Tommy Douglas was born on October 20, 1904 in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for The Great Debate (1974) and 90 Minutes Live (1976). He was married to Irma Dempsey. He died on February 24, 1986 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Member of Canada's House of Commons from 1935 to 1944 and from 1962 to
1979 where he gained a reputation as a skilled debater and as a
spokesman for the underprivileged and exploited.
A leader in both the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and its
successor, the New Democratic Party, Douglas played a major role in
helping make democratic socialism a part of Canada's political
mainstream.
I don't mind being a symbol but I don't want to become a monument. There are monuments all over the Parliament Buildings and I've seen what the pigeons do to them.
A recession is when your neighbour has to tighten his belt. A depression is when you have to tighten your belt and a `panic' is when you have no belt to tighten and your pants fall down.
Canada is like an old cow. The West feeds it. Ontario and Quebec milk
it. And you can well imagine what it's doing in the Maritimes. [June
29, 1983]