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♂ Thomas Clement Douglas
aliasThomas Clement Douglas
Record
16780 · 266

☆   Baptist   
Type of record
Elected candidate ✓
Known but unelected candidate
Perennial candidate		 Deceased Performance: 81%
  ✓ ✗ ∑
Canada 8 2 10
Saskatchewan 5 1 6
Total 13 3 16
Birth 20 October 1904 → 119 years + 6 months ago
Lived 81 years + 4 months
First mandate 14 October 1935 → 88 years + 6 months ago
↳ at age 30 years + 11 months
Death 24 February 1986 → 38 years + 2 months ago
Exit → Death 6 years + 9 months after 21 May 1979
Special notes
None
 
Thomas Clement Douglas (1904–1986)
© Photo Themightyquill — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Family tie with other documented individual
None
 
Well that's interesting!
Douglas is remembered as the "Father of Medicare." While he was federal NDP leader, he lost his Burnaby—Seymour seat by only 138 votes in the 1968 general election. He was able to return to Parliament through a by-election necessitated in Nanaimo—Cowichan—The Islands in February of the following year because of the sudden death of Colin Cameron one month after the general election. Like many Pro­gres­sives / early CCF members, Douglas endorsed eugenics — his 1933 MA thesis was on that topic — but, like most of the others, he reversed his position and advocated instead for vocational training for the mentally handicapped and therapy for those suffering from mental disorders.
 

Length of service in elected office

Legislature Total Government Opposition
years months days years months days years months days
Canada 24 6 22
Saskatchewan 17 4 19 Z
TOTAL 41 11 11

Leadership roles

  Duration
# Legislature Party M Int Role Age Dates y m d
1. SK 9–14
CCF
 1 Party leader 37–56 17 Jul 1942 — 02 Aug 1961 19 0 16
2. SK 10–14
CCF
 1 Premier 39–57 15 Jun 1944 — 06 Nov 1961 17 4 22
3. CA 24–28
NDP
 1 Party leader 56–66 03 Aug 1961 — 23 Apr 1971 9 8 20
4. SK 14
NCCF
 2 ✓ Party leader 56–57 03 Aug 1961 — 02 Nov 1961 0 2 30

Electoral history

Races 16  
Path points 19  
11 documented challengers
⊖ Stockwell Day  m 
⊖ Gustav T. Froese  m 
⊖ Ernest L. Knott  m 
⊖ Kenneth H. More  m 
⊖ J. Herbert (Junior) Staveley  m  (2 runoffs)
⊖ Edward J. Young  m 
 		 ⊖ Hugh E. Eaglesham  m 
⊖ Frederick W. Johnson  m 
⊖ Robert S. Leslie  m 
⊖ Raymond J. Perrault  m 
⊖ Donald L. Taylor  m 
 
Eligible: 5,762 Votes: 5,197 Participation: 90.19% Candidacies: 4
Provincial
8		 Saskatchewan
19 June 1934
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Majority
ID: 31564(F) — 24 Sep 2022 21:05 ET
✗
 Defeated but elected later to this legislature
Age
29
FLG
 3/4 1,343 25.84% -938 Winner:
LIB
 2,281 43.89% Hugh E. Eaglesham
Eligible: 19,635 Votes: 16,178 Participation: 82.39% Candidacies: 4
Federal
18		 Saskatchewan
14 October 1935
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Majority
ID: 22824(F) — 16 Aug 2021 01:28 ET
✓
 → New to Parliament
Age
30
CCF
 1/4 7,280 45.00% +301 Loser:
LIB
 6,979 43.14% Edward J. Young

Service: 4 years 5 months 11 days (Oppo.)
Eligible: 19,537 Votes: 16,332 Participation: 83.60% Candidacies: 3
Federal
19		 Saskatchewan
26 March 1940
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Majority
ID: 23100(F) — 5 Sep 2022 23:19 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent
Age
35
CCF
 1/3 8,509 52.10% +955 Loser:
LIB
 7,554 46.25% Thomas N. Metheral
After his election:
31 May 1944 39
CCF
 →
CCF
 Successfully ran provincially
Service: 4 years 2 months 5 days (Oppo.)
Eligible: 11,095 Votes: 9,094 Participation: 81.96% Candidacies: 2
Provincial
10		 Saskatchewan
15 June 1944
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  CCF  Majority
ID: 31672(F) — 11 Oct 2021 23:36 ET
✓
 → New to this legislature (Party leader)
Age
39
CCF
 1/2 5,605 61.63% +2,116 Loser:
LIB
 3,489 38.37% James W. Adolphe

