“Church halls and assembly halls across the nation were filled with mourners, as Canadians of all political stripes offer their tributes.” Before there was Jack, there was Tommy.
Tommy Douglas, leader of the NDP from 1961 to 1971, also died of cancer, in February 1986. The “other” inspiring NDP leader brought his party from obscurity to power in Saskatchewan and to prominence in Ottawa, holding the balance of power during the Liberal reign of Lester Pearson.
In light of Jack Layton’s death and the upcoming NDP leadership vote, there is no better time to look at Douglas’s legacy and Lam’s book.
The book details Tommy’s background, his early years in Scotland, immigrant life in Winnipeg, his aversion to the class structure in Scotland, and his “dedication to the cause of the working people,” along with his religious background. It recounts a bone infection that risked costing him a leg. The Douglas family was unable to pay the medical fees but, thanks to the charity of a doctor who offered his services free, Douglas’s leg was saved. This gave Tommy Douglas the conviction that everyone should have access to public health care.
The book deals chronologically with his beginnings as a radical preacher, his elocution lessons, and his efforts to help poor Winnipeggers. Douglas then enters politics in the CCF (a predecessor party to the NDP) largely in response to a threat. A Baptist superintendent in Saskatchewan, where Douglas is preaching, tells him that if he runs for the CCF he will never get another church assignment. In high school essay style, the book covers his time as an MPP and then premier of Saskatchewan, and his stints as an MP and leader of the federal NDP.
For readers seeking insight into Tommy Douglas’s character or his personal life, this book is sadly lacking. Quotes from Douglas are taken mostly from the public record and deal almost exclusively with politics. We never know if Douglas ever had doubts, if he was ever broken-hearted, or if he had any friends outside politics. There are scant mentions of his wife. She is introduced as follows: “With a job to go to, Douglas asked Irma’s father for permission to marry his daughter. The young couple were married in the autumn of 1929 by Mark Talnicoff, and moved to Weyburn on the cusp of the depression.” No photo. No description. Nothing.
The book is written in valedictorian style: Tommy Douglas is a saint. A string of clichés are used to describe him: “the ability to ask the right questions, analyze the essence of a problem and effectively communicate a synthesized perspective became Douglas’s core leadership abilities,” or: “his concern for the disadvantaged and his particular affinity for youth were deeply ingrained from his own roots as a struggling immigrant boy.”
In the famous incident of Tommy Douglas writing a thesis in support of eugenics, the issue is glossed over in one paragraph. He didn’t really mean it, and his actions don’t support it, the author suggests.
But the books hits its stride when Tommy Douglas does arrive in power. Lam portrays Douglas as a pragmatic soul, avoiding risks and making sure the economy prospered and budgets balanced before shaking things up with social programs.
It also provides a detailed look at his political strategist, Daniel Grant. After Social Credit came to power in Alberta in 1935, the Liberals thought that they could win in Saskatchewan if the Social Credit and CCF split the vote. So the Liberals paid a CCFer to run as a Social Credit candidate against Douglas. Upon discovering the plot, Douglas and Grant created a dummy Social Credit riding association consisting of CCF wives in order to destroy the campaign.
The rocky introduction of universal health care and the ensuing doctor’s strike in Saskatchewan are also described. Douglas negotiated in good faith believing that, in the end, if it was explained properly to the doctors, they would buy in, despite evidence to the contrary. (A little familiar, Obama?)
The book reminds us that many of the projects we thought to be Canadian values actually originated in NDP policy: not only Medicare, but the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, support for immigrants, and even the Canadian flag — something the current leadership hopefuls should surely recall.
It’s tempting to ask, given today’s extreme financial, social and political inequalities, WWTDD? As unrest foments around the world, including on Bay street, it’s worthwhile to remember a few basic tenets of Tommy Douglas’s political ideology. It’s simple stuff, really.
1) Politics is rooted in spirituality and the desire for a better world. Always remember that.
2) Politics is about service, not ideology. While there are values, a road map taken from a manifesto serves little purpose. Instead, improve people’s lives.
3) Go slowly. Don’t neglect the economy.
4) Work hard. And speak well.
Sujata Dey is a freelance journalist and political attachée with a long background in community organizations.
