THE GREATEST CANADIAN TOMMY DOUGLAS

who was tommy douglas

Tommy Douglas (1904–1986) was a Scottish-born Canadian politician and Baptist minister, widely regarded as the father of Canada's universal healthcare system. He served as the Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961, leading the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), a democratic socialist party. Under his leadership, Saskatchewan became the first province in Canada to implement a universal, publicly funded healthcare system in 1962, which later inspired the national Medicare program.
Douglas was a charismatic advocate for social justice, championing policies like public auto insurance, labor rights, and rural electrification. He also led the CCF’s transformation into the New Democratic Party (NDP) and served as its federal leader from 1961 to 1971. Known for his wit and moral conviction, he was voted "The Greatest Canadian" in a 2004 CBC poll for his transformative contributions to Canadian society.