous materials from individual union locals.

Lumberworkers #120 of the I.W.W.

Many lumberworkers in Northern Ontario joined the I.W.W. during World War 1 but later joined the O.B.U. during the ban on the I.W.W. Some of the lumberworkers returned to the I.W.W. #120 in 1924. The Sudbury branch appeared to be the primary I.W.W. organizers for the lumberworkers in Northern Ontario. The Sudbury branch of the I.W.W. #120 Lumberworkers moved to Port Arthur in 1926 and operated out of 260 Bay St. until 1931 at which time all their supplies were moved to the Labour Temple at 314 Bay St. However, the hub of the lumberworkers' union activity was based out of the Labour Temple during this time. After 192? local #120 was competition to the Lumberworkers Industrial Union of Canada based at 316 Bay Street.

Series consists of minutes, correspondence, financial records, publications, lumberworkers' joint conference minutes, strike reports, and poetry. Includes minutes, correspondence, and resolutions from union locals throughout North America.

One Big Union

The One Big Union came into existence in 1919 as a Western Canadian industrial union revolt against the craft-dominated Trades and Labour Congress of Canada. For a short time the Lumber Workers Industrial Union #120 of the Industrial Workers of the World affiliated themselves with the O.B.U. since the I.W.W. was banned under the War Measures Act in 1918. Along with the I.W.W., the original majority shareholder in the Finnish Building Company, the Finnish Socialist Local was also banned. The Local donated its shares, nearly equally, to the Finnish O.B.U. Support Circle and the O.B.U. Central Committee, thus allowing the local O.B.U. Support Circle to gain control of the Labour Temple. However, the O.B.U. disappeared nearly as quickly as it came into existence and, by 1925, the former O.B.U. Finnish Support Circle, which had been acting independently of any remnant activities of the O.B.U. central organization, affiliated itself with the C.T.K.L. The O.B.U. turned over its shares in the Finnish Building Company to the C.T.K.L.

This series consists of minutes, correspondence, and financial records.

Hoito Restaurant

The Hoito was established in 1918 as a cooperative restaurant in response to a need by lumberworkers and others for good and reasonably priced meals. The restaurant rented premises from the Labour Temple.

The series consists primarily of invoices, receipts, cheques, etc.

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