Tommy Douglas

Thomas Clement Douglas (1904-1986) was a Scottish-born Canadian Baptist minister, politician, and premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961. He was one of the founders of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, a left-wing political party, and as premier formed North America's first socialist government, introducing innovative social reforms such as hospital insurance, the beginning of Canada's medicare program. He was the first leader of the New Democratic Party from 1961 to 1971.