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."

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