Charlie Angus

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Charles Joseph Angus (born November 14, 1962) is a Canadian author, journalist, broadcaster, musician and politician. A member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Angus served as the federal Member of Parliament for the riding of Timmins—James Bay from 2004 to 2025. Until his retirement from politics, he was the NDP critic for Ethics, FedNor, Indigenous Youth and Income Inequality and Affordability. he was also deputy critic for Labour.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Angus was a candidate for leadership of the federal NDP in the 2017 New Democratic Party leadership election, where he received 19.4% of the vote.

He is the author of Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower.

Early life, music, writing, and activismEdit

Angus was born in Timmins, Ontario,<ref name="Parlinfo">Parliamentarian Information Page. August 22, 2007</ref> and moved to Toronto in 1973, where in 1980 he co-founded the punk rock band L'Étranger with childhood friend Andrew Cash. Angus performed bass and co-wrote many of the group's songs, which were influenced by the Clash and the group's Catholic social justice roots.<ref name="punktopol">"Andrew Cash: From punk to politics". Toronto Star, May 7, 2011.</ref><ref>‘The only punk band ever reunited in the House of Commons’. Maclean's, Philippe Gohier, May 9, 2011</ref> L'Étranger is best known for their anti-apartheid single "One People", played frequently on the then-new MuchMusic.<ref name="canoe">Template:Usurped at canoe.ca's Canadian Pop Encyclopedia.</ref> Angus later co-founded the alternative folk group Grievous Angels.<ref name="bio">About Charlie Angus Member for Timmins James Bay. Biography page from personal website. {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After his election to Parliament, Angus continued to perform with the group on occasion and released a new album in 2021.<ref>Kerry Doole, "NDP MP Charlie Angus' Songwriting Remains Potent on Grievous Angels' 'Summer Before the Storm'". Exclaim!, January 13, 2021.</ref>

Angus was a community activist in Toronto in the 1980s where, along with his wife Brit Griffin, he established a Catholic Worker house, a homeless shelter for men, especially those who were minority refugees and former prisoners. He moved to Cobalt, Ontario, with his young family in 1990. In 1995, Brit and Charlie launched HighGrader, a magazine devoted to Northern Ontario life and culture. In 1999, he received an award from the Northern Lights Festival Boréal in Sudbury for his outstanding contributions to Northern Ontario culture.<ref name="bio" />

He is the author of eight published books, including an admiring biography of Les Costello, the celebrated Toronto Maple Leafs player who left professional hockey to become a Catholic priest in Timmins.<ref name=":0">Charlie Angus. Les Costello: Canada's Flying Father. 2005. Novalis.</ref> Angus's fifth book, Cage Call, a photo documentary with photographer Louie Palu, was released in 2007.

From 2000 to 2004, Angus served as a trustee on the Northeastern Catholic District School Board.<ref name="Parlinfo"/>

Federal politicsEdit

File:MP Charlie Angus.jpg

Angus in 2012

Angus entered federal politics in the 2004 election as the successful New Democratic Party candidate in the Ontario riding of Timmins—James Bay, winning election to the House of Commons of Canada by fewer than 600 votes. He was re-elected in the 2006 federal election with an outright majority, over six thousand votes ahead of Liberal challenger Robert Riopelle. Angus was the NDP critic for Canadian heritage from 2004 to 2007, and was additionally critic for agriculture from 2004 to 2006.

