Darrell Rankin

Darrell T. Rankin (born February 14, 1957) is a Canadian peace activist and former communist politician. He was briefly the leader of the Communist Party of Canada - Ontario (CPC-O) in 1995, and formerly led the Communist Party of Canada - Manitoba (CPC-M) from 1996 to 2019. His partner, Cheryl-Anne Carr, was also active with the Communist Party.[1] Rankin left the Party in 2019.

Darrell Rankin
Born (1957-02-14) February 14, 1957
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Occupationactivist, politician
Partner(s)Cheryl-Anne Carr

Early life and career

Rankin (actual family name Renka, of Ukrainian ethnic origin) was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, and became involved in radical left politics through an early opposition to the Vietnam War. His grandparents were active in the Communist Party of Canada, which Rankin joined in 1978. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Alberta.[2]

He lived in Ottawa, Ontario from 1983 to 1995, and was a leading figure in the Canadian Peace Alliance and the Ottawa Disarmament Coalition.[3] A newspaper report from 1986 listed him as an articling lawyer, although it is not clear if he continued in this direction.[4] He participated in protests against the Gulf War in 1991.[5]

CPC-Ontario leader

In 1992, a majority of delegates at the Communist Party's national convention voted to abandon Marxism-Leninism and pursue a social democratic alternative. Rankin was a part of the minority group led by Miguel Figueroa that opposed the change, and continued to support traditional communist principles. The party split, and the minority group won the rights to the Communist Party name through an out-of-court settlement.

Rankin was appointed as interim leader of the Communist Party of Canada - Ontario in April 1995, and led the party in the 1995 provincial election. The national party had fallen to only 500 members in this period, and the Ontario party ran a low-profile campaign with only five candidates and an $8,000 budget.[6] Rankin challenged New Democratic Party Premier Bob Rae in York South, and focused on issues such as health, education, social programs and full employment.[7]

In June 1995, Rankin contributed an article entitled "Observations on the Setbacks to Socialism" to the Communist Party discussion journal The Spark! (not to be confused with the Trotskyist organization of the same name). The piece examined then-recent events in Eastern Europe, including the fall of the Soviet Union.[8]

CPC-Manitoba leader

Rankin moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1995 following the Ontario election. The Communist Party of Canada - Manitoba had been without effective leadership for several years, and Rankin was chosen as the party's provincial organizer before the year was over. He coordinated the CPC-M's 75th anniversary banquet in early 1996, and was elected party leader later in the year.[9] He subsequently led the party in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 provincial elections.[10]

In January 2004, Rankin was challenged for the CPC-M leadership by Paul Sidon. He received 79% of delegate support, against 21% for Sidon.

Rankin is a founding member of Peace Alliance Winnipeg and a member of the No War Coalition (Manitoba). He helped organize protests against the 1999 Kosovo Conflict, the 2001 NATO invasion of Afghanistan and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He wrote an article for the People's Voice, the newspaper of the Communist Party, supporting Slobodan Milošević's policies in Kosovo in order to protect Serbians from Albanians in the region whom Rankin labelled as "Fascists." [11] He continued to write occasional articles for People's Voice.[12] In November 2007, he organized a party at Winnipeg's Ukrainian Labour Temple to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Russian Revolution.[13]

Rankin has campaigned for public office several times, although he has never been elected. In March 2006, he was the leader of Communist Party of Canada's Peace and Disarmament Coalition.[14] He is not related to Naomi Rankin, the leader of the Communist Party of Canada - Alberta.[15] Rankin ran in Winnipeg Centre during the 2015 federal election.

Table of offices held
Preceded by
Frank Goldspink
(1990 General election)		 Leader of the Communist Party of Canada - Manitoba
1996-2019		 Succeeded by
current leader
Preceded by
Elizabeth Rowley
(1990 General election)		 Leader of the Communist Party of Canada - Ontario (interim)
1995		 Succeeded by
Hassan Husseini
  • The CPC-M had been without a leader since at least 1990, and possibly longer.
  • It is not clear if the CPC-O had a recognized leader between 1992 and 1998, apart from Rankin's short tenure in 1995. Hassan Husseini was chosen as leader in 1998.

