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Front jacket text:Best known as Canada's "father of medicare," Tommy Douglas was a Scottish-born prairie politician who believed in the enormous potential of co-operative action for the common good. Award-winning novelist and medical doctor Vincent Lam brings special insight to his portrait of Douglas, who grew up to become a champion boxer and a Baptist minister and then later exchanged the pulpit for a political platform. A powerful orator and tireless activist, he served for seventeen years as premier of Saskatchewan, where he introduced the universal health care program that would eventually be adopted across Canada. As the new leader of the New Democratic Party in 1961 he was a staunch advocate of programs aimed at improving the well-being of all Canadians and a steadfast defender of civil liberties. By his example and unflagging efforts, Douglas made democratic socialism a part of mainstream Canadian political life. Back jacket text (Excerpt):Douglas was sombre and brief in addressing the members of his own party regarding the use of the War Measures Act. He said, "My position is to oppose it. I know that some of you may not support me, and I'll understand that. There's no question about it: if the Prime Minister calls an election over this, it may devastate the party. You have your own political careers to think about. I'm going back upstairs now. I have to speak at 11 o'clock. I'm against it, period."
"Lam, the Giller Prize-winning author of short fiction who also happens to be a physician, gives Douglas's incomparable career a thoughtful, balanced, lucid assessment."
Vincent Lam: Matters of Fact CBC Radio, June 28, 2011 Excerpt from Tommy Douglas featured in The National Post The National Post, June 21, 2011 Vincent Lam's 'Tommy Douglas' on Maclean's National Bestseller List Macleans, June 13, 2011 'Tommy Douglas by Vincent Lam' a Canadian bestseller for four weeks The Leader-Post, April 9, 2011 Extraordinary Canadians Promotional Poster Links
Douglas Coldwell Foundation
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nce voted the Greatest Canadian of all time and known as the Father of Medicare, Tommy Douglas was a prairie politician who believed in democratic socialism, the crucial role of civil rights, and the great potential of cooperation for the common good. In the process he made democratic socialism a part of mainstream Canadian political life. Giller Prize–winning author Vincent Lam, an emergency physician who works on the frontlines of the health care system, brings a novelist’s eye to the life of one of Canada's greats.
