Walter Rollo

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Walter Ritchie Rollo

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Walter_Rollo_1919.png

| imagesize =

| alt =

| caption = Rollo in 1919 photograph

| order =

| office = MPP for Hamilton West

| term_start = October 20, 1919

| term_end = October 5, 1923

| predecessor = John Allan

| successor = Arthur Campbell Garden

| office2 = Minister of Labour for Ontario

| term_start2 = November 14, 1919

| term_end2 = July 16, 1923

| predecessor2 = New office

| successor2 = Forbes Elliott Godfrey

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1875|11|25}}

| birth_place = Linlithgowshire, Scotland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1957|3|13|1875|11|25}}

| death_place = Michigan, US{{citation needed|reason=obituary or other news source required|date=June 2015}}

| restingplace = Woodland Cemetery, Hamilton

| restingplacecoordinates = Section 23 W 1/2, {{Coord|43.286312|-79.881421|display=inline}}

| birthname =

| citizenship =

| nationality = Canadian

| party = Labour Party of Canada

| spouse = Margaret Bell

| relations =

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| alma_mater =

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}}

Walter Ritchie Rollo (November 25, 1875 – March 13, 1957) was a Canadian trade unionist and politician in the early 20th century, and was a cabinet Minister in the United Farmers of Ontario - Labour coalition government from 1919 to 1923.

Early life

Born in Linlithgowshire, Scotland in 1875,{{cite web|title = Walter Ritchie Rollo, 'Scotland Census, 1881'|url = https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KMVV-XYT|accessdate=October 15, 2013}} he emigrated to Canada in 1883{{cite web|title = 1911 Canada Census abstract|url = http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1911/jpg/e001990681.jpg|publisher = Library and Archives Canada|accessdate=October 15, 2013}} and was a broom-maker in Hamilton, Ontario by 1899.{{cite news |title= An Expert on Brooms|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6wZTAAAAIBAJ&pg=5653,3893384&hl=en|newspaper= The Morning Leader|date= August 26, 1922|accessdate=October 15, 2013}} He married Margaret Bell of Berlin, Ontario in the same year.{{cite web|title = Walter R Rolo, 'Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927'|url = https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZB4-YB7|accessdate=October 15, 2013}}

When the 9lst Regiment Canadian Highlanders was formed in Hamilton in 1903, Rollo enlisted and rose over time to become its colour sergeant.{{cite news |title= Rollo Has Faith, Works And An Unabashful Disposition|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Dv1SAAAAIBAJ&pg=4214,1119725&hl=en|newspaper= The Morning Leader|date= December 6, 1919|accessdate=October 15, 2013}}

Labour leader

Rollo was secretary of the Hamilton Trades and Labour Council from 1906 to 1919.{{sfn|Hall|Westfall|Sefton MacDowell|1996|p=298}} In 1919, he also became editor of the Labor News, a Hamilton-based union paper.{{sfn|Naylor|1991|p=68}}

Political career

Rollo was involved in politics at all levels. In 1916, he was appointed as a member of Ontario's Organization of Resources Committee which was established to improve Canada's war effort in the Province.{{cite web|title = The Crisis - 1918|url = https://archive.org/stream/crisis191800onta#page/3/mode/1up|publisher = Organization of Resources Committee|location = Toronto|date = March 1918}} He had also been a member of the Board of Education in Hamilton for several years.{{cite news |title= Rollo Likely To Lead Labor In Elections|page= 2|newspaper= Toronto Daily Star|date= October 29, 1917}}

In 1907, Rollo was elected as the President of the newly formed Independent Labour Party,{{sfn|Naylor|1991|p=96}}{{cite news |title= New Labour Party|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bVsuAAAAIBAJ&pg=3441,3118033&hl=en|newspaper= Montreal Gazette|date= March 30, 1907|accessdate=October 15, 2013}} and would become its leader in 1917.{{sfn|Freeman|Hewitt|1979|p=39}}{{sfn|Naylor|1991|p=96}} He stood for election in Hamilton West in the following campaigns:

:* in the 18 November 1914 by-election, which he lost by only 39 votes,{{sfn|Hall|Westfall|Sefton MacDowell|1996|p=298}}

:* in the federal 1917 general election, where he came in second,{{cite web|title = HAMILTON WEST (1917/12/17) |url = http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/FederalRidingsHistory/hfer.asp?Language=E&Search=Cresdetail&Election=317|publisher = Parliament of Canada|accessdate=October 15, 2013}}