Electoral record
2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalRobert-Falcon Ouellette18,47154.51+43.44$78,138.26
New DemocraticPat Martin9,49028.01-25.65$104,378.44
ConservativeAllie Szarkiewicz4,18912.36-15.28$32,966.82
GreenDon Woodstock1,3794.07-2.98$38,782.49
Christian HeritageScott Miller2210.65–$1,210.15
CommunistDarrell Rankin1350.40-0.19–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 33,885100.00 $192,170.62
Total rejected ballots 2810.82–
Turnout 34,16661.41–
Eligible voters 55,633
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +34.59
Source: Elections Canada[16][17][18]
2007 Manitoba general election: Point Douglas
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticGeorge Hickes2,66566.36−8.50$12,892.59
LiberalMary Lou Bourgeois59114.72+0.48$11,443.44
Progressive ConservativeAlexa Rosentreter48111.98+3.21$1,180.30
GreenKristen Andrews2135.30–$84.55
CommunistDarrell Rankin661.64−0.49$373.89
Total valid votes 4,016 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 290.72-0.69
Turnout 4,045 40.14 −0.10
Electors on the lists 10,077
New Democratic hold Swing -4.49
2006 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg North
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticJudy Wasylycia-Leis15,58257.18+9.02$53,357.55
LiberalParmjeet Gill5,75221.11−15.44$64,979.49
ConservativeGarreth McDonald4,81017.65+5.38$5,321.33
GreenDavid Carey7792.86+0.82$397.50
Christian HeritageEric Truijen2070.76+0.22
CommunistDarrell Rankin1230.45+0.02$295.28
Total valid votes 27,253 100.00
Rejected ballots 137
Turnout 27,390 50.91 +3.78
Electors on the lists 53,805
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
2004 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg North
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticJudy Wasylycia-Leis12,50748.16+1.53$34,948.23
LiberalRey Pagtakhan9,49136.55+0.04$61,961.93
ConservativeKris Stevenson3,18612.27−2.56$9,148.61
GreenAlon Weinberg5312.04$2,287.45
Christian HeritageEric Truijen1410.54$1,000.00
CommunistDarrell Rankin1110.43$654.58
Total valid votes 25,967 100.00
Rejected ballots 128
Turnout 26,095 47.13
Electors on the lists 55,372
Percentage change figures are factored for redistribution. Conservative Party percentages are contrasted with the combined Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative percentages from 2000.
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
2003 Manitoba general election: Point Douglas
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticGeorge Hickes2,87774.86+21.52$10,189.54
LiberalMary Lou Bourgeois54714.23−7.12$7,991.06
Progressive ConservativeWyatt McIntyre3378.77−10.79$10.68
CommunistDarrell Rankin822.13$376.06
Total valid votes 3,843 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 551.41+0.48
Turnout 3,898 40.24 −18.84
Electors on the lists 9,687
New Democratic hold Swing +14.32
2000 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg North Centre
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
New DemocraticJudy Wasylycia-Leis14,35658.39$54,041.14
LiberalMary Richard6,75527.47$48,194.97
Progressive ConservativeMyron Troniak2,95012.00$4,320.59
CommunistDarrell Rankin5252.14$263.77
Total valid votes 24,586 100.00
Rejected ballots 481
Turnout 25,067 51.95
Electors on the lists 48,254
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
1999 Manitoba general election: Burrows
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticDoug Martindale5,15166.34-1.12$21,056.00
LiberalMike Babinsky1,84923.81+5.82$24,553.70
Progressive ConservativeCheryl Clark7249.32-5.23$11,879.28
CommunistDarrell Rankin410.53n/a$0.00
Total valid votes 7,765 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 55
Turnout 7,820 65.63
Electors on the lists 11,916
1997 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg Centre
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
New DemocraticPat Martin10,97940.89$48,662
LiberalDavid Walker9,89536.86$47,283
ReformReginald A. Smith3,09511.53$3,175
Progressive ConservativeCampbell Alexander2,4429.10$6,171
IndependentGreg Krawchuk1480.55$163
Marxist–LeninistGlenn Michalchuk1360.51$11
CommunistDarrell Rankin1080.40$1,913
LibertarianDidz Zuzens440.16$0
Total valid votes 26,847 100.00
Rejected ballots 374
Turnout 27,221 57.00
Electors on the lists 47,753
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
1995 Ontario general election: York South
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
New DemocraticBob Rae10,44241.24$39,100.07
Progressive ConservativeLarry Edwards7,72630.51$28,482.21
LiberalHagood Hardy6,02523.79$42,578.22
Family CoalitionDon Pennell3051.20$4,210.68
GreenDavid James Cooper2190.86$1,046.57
Natural LawBob Hyman1760.70$0.00
IndependentKevin Clarke1700.67$1,164.66
LibertarianRoma Kelembet1530.60$819.58
CommunistDarrell Rankin1050.41$59.00
Total valid votes 25,321 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 388
Turnout 25,709 69.13
Electors on the lists 37,192
1993 Canadian federal election: Calgary Southwest
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
ReformPreston Manning41,63061.22$59,445
Progressive ConservativeBobbie Sparrow12,64218.59$61,978
LiberalBill Richards11,08717.36$60,511
New DemocraticCatherine Rose1,0991.62$4,791
NationalLea Russell9101.34$2,580
GreenSol Candel3010.44$6,216
Natural LawIda Bugmann2490.37$0
IndependentMiel S.R. Gabriel570.08$218
CommunistDarrell Rankin280.04$1,422
Total valid votes 68,003 100.00
Rejected ballots 137
Turnout 68,140 70.81
Electors on lists 96,213
Source:Thirty-fifth General Election, 1993: Official Voting Results, Published by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. Financial figures taken from official contributions and expenses provided by Elections Canada.

