Tommy Douglas wins Greatest Canadian

Soviet Canukistan wins again.

Martin better be paying attention !!


http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2004/11/30/740787.html

When asked why he stayed with NDP when he could have done better with a more powefful party, Douglas simply replied, " I have watched politicians for the last forty years drop their principles in order to get power only to find that those who paid and controlled the party which they joined prevented them from all the things they really believed in."³

In the studio audience last night. I know the producer of the Tommy Douglas piece. From Tommy's mouth....

Mouseland – A Political fable told by Tommy Douglas in 1944

It's the story of a place called Mouseland. Mouseland was a place where all the little mice lived and played, were born and died. And they lived much the same as you and I do.

They even had a Parliament. And every four years they had an election. Used to walk to the polls and cast their ballots. Some of them even got a ride to the polls. And got a ride for the next four years afterwards too. Just like you and me. And every time on election day all the little mice used to go to the ballot box and they used to elect a government. A government made up of big, fat, black cats.

Now if you think it strange that mice should elect a government made up of cats, you just look at the history of Canada for last 90 years and maybe you'll see that they weren't any stupider than we are.

Now I'm not saying anything against the cats. They were nice fellows. They conducted their government with dignity. They passed good laws--that is, laws that were good for cats. But the laws that were good for cats weren't very good for mice. One of the laws said that mouseholes had to be big enough so a cat could get his paw in. Another law said that mice could only travel at certain speeds--so that a cat could get his breakfast without too much effort.

All the laws were good laws. For cats. But, oh, they were hard on the mice. And life was getting harder and harder. And when the mice couldn't put up with it any more, they decided something had to be done about it. So they went en masse to the polls. They voted the black cats out. They put in the white cats.

Now the white cats had put up a terrific campaign. They said: "All that Mouseland needs is more vision." They said: "The trouble with Mouseland is those round mouseholes we got. If you put us in we'll establish square mouseholes." And they did. And the square mouseholes were twice as big as the round mouseholes, and now the cat could get both his paws in. And life was tougher than ever.

And when they couldn't take that anymore, they voted the white cats out and put the black ones in again. Then they went back to the white cats. Then to the black cats. They even tried half black cats and half white cats. And they called that coalition. They even got one government made up of cats with spots on them: they were cats that tried to make a noise like a mouse but ate like a cat.

You see, my friends, the trouble wasn't with the colour of the cat. The trouble was that they were cats. And because they were cats, they naturally looked after cats instead of mice.

Presently there came along one little mouse who had an idea. My friends, watch out for the little fellow with an idea. And he said to the other mice, "Look fellows, why do we keep on electing a government made up of cats? Why don't we elect a government made up of mice?" "Oh," they said, "he's a Bolshevik. Lock him up!" So they put him in jail.

But I want to remind you: that you can lock up a mouse or a man but you can't lock up an idea.

A Truly Great Canadian

http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/top_ten/nominee/douglas-tommy.html


"Martin better be paying attention !!"

Yes there's a Strong message there.





When considering the giants of Canadian politics, T.C. Douglas surely stands at the forefront. Tommy Douglas was a remarkable Canadian whose contributions have helped to shape our great nation. Although he is most famous as the founding father of Medicare, the most advanced health-care system in the world, Douglas’ contributions to Saskatchewan and Canada were tremendous. Douglas established democratic socialism as a mainstream in Canadian politics and his CCF government became the first socialist government in North America. A visionary who achieved his dreams, Douglas changed the face of Canadian politics. More importantly, Tommy Douglas was a politician who put the good of the people he represented first and foremost.

http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/business/cupe1975/burs5.html


Shania Twain also caught my interest! :)

but Douglas got my vote

but I have to keep reminding myself that this doesn't mean a sweeping return to so-cred values across the country, as nice as that would be. The voters were, in the main, CBC viewer/listeners, a skewed demographic. Still, it was great to see.

Though I admired Trudeau, Tommy Douglas has to be one of North America's greatest leaders. Considering that he championed universal health care and formed the first Democratic Socialist government in North America. The more I read about him, the more I am impressed with his achievements. I admit I knew very little about Douglas until the last couple of years.

If I ever become a Canadian citizen, I think the NDP will be gaining one more supporter. I wished to the heavens that we a party like the NDP in the states.

John

That's who I voted for! Usually "my guy" comes in at the end of the pack so this is a treat!

And I too hope that Paul Martin is paying attention to this.

Check and check.

I was a little irked by the CBC. Tommy won fair and square, but they didn't really put much stock in what drove him; his faith.

It always makes me smile when the same people that praise Tommy Douglas so vigorously are so afraid of being governed by anyone who is a person of strong faith.

But I'm very Glad Douglas won; being an Expat American living in Canada I knew nothing of him before The Greatest Canadian; what a man. I'm looking for some bios on him at the library right now..