Canadian Medicare and Social Welfare: Tommy Douglas and the NDP

Tommy Douglas was the most influential Canadian politician never to be elected Prime Minister. He pursued his radical ideas relentlessly until they became so mainstream rival politicians claimed them as their own. Called a communist and threatened by in-party fighting, Douglas battled hard to bring the New Democratic Party to legitimacy in its first ten years. He was often criticized for his singular idealism but through it all Douglas was undeterred, convinced that he was helping to create a better, more humane society (and yes he did help creating a better, more humane society - Faramin).

Courtesy of CBC on Tommy Douglas .