:* in the Ontario 1919 general election, which he won. In his campaign, signs were posted that read: "Your Vote for Walter Rollo is a nail in the coffin of the profiteer."{{sfn|Naylor|1991|p=126}}

He and Morrison Mann MacBride were instrumental in negotiating a coalition government between the Independent Labour Party and the United Farmers of Ontario under E.C. Drury,{{cite news |title= Labor Party Decides to Join with United Farmers|newspaper= The Globe|date= October 27, 1919|page = 1}} which lasted until 1923. As a result of those negotiations, the ILP had the right to nominate two of its members to the new government: Rollo became the Province's first Minister of Labour{{em dash}}a position that had been created immediately before the election by the previous Conservative government of William Hearst{{Cite canlaw|short title = The Department of Labour Act, 1919|abbr = S.O.|year = 1919|chapter = 22|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1919onta#page/205/mode/1up}}{{em dash}}and Harry Mills became the first Minister of Mines.{{cite news |title= Mines Portfolio Of No Account|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pUE8AAAAIBAJ&pg=956,26039819&hl=en|newspaper= Toronto World|date= November 12, 1919|accessdate=October 16, 2013}}{{Cite canlaw|short title = The Department of Mines Act, 1920|abbr = S.O.|year = 1920|chapter = 12|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1920onta#page/70/mode/1up}} This caused a confrontation within the ILP, as MacBride had sought to be nominated to the Labour position.{{cite news |title= Never Considered Cabinet Seat|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m0E8AAAAIBAJ&pg=352,25116232&hl=en|newspaper= Toronto World|date= October 31, 1919|accessdate=October 16, 2013}}{{cite news |title= Says M'Bride Wanted Post in Ontario Cabinet|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4_lSAAAAIBAJ&pg=3735,3397212&hl=en|newspaper= The Morning Leader|date= January 27, 1920|accessdate=October 16, 2013}}

During his time as Minister, Rollo brought in several enhancements to Ontario's labour laws:{{cite web|title = History of Employment Standards in Ontario|url = http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=5-1-1-1&actionID=print|accessdate = October 16, 2013|archive-date = March 26, 2005|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050326180109/http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=5-1-1-1&actionID=print|url-status = dead}}

:* the Minimum Wage Act, which set minimum wages for female employees,{{Cite canlaw|short title = The Minimum Wage Act|abbr = S.O.|year = 1920|chapter = 87|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1920onta#page/378/mode/2up}}

:* the Wages Act was amended to provide that 70% of any wages due to a worker was exempt from seizure,{{Cite canlaw|short title = The Wages Amendment Act, 1920|abbr = S.O.|year = 1920|chapter = 42|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1920onta#page/214/mode/2up}}

:* the One Day's Rest in Seven Act, which provided (with certain exceptions) that employees were entitled to 24 consecutive hours of rest every seven days,{{Cite canlaw|short title = The One Day's Rest in Seven Act, 1922|abbr = S.O.|year = 1922|chapter = 93|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1922onta#page/702/mode/2up}}

:* improvements to workmen's compensation benefits{{Cite canlaw|short title = The Workmen's Compensation Act, 1920|abbr = S.O.|year = 1920|chapter = 43|link = https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1920onta#page/216/mode/2up}}{{cite news |title= Act He Helped Draw Up No Help To Ex-Minister|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v7svAAAAIBAJ&pg=5318,589229&hl=en|newspaper= Ottawa Citizen|date= August 29, 1950|accessdate=October 15, 2013}}

Image:Last Ministers UFO 1955.jpg

Aftermath

After his defeat in the 1923 general election, Rollo was appointed as an adolescent school inspector for the City of Hamilton,{{cite news|author = Gil O'Mourne |title= Drury and Ex-Ministers Have 'Broadened Out', Farming No Longer Chief Interest Of Cabinet|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pl9YAAAAIBAJ&pg=6638,3423193&hl=en|newspaper= The Morning Leader|date= February 23, 1924|accessdate=October 17, 2013}} and he was still working as a school attendance officer there in 1938,{{cite news |title= Where They've Gone|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yPBlAAAAIBAJ&pg=5325,4303245&hl=en|newspaper= Vancouver Sun|date= November 29, 1938|accessdate=October 15, 2013}} and as a part-time school assessment adviser in 1950. He died in 1957.{{cite news|title = Former Minister Dies|newspaper = Lethbridge Herald|date = March 14, 1957}}