Service: 4 years 8 days (Gov't)
Eligible: 18,877 Votes: 16,855 Participation: 89.29% Candidacies: 4
Federal
20		 Saskatchewan
11 June 1945
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Minority
ID: 23360(F) — 16 Aug 2021 01:28 ET
—
 Incumbent did not run in this election →
Age
40		 Successor:
CCF
 8,174 48.50% Eric B. McKay
Eligible: 12,377 Votes: 11,139 Participation: 90.00% Candidacies: 3
Provincial
11		 Saskatchewan
24 June 1948
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  CCF  Majority
ID: 31725(F) — 11 Oct 2021 23:36 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
43
CCF
 1/3 6,273 56.32% +2,045 Loser:
LIPC
 4,228 37.96% Fergus C. Eaglesham

Service: 3 years 11 months 17 days (Gov't)
Eligible: 11,422 Votes: 10,057 Participation: 88.05% Candidacies: 2
Provincial
12		 Saskatchewan
11 June 1952
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  CCF  Majority
ID: 31781(F) — 11 Oct 2021 23:37 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
47
CCF
 1/2 6,020 59.86% +1,983 Loser:
LIB
 4,037 40.14% Donald Morrow

Service: 4 years 8 days (Gov't)
Eligible: 11,498 Votes: 10,234 Participation: 89.01% Candidacies: 3
Provincial
13		 Saskatchewan
20 June 1956
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  CCF  Majority
ID: 31832(F) — 9 Sep 2023 15:15 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
51
CCF
 1/3 4,930 48.17% +696 Loser:
LIB
 4,234 41.37% J. Herbert (Junior) Staveley

Service: 3 years 11 months 18 days (Gov't)
Eligible: 11,603 Votes: 10,435 Participation: 89.93% Candidacies: 4
Provincial
14		 Saskatchewan
8 June 1960
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  CCF  Majority
ID: 31882(F) — 9 Sep 2023 15:15 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
55
CCF
 1/4 5,054 48.43% +601 Loser:
LIB
 4,453 42.67% J. Herbert (Junior) Staveley
After his election:
3 Aug 1961 56
CCF
 →
NCCF
 Changed allegiance (remained in government)
7 Nov 1961 57
NCCF
 →
Vac.
 Unsuccessfully ran federally
Service: 1 year 4 months 30 days (Gov't)
Eligible: 11,603 Votes: 9,884 Participation: 85.18% Candidacies: 2
Provincial
14		 Saskatchewan
13 December 1961
By-Election
First-past-the-post
Gov't  NCCF  Majority
ID: 31886(F) — 9 Sep 2023 15:15 ET
—
 Incumbent did not run in this election →
Age
57		 Successor:
LIB
 5,379 54.42% J. Herbert (Junior) Staveley
Eligible: inc. Votes: 44,012 Participation: inc. Candidacies: 4
Federal
25		 Saskatchewan
18 June 1962
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  PC  Minority
ID: 24752(F) — 2 Mar 2024 22:12 ET
✗
 Failed comeback to Parliament (Party leader)
Age
57
NDP
 2/4 12,736 28.94% -9,428 Winner:
PC
 22,164 50.36% Kenneth H. More
Eligible: inc. Votes: 32,348 Participation: inc. Candidacies: 5
Federal
25		 British Columbia
22 October 1962
By-Election
First-past-the-post
Gov't  PC  Minority
ID: 24760(F) — 11 Sep 2021 13:03 ET
✓
 → Returned to Parliament after hiatus (Party leader)
Age
58
NDP
 1/5 16,313 50.43% +8,284 Loser:
LIB
 8,029 24.82% Warren R. Clark

Service: 5 months 16 days (Oppo.)
Eligible: inc. Votes: 41,122 Participation: inc. Candidacies: 4
Federal
26		 British Columbia
8 April 1963
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Minority
ID: 24778(F) — 11 Sep 2021 13:08 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
58
NDP
 1/4 19,067 46.37% +4,919 Loser:
LIB
 14,148 34.40% Tom Kent

