James Manly

(Redirected from Jim Manly)

James Douglas Manly (born 29 October 1932) is a former Canadian politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cowichan—Malahat—The Islands from 1980 to 1988. A member of the New Democratic Party, he also was a clergyman, factory worker and logger by career.

James Manly
Member of Parliament
for Cowichan—Malahat—The Islands
In office
18 February 1980 – 21 November 1988
Preceded byDon L. Taylor
Succeeded byRiding dissolved
Personal details
Born (1932-10-29) 29 October 1932 (age 91)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseEva Manly[1]
ChildrenPaul Manly
OccupationClergyman, factory worker, logger, politician

Before politics edit

Manly was ordained a minister in the United Church of Canada in 1957.[2]

Political career edit

His first attempt at entering federal politics was unsuccessful as he was defeated at British Columbia's Cowichan—Malahat—The Islands electoral district in the 1979 federal election. He won the riding in the 1980 federal election and was re-elected in the 1984 election. After this he left national politics having served in the 32nd and 33rd Canadian Parliaments. In parliament, Manly served as the New Democratic Party's Aboriginal Affairs critic.[3] He and his wife had previously lived and worked with Haisla people in Kitimat from 1959 to 1963.[4] As an MP he refused to support the Meech Lake Accord despite his party's official support for the constitutional deal, and walked out of the House of Commons during one of the votes on the accord.[5]

Manly also unsuccessfully attempted to enter British Columbia politics for the NDP in 1969 at the provincial Prince Rupert riding.

After politics edit

He has remained active in peace and social justice issues and has engaged in Central American solidarity work on behalf of the United Church.[6] In 1997, he wrote The Wounds of Manuel Saquic : Biblical Reflections from Guatemala. Published by the United Church's publishing arm, the book explored the issues of poverty, justice, solidarity and liberation theology in Guatemala and Central America linking issues with biblical passages.[2] He also served as a member of the United Church's British Columbia task force on residential schools and recommended that the church apologize to aboriginal Canadians for its role in the institutions.[7]

Manly supported Svend Robinson's unsuccessful bid to win the NDP's federal leadership convention in 1995[8] and Jack Layton's successful candidacy in 2003.[9]

On 20 October 2012, Manly was arrested by Israel for trying to breach a blockade of the Gaza Strip on the ship Estelle.[10] He was released on 25 October, saying that he suffered only minor indignities.[11]

His son, Paul Manly, initially sought the NDP nomination for Nanaimo—Ladysmith in the 2015 election but rejected by the party's federal executive for publicly criticizing the NDP because the party did not advocate on behalf of his father Jim when the former MP was detained for four days by the Israeli military in 2012. Paul was elected as a Green Party of Canada MP in the 2019 Nanaimo—Ladysmith by-election.

References edit

  1. ^ Manly, Paul (7 May 2019). "Paul Manly". Manly Media. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b Jim Manly books on RareNonFiction.com
  3. ^ http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/pdf_guides/RMM09171.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ Mihevc, John (2000). Sacred Earth, Sacred Community: Jubilee, Ecology & Aboriginal Peoples. Canadian Ecumenical Jubilee Initiative. p. 97. ISBN 0-9683714-7-7.
  5. ^ Vienneau, David (23 June 1988). "Commons okays Meech accord for second time". Toronto Star.
  6. ^ "GSA Newsletter June 2000 Page 5". Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
  7. ^ Scrivener, Leslie (28 October 1998). "Full apology offered to abused aboriginals United Church 'truly and most humbly sorry'". Toronto Star.
  8. ^ Robinson, Svend (16 September 1995). "Letter to the editor: Mr. Robinson replies". Globe and Mail.
  9. ^ Gordon, Charles (11 January 2003). "The kiss of death for Jack Layton". Ottawa Citizen.
  10. ^ Ex-MP sits in Israeli custody while fellow protesters released
  11. ^ The Canadian Press. "The Vancouver Sun - Former MP arrested in Gaza blockade arrives home". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 25 October 2012.

External links edit