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Biography of Thomas Clement DouglasName: Thomas Clement DouglasBirth Date: October 20, 1904 Death Date: February 24, 1986 Place of Birth: Falkirk, Scotland Nationality: Canadian Gender: Male Occupations: clergyman, politician, premier, member of parliament Thomas Clement Douglas Thomas Clement Douglas (1904-1986) was a Canadian clergyman and politician; premier of Saskatchewan (1944-1961); first federal leader, New Democratic Party (1961-1971); and member of parliament (1935-1944, 1962-1968, and 1968-1979)."Tommy" Douglas was born in Falkirk, Scotland, October 20, 1904, the son of Thomas Douglas, an iron moulder, former soldier, and socialist, and Annie Clement Douglas, of Highland origins, who was deeply religious with a poetic gift. The Douglases emigrated to Winnipeg, Canada, in 1910. Tommy Douglas began a life-long struggle with osteomyelitis. In later fights for universal hospital and medical care insurance, he recalled his experience as a charity patient.During World War I Douglas' father rejoined his regiment, and the family spent the war years in Glasgow. They returned to Winnipeg after the war. The young Tommy Douglas apprenticed as a printer and won the lightweight boxing championship in Manitoba in 1922 and 1923. He was persuaded to resume his education at Brandon College, graduating in 1930 as "senior stick" or …showed first 150 words…
…showed last 150 words…their own careers and families. In 1984 Douglas was hit by an Ottawa bus but recovered. He died of cancer February 24, 1986. Associated Organizations Further Reading Doris French Shackleton's Tommy Douglas (Toronto, 1975) is a sympathetic biography of someone who is clearly a hero to the author. Douglas' years as leader of North America's only democratic socialist government were described by a Regina newspaperman, Chris Higinbotham, in Off the Record: The CCF in Saskatchewan (Toronto, 1968). His role as leader of the New Democratic Party is described by Desmond Morton, NDP: Social Democracy in Canada (Toronto, 1978). Speeches always lose their impact when they are put on paper, but something of Douglas' platform skill may be found in L. D. Lovick (editor), Tommy Douglas Speaks (Lantzville, B.C., 1979).The making of a Socialist: the recollections of T.C. Douglas, Edmonton, Alta.: University of Alberta Press, 1982. French, Doris Cavell Martin, Tommy Douglas, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1975. |