All electoral information is taken from Elections Canada, Elections Ontario and Elections Manitoba. Provincial election expenditures in Manitoba refer to individual candidate expenses. Italicized expenditures refer to submitted totals, and are presented when the final reviewed totals are not available.

See also

Footnotes
  1. "The Communist Party: Darrell Rankin", Party leaders, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 10 May 2007, accessed 26 October 2007.
  2. Election 2000 entry: Darrell Rankin, Globe and Mail, online report.
  3. "Handful hold low-key protests", Toronto Star, 11 February 1989, A11.
  4. Abby Deveney and Jacquie Miller, "First rooms open in new courthouse", Ottawa Citizen, 18 August 1996, C2.
  5. "Protesters condemn ground attack", Ottawa Citizen, 25 February 1991, C1.
  6. John Gray, "Liberal numbers don't add up in attack on NDP expenditure", Globe and Mail, 16 May 1995, A6.
  7. Nicolaas Van Rijn, "Meet the people who want your vote", Toronto Star, 5 June 1995, A12.
  8. Darrell Rankin, "Observations on the setbacks to Socialism" Archived 2005-04-07 at the Wayback Machine, The Spark! No. 6, 1995.
  9. Holli Moncrieff, "Volunteers needed for Earth Day events", Winnipeg Free Press, 3 April 1996, p. 1.
  10. "Communist party plans to field five in election", Winnipeg Free Press, 22 March 1999, A8.
  11. Kevin Rollason, "No bombs in Kosovo, activists say", Winnipeg Free Press, 23 March 1999, A3; Kevin Rollason, "War in Afghanistan draws critics", Winnipeg Free Press, 24 March 2002, A4; Alexandra Paul, "Threats to Iraq all about oil,say protesters", Winnipeg Free Press, 19 January 2003, A5.
  12. For instance, Darrell Rankin, ""No!" to Privatized Health Care" Archived 2006-05-14 at the Wayback Machine, 16–31 January 2006 (Volume 14, No. 2).
  13. "Communists celebrate", Winnipeg Free Press, 12 November 2007.
  14. Darrell Rankin, "Humanity needs a strong peace movement" Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, Political Affairs Magazine, 18 March 2006.
  15. Brian Laghi, "Moscow not on the North Saskatchewan", Edmonton Journal, 15 January 1995, B2.
  16. Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Winnipeg Centre, 30 September 2015
  17. Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
  18. http://www.elections.ca/WPAPPS/WPF/EN/CC/DistrictReport?act=C23&eventid=41&returntype=1&option=3&queryid=72c1eb8bd75a4964986c724956f5a358
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