He immigrated to Canada after quitting a 10-shilling-a-week job as messenger boy in Glasgow to go to Nova Scotia on a $10-a-week farm labour scheme.

Strachan's CCF ran in the 1960 general election on the platform of nationalizing the province's private hydro-electric company, B.C.

He defeated a leadership challenge by "Young Turk" Thomas Berger in 1967, but sensing a mood for change he stepped down in 1969.

[1][4] Strachan remained in the legislature, however, and was appointed Highways Minister when the NDP formed government for the first time as a result of the 1972 general election.

Strachan left politics in 1975 when he was appointed the province's agent general to the United Kingdom by Premier Dave Barrett.