Tommy Douglas

 

Tommy Douglas

Tommy Douglas was a Scottish Canadian politician who had been a Baptist minister. He served as Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961. He became leader of the New Democratic Party from 1961 to 1971. While he was premier of Saskatchewan, his cabinet under the party banner of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, or CCF, was the first democratic socialistic government in North America. It introduced the continent’s first single-payer, universal health care program and was the fore-runner of our universal health care system in place across all of Canada today. In 2004, a CBC television program named Tommy Douglas “The Greatest Canadian” based on a Canada wide, viewer supported survey.

I first saw Mr. Douglas at a speech he gave at Madge Lake in Duck Mountain provincial Park in the 1940’s. He was standing on the back of a three-ton farm truck, speaking to several hundred people who were gathered to hear him. Most of the group were farmers, including my dad. My dad hoisted me onto his shoulders so I could see better and so that I wasn’t inadvertently trampled in the crush of the crowd. As Tommy was up there “orating” from his “pulpit” on the back of the truck – he was a tremendous public speaker – I began to slowly wave my hand at him. I kept this up for several moments. At one point in his speech, he stopped and smiled and then he waved back at me and continued with his speech. I was so pleased with myself. It isn’t often that a three-year old gets recognized by an important adult in a big crowd.