Service: 2 years 6 months 30 days (Oppo.)
Eligible: inc. Votes: 42,613 Participation: inc. Candidacies: 4
Federal
27		 British Columbia
8 November 1965
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Minority
ID: 25047(F) — 11 Sep 2021 13:11 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
61
NDP
 1/4 22,553 52.93% +10,463 Loser:
LIB
 12,090 28.37% Dick Hayes

Service: 2 years 7 months 16 days (Oppo.)
Eligible: inc. Votes: 39,552 Participation: inc. Candidacies: 4
Federal
28		 British Columbia
25 June 1968
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Majority
ID: 9891(F) — 16 Aug 2021 01:29 ET
✗
 Defeated incumbent → (Party leader)
Age
63
NDP
 2/4 17,753 44.89% -138 Winner:
LIB
 17,891 45.23% Raymond J. Perrault
Eligible: inc. Votes: 34,593 Participation: inc. Candidacies: 3
Federal
28		 British Columbia
10 February 1969
By-Election
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Majority
ID: 10916(F) — 16 Aug 2021 01:29 ET
✓
 → Returned to Parliament after hiatus (Party leader)
Age
64
NDP
 1/3 19,730 57.03% +6,833 Loser:
LIB
 12,897 37.28% Eric W. Winch

Service: 3 years 8 months 19 days (Oppo.)
Eligible: 61,054 Votes: 44,762 Participation: 73.32% Candidacies: 5
Federal
29		 British Columbia
30 October 1972
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Minority
ID: 10157(F) — 28 Jun 2023 19:21 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent
Age
68
NDP
 1/5 25,483 56.93% +15,304 Loser:
PC
 10,179 22.74% George MacPherson
After his election:
30 Nov 1972 68
NDP
 →
NDP
 Changed allegiance (joined government)
9 May 1974 69
NDP
 →
NDP
 Changed allegiance (joined opposition)
Service: 1 year 8 months 7 days (Oppo. & Gov't & Oppo.)
Eligible: 61,054 Votes: 49,967 Participation: 81.84% Candidacies: 4
Federal
30		 British Columbia
8 July 1974
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  LIB  Majority
ID: 10421(F) — 16 Aug 2021 01:29 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent
Age
69
NDP
 1/4 20,444 40.92% +2,237 Loser:
PC
 18,207 36.44% Donald L. Taylor

Service: 4 years 10 months 13 days (Oppo.)
Eligible: 61,620 Votes: 43,704 Participation: 70.93% Candidacies: 5
Federal
31		 British Columbia
22 May 1979
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  PC  Minority
ID: 4344(F) — 16 Aug 2021 01:29 ET
—
 Incumbent did not run in this election →
Age
74		 Successor:
PC
 19,025 43.53% Donald L. Taylor

Online biographical references (6)

Bilingual references are counted as a single reference.  Retrieved on
EN Canadian Encyclopedia
Tommy Douglas		 23 Mar 2024
FR Encyclopédie canadienne
Tommy Douglas		 23 Mar 2024
EN Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan, University of Regina
Thomas Clement Douglas (1904-86)		 23 Mar 2024
EN Parliament of Canada (ParlInfo)
Thomas Clement (Tommy) Douglas, C.C.		 23 Mar 2024
FR Parlement du Canada (ParlInfo)
Thomas Clement (Tommy) Douglas, C.C.		 23 Mar 2024
EN Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan, SELD: Members of the Legislative Assembly
Douglas, Thomas Clement 1904 – 1986 (p. 9)		 23 Mar 2024
EN Wikipedia
Tommy Douglas		 23 Mar 2024
FR Wikipédia
Tommy Douglas		 23 Mar 2024

© 2019, 2024 :: PoliCan.ca (Maurice Y. Michaud)
Pub.: 22 Jun 2019 17:01
Rev.: 23 Mar 2024 11:43 (but data presented dynamically)

© 2019-2024 :: PoliCan.ca
Given that electoral results are by their very nature public information, such data that can be found in PoliCan are considered to be in the public domain. However, unless indicated otherwise, all other elements — the concept of consolidating these data into a single format, the detailed research on each election, legislature and candidate, the organization and searchability of the data, the programming allowing the entry and maintenance of the data, as well as the analyses and explanatory articles found in this website — are the intellectual property of Maurice Y. Michaud.