In 2005, Angus's parish priest, Father John Lemire, confronted him and threatened to deny him Holy Communion if he voted with the government and his party to legalize same-sex marriage. Angus stood his ground and was denied communion. Angus's treatment provoked widespread public reaction both from those who supported the church's stance and those who supported Angus.<ref>[http://www.hilltimes.com/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2005/march/7/same-sex/&c=1 Francoli, Paco. "NDP MP Angus warned by priest he'll be refused holy communion". The Hill Times. March 7, 2005 Template:Webarchive</ref> Some Catholic MPs were in the latter group, arguing that the Church was selective in its exclusion of practising Catholic MPs from its activities. Angus and fellow NDP MP Joe Comartin were the only two Catholic MPs who supported same-sex marriage but were excluded.<ref>Wolfson, Monica. "Comartin 'hurt' by bishop's missive," Windsor Star, July 9, 2005.</ref>

In 2007, he became the NDP critic for Public Works and Treasury Board, as well as the NDP spokesman for digital issues such as copyright and internet neutrality.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2006, after he had served just two years as a Member of Parliament, the Toronto Star selected Angus as one of the ten most effective opposition MPs. He also won "Best Constituent Representative" at the 2007 Maclean's Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. Angus was re-elected in the federal elections of both 2008 and 2011. Angus also served as the party's spokesperson on privacy, ethics, and government accountability. Angus voted against a bill to abolish the Canadian Firearms Registry in September 2010.<ref name="Sticks">Template:Cite news</ref> Although the registry is unpopular with many of his constituents, Angus voted against its abolition based on supportive studies provided by police. He subsequently introduced a private member's bill to reform the registry.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He was named to Maclean's magazine's Power List in 2012 as one of the 25 most influential Canadians.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The same year, Zoomer Magazine chose him as the third most influential Canadian over the age of 45; he was one of only two MPs on the list, alongside NDP leader Tom Mulcair.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2011, CTV News Channel's Power Play placed him among the top three MPs of the year, along with the then Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, and NDP leader Jack Layton, who had died that August. In 2012, Angus backed Paul Dewar to become leader of the NDP.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Angus has been an advocate for the rights of First Nations children and was the co-founder of the Shannen's Dream campaign, named in honour of the late Cree youth leader Shannen Koostachin, who Angus fought alongside to build a new elementary school for her community. In early 2012, Angus's parliamentary motion "Shannen's Dream," calling for an end to the systemic underfunding of First Nations education, passed unanimously through the House of Commons.

After the 2015 federal election, he was appointed NDP critic for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 42nd Canadian Parliament and elected Caucus Chair in January 2016.<ref name="NDP 42nd Critics">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was also a member of the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development committee.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He resigned from both roles on November 23, 2016, in to prepare for the 2017 New Democratic Party leadership race.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On February 20, 2017, Angus officially registered to run in the NDP leadership race to succeed Tom Mulcair.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He placed second with 19.4% of the vote, losing to then Ontario provincial politician Jagmeet Singh.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> MPs Niki Ashton and Guy Caron respectively came in third and fourth.

Angus was re-elected in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

On April 4, 2024, Angus announced that he would not be running for re-election in the 2025 Canadian federal election.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

WorksEdit

We Lived a Life and Then Some with Brit Griffin, Sally Lawrence, and Rob Moir. Between the Lines Books, 1996. Template:ISBN.<ref>Search List from Amazon Books. www.Amazon.ca. 2007.</ref>
Industrial Cathedrals of the North, with Louie Palu and Marguerite Andersen. Between the Lines, 1999. Template:ISBN.
Mirrors of Stone: Fragments from the Porcupine Frontier, with Louie Palu. Between the Lines, 2001. Template:ISBN.
Les Costello: Canada's Flying Father. Novalis, 2005. Template:ISBN.
Cage Call, with Louie Palu. Photolucida, 2007. Template:ISBN.
Unlikely Radicals. Between the Lines, 2013. Template:ISBN.
Children of the Broken Treaty: Canada's Lost Promise and One Girl's Dream. University of Regina Press, 2015. Template:ISBN.
Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower, House of Anansi Press, 2022, Template:Isbn

Honours and awardsEdit

Angus was selected as "Best Mentor" in Maclean's magazine's 12th annual Parliamentarians of the Year award and was also the 2007 winner for "Best represents constituents".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was also a finalist for "Most knowledgeable".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>