Three years ago, in preparation for Canada's 150th birthday (which is this year), an online survey was conducted by the Canadian government, in which 12,000 Canadians participated. They produced a list of the ten Canadians who are most esteemed by the Canadian public. Only one of the 10 is a military leader.
When Canadians were given the chance to name the greatest Canadians ever, near the top of the list (which was headed by Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the prime minister who gave this country its Charter of Rights and Freedoms), they chose a diminutive rural minister from the prairie province of Saskatchewan, a man who espoused a philosophy of collective compassion, equal access to health treatment for all, and fairness in hiring, among other things.
Tommy Douglas, the Canadian social reform politician and Baptist minister, is honoured by Canadians for one thing ... he gave Canadians universal health care. But it is not just Canada's health care system for which Canadians honour Douglas, it is his belief that every Canadian deserves the right to have quality health care, regardless of their economic or social situation. That has become a core Canadian principle.
Tommy Douglas was born on October 20, 1904 in Falkirk, Scotland. If you're Canadian, please take a minute to think about how we want to perceive ourselves, and be proud of a Canada in which a man like Tommy Douglas easily ranks among the greatest and most noble citizens.
Tommy Douglas
Top Canadian Heroes
- Pierre Elliot Trudeau
- Terry Fox
- Tommy Douglas
- Lester B. Pearson
- Chris Hadfield
- David Suzuki
- Jack Layton
- Sir John A. Macdonald
- Wayne Gretzky
- Romeo Dallaire
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