Early Life
Roper was born in Ingonish, Nova Scotia, the son of a sea captain. He was educated in Sydney, and moved west to Calgary, Alberta in 1907. There he apprenticed as a printer and found work in the Calgary Herald's press room. On June 15, 1914, he married Goldie C. Bell, with whom he would have three daughters and one son and who would predecease him by weeks.
He became involved in the labour movement as a young man, and was president of the Calgary Trades & Labour Council by 1916. His tenure in this position was short-lived, as he moved to Edmonton the following year to become the head of the Edmonton Bulletin's press room. There he took a position of leadership in running the Edmonton District Labour Council (later the Edmonton Trades & Labour Council), and was involved in the 1919 strike (a sympathy strike with the Winnipeg General Strike).
In 1921 he left the Bulletin to found his own printing business, which he would operate until his retirement. The same year, he made his first bid for elected office.
Read more about this topic: Elmer Ernest Roper
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