Tommy Douglas: The Revolutionization Of Canada

Thomas Clement Douglas, or ‘Tommy’ Douglas was a prominent Canadian politician during the 1900s, as both a premier and a minister of health in the House of Commons. Though he was born in Scotland, his family moved to Canada at a very early age. Tommy Douglas spent most of his early life in Manitoba and most of his later life in Saskatchewan. Before he got into politics, Douglas was a Baptist preacher. He accomplished lots in his time and was even voted as the number one on the CBC television show “the Greatest Canadian”. Canadians remember him as a man with moral integrity and intellectual honesty. In my eyes, he is a hero. He was the first leader of any socialist government in Canada. He brought free healthcare to Canada, and he believed

Tommy Douglas was the first leader to introduce free healthcare. He wanted to make Canada a safer and better place to live, ensuring access to healthcare for all. Douglas became the leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), soon bringing the party to a victory as they became the governing party of Saskatchewan. In 1947, Douglas took the first step towards universal healthcare by bringing public insurance in Saskatchewan. For every five dollars a year, each person in the province would receive hospital care when needed. Douglas wanted to ensure that every person can get access to healthcare. Douglas had experienced problems and struggles in his life that he did not want other people to face. He believed that healthcare should

moved to Winnipeg in 1911 along with his mother and sister to meet his father who had

Being a Baptist preacher, Tommy Douglas was a religious man. His religion ruled many choices in his early life. Douglas would spend every Sunday in the Weyburn church preaching the gospel, and on the weekdays, he would do what he could to help the suffering of poor. As at the time, the great economic depression had it’s grip on Saskatchewan. Furthermore, Tommy Douglas was also a pragmatist. Instead of thinking on the ideals, he thought practically. He was a calculating man. Many people despised his views, not his religious views, but his political ones. As a member of the Cooperative Commonwealth Foundation and later the New Democratic Party, he was a social-democrat or “socialist”. A lot of citizens thought the government would fall under

“The choice, however, is as clear now for nations as it was once for the individual: peace or extinction. ” 1 and Lester B. Pearson was definitely a man of peace. To those who don’t know who Lester B. Pearson is, he’s the fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada, that served from April 22. 1963 - April 20. 1968 2. During his time as Prime Minister, he’s accomplished many things, and that’s why I believe that Lester B. Pearson is the greatest Canadian.

In 1967, Tommy Douglas had a great impact in establishing Canada’s universal health care system which guarantees health care to its residents regardless of factors such as race or ethnicity, religion, income, and age (Tommy Douglas: The Father of Medicare, n.d., para.1). In the 1974 Lalonde Report it emphasizes that health services were only one of the many factors that affect health (A New Perspective On the Health of Canadians, 1974). Others factors which include income, food security, the level of education, shelter, status of health, social status, employment and working conditions, and living conditions also contribute to the status of ones’ health. These factors are known as the social determinants of health or one’s socio-economic status that provide an insight to the health of Canadians.

Throughout Canadian history, a plenty of figures appeared to be significant for the time being. However, out from this great number of candidates that may qualify for the most important Canadian in history, William Lyon Mackenzie King prevails. First elected in 1921 after the Borden's Unionist government failed, Mackenzie King served as the longest serving Canadian head of government ever, holding the office of prime minister for 22 years. During his premiership, Canada developed from an attacked British colony to a major international player, building cornerstones for the golden age of Canadian diplomacy. His war policy made Canada an important contributor in the Allied forces during the World War II, giving supports for British and other

Pierre Trudeau is the greatest Canadian of the twentieth century due to the fact that he declared Canada’s independence from Great Britain, he abolished the death penalty, and he created the Official Languages Act, making our nation entirely bilingual.

When asked to describe what makes Canada unique compared to other countries, many outsiders might yell out “Hockey!” “Cold Weather!” or “Free Health Care!.” Health care is definitely one of Canada’s most noticeable trademarks when compared to the United States, but the reality is that our health care services are not what they are made out to be. Canadians tend to take pride in the fact that they have a Government funded health care system, but the system is failing at a rapid pace. One can gage the quality of health care in our country while at the emergency ward in any hospital, where most Canadians realize its downsides. The Government spends most of its budget towards health care but Canadians are not feeling an improvement. Waiting

Canada’s healthcare system started in 1946 and is made up of a group of socialized health insurance plans that provides coverage to all Canadian citizens. It is publicly funded and administered on a provincial or territorial basis with in the rules set by their federal government. Since the late 1960’s Canada essential has had a universal health insurance system covering all services provided by physicians and hospitals. In 1966 Lester B Pearson’s government subsequently expanded a policy of the universal healthcare with the medical care act. Canada’s healthcare system is the subject of political controversy and debate in the country. While healthcare in America began in the late 1800’s but was truly born in 1929 when Justin Kimball

In todays world Canadians help each other fund money to help those in need; Canadians help so much that most medical services are funded public sources. Many of us would not even bother to help those in need, but Lester B. Pearson changed that part of us. He made health care such a big issue that it can not hide anywhere in this world. Lester B. Pearson, the man that gave Canada Universal Medicare also created the United Nations Peacekeeping Force.

This paper will discuss the Canadian healthcare system compared to the United States healthcare system. Although they’re close in proximity, these two nations have very different health care systems. Each healthcare system has its own difficulties, and is currently trying to find ways to improve. Canada currently uses the Universal Health Care system; which provides healthcare coverage to all Canadian citizens (Canadian Health Care, 2007). The services are executed on both a territorial and provincial basis, by staying within the guidelines that have been enforced by the federal government (Canadian Health Care, 2007).

In this paper, there will be a comparative analysis to the United States (U.S.) healthcare system and Canadians healthcare system highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of both.

     In the past, Canada’s government-funded, universally accessible, health care system has been praised and admired both at home and abroad as one of the finest in the world. A great source of pride and comfort for many Canadians is that it is based on five fundamental principles. Principles that are a reflection of the values held by Canadian citizens since the formation of Medicare in 1966. These principles were reinforced in the Canada Health Act, (CHA), of 1984 and state that the Canadian system is universal, accessible, portable, comprehensive and non-profit.

Canada 's healthcare system is praised globally for its universal and free healthcare. It started to take shape after World War II in 1945. Health insurance was introduced and was attempted, but was not successful even though there was an increase in the spending of health related services and goods. Fast forward a few years to 1961 where Tommy Douglas, the premier of Saskatchewan, developed the idea for an all-inclusive insurance plan. He later inspired the Medical Care Act in Canada in 1967, when he pointed out health care is a right for all Canadians. From this one thought, Canada has become of the many countries with a universal health care system. Ever since Tommy Douglas sparked the idea for health care coverage, Canada is praised for the way it carries out its system because of several key features. This system is publically funded, is universal and is accessible to everyone across the nation. Because this is a public system, funding comes from the tax payers and some federal funding, so there is no extra cost for the patients. Also, being a universal system it has offered care to all Canadians, immigrants and visitors. Unlike the U.S who does not provide healthcare to its entire population because it is a private system; access depends on how much someone could afford, and how