Editing Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (section)

===Electoral performance===
[[Image:CCF Caucus meeting.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Federal CCF Caucus, in 1942 with new leader [[M. J. Coldwell|M.J. Coldwell]]. Left to right, [[Tommy Douglas]], [[George Hugh Castleden]], [[Angus MacInnis]], [[M. J. Coldwell|Coldwell]], [[Clarence Gillis|Clarie Gillis]], [[Joseph W. Noseworthy]], Sandy Nicholoson, and [[Percy Wright]].{{sfnp|Smith|1992|p=88}}]]
In line with Alberta's important role in founding the CCF, it is said that the first CCF candidate elected was [[Chester Ronning]] in the Alberta provincial constituency of Camrose, in October 1932.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mardiros |first=Anthony |title=William Irvine, The Life of a Prairie Radical |date=1979 |publisher=James Lorimer & Co |location=Toronto |url=https://archive.org/details/williamirvinelif0000mard |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/williamirvinelif0000mard/page/208 208] |isbn=978-0-8886-2237-2}}</ref> The UFA, under whose banner he contested the election, formalized its already-strong connection to the CCF in its next provincial convention, in January 1933.<ref>Champion Chronicle, January 26, 1933</ref>
 
In its first federal election, seven CCF MPs were elected to the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]] in [[1935 Canadian federal election|1935]]. Eight were elected in the following election in [[1940 Canadian federal election|1940]], including their first member east of Manitoba, [[Clarence Gillis]], in Cape Breton, a coal-mining area of Nova Scotia (specifically the federal riding of [[Cape Breton South (federal electoral district)|Cape Breton South]]).

The party was divided with the outbreak of [[World War II]]: Woodsworth was a [[pacifism|pacifist]], while many party members supported the Canadian war effort. Woodsworth had a physically debilitating stroke in May 1940 and could no longer perform his duties as leader.{{sfnp|McNaught|2001|pp=313–315}} In October, Woodsworth wrote a letter to the 1940 CCF convention, in essence asking to retire from the leadership.{{sfnp|McNaught|2001|pp=313–315}} Instead, the delegates created the new position of Honorary President, abolished the President's position and re-elected [[Major James Coldwell|M. J. Coldwell]] as the National Chairman.{{sfnp|McNaught|2001|pp=313–315}} Coldwell was then appointed acting House Leader on 6 November.{{sfnp|Stewart|2000|pp=244–245}} Woodsworth died on 21 March 1942, and Coldwell officially became the new leader at the July convention in Toronto and threw the party behind the war effort.{{sfnp|Stewart|2000|pp=244–245}} As a memorial to Woodsworth, Coldwell suggested that the CCF create a research foundation, and Woodsworth House was established in Toronto for that purpose.{{sfnp|McNaught|2001|pp=313–315}}

The party won a critical [[York South (federal electoral district)|York South]] [[by-election]] on 8 February 1942, and in the process prevented the [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservative]] leader, former [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Arthur Meighen]], from entering the House of Commons.

In the [[1945 Canadian federal election|1945 election]], 28 CCF MPs were elected, and the party won 15.6% of the vote.

In the [[1949 Canadian federal election|1949 election]], 13 CCF candidates were elected. This was followed by 23 elected in the [[1953 Canadian federal election|1953 election]] and a disappointing eight elected in the [[1958 Canadian federal election|1958]] election. (In that election, the party took almost ten per cent of the vote so was due about 26 MPs proportionally.)

The party had its greatest success in provincial politics. 

In 1943, the [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Ontario Section)|Ontario CCF]] became the official opposition in that province.

In [[1944 Alberta general election|1944]], the Alberta CCF took almost a quarter of all votes cast but due to lack of PR, were held to winning just two seats.

In 1944, the [[Saskatchewan New Democratic Party|Saskatchewan CCF]] formed the first democratic socialist government in [[North America]], with [[Tommy Douglas]] as [[Premier (Canada)|premier]]. Douglas introduced universal [[Medicare (Canada)|Medicare]] to [[Saskatchewan]], a policy that was soon adopted by other provinces and implemented nationally by the [[Liberal Party of Canada]] during the administration of Prime Minister [[Lester B. Pearson]]. Tommy Douglas's CCF governed Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961.