Chapter 18 - Between Toronto and Montreal

I’m sorry to say that September 1934 was the last of Dad’s letters that I have. I was fortunate to get copies of them from my sister Joanne, by way of my dad’s brother Kenny, found when their mother’s house was being packed up in Scotland some years ago.

It seems that between the fall of 1934 and into 1936, Dad commuted between Toronto and Montreal. This business card indicates that he represented the Club Film Service in Toronto, although I’ve been unable to find out anything about this business.



I believe it was also in Toronto where he met and became good friends with Binky Marks. When reminiscing about Binky, I always remember Dad telling me that he and Binky were eventually “thrown out” of the CCF because their views were too radical.

With the escalating trend toward fascism and world war ever present, one of the organizations Dad took an active role in was the The League Against War and Fascism which later became the Canadian League for Peace and Democracy. According to my research the CLAWF was founded in Montreal in the fall of 1934.

On June 3rd, 1935, the On to Ottawa Trek began in Vancouver drawing significant national attention to the terrible conditions in the relief camps. It was an action that had a great deal of support and was even credited with helping to defeat the Conservative government headed by R. B. Bennett. Although not directly involved, Dad certainly was behind the Trek in spirit and often talked about what a great campaign it was.

In 1988, my friend Marilyn Jensen conducted an extensive taped interview with Arnold about his activist days. He was 85 at the time. Thanks to her transcript, we are fortunate again have Dad’s own words to describe some of the events that occurred from 1934 into the war years.