Tommy Douglas – Medicare February 2, 1979

In this speech, Tommy was debating the Liberal bill to have the federal government renege on $80 million in funds committed to the provinces for Medicare improvements. This cutback was part of Trudeaus restraint package that he infamously introduced after chatting with Helmut Schmidt at G-8. In his speech Tommy not only attacked the cutback but gives an overview of the history of Medicare. He then spoke about what remains to be done in Medicare in its second stage including matters like prescription drugs and glasses.

Tommy Douglas – Medicare February 2, 1979

28 thoughts on “Tommy Douglas – Medicare February 2, 1979

  1. Two of the greatest parlaimentarians of all time – Tommy Douglas (MP – Nanaimo) and Stanley Knowles (MP – Winnipeg).
    Notice the silence in the House as Tommy speaks – not something that happens anymore.

  2. @wmackview

    Yeah like being Scottish/Irish/French.

    Just look at Canada, Celtic from top to bottom from its very start and once these people and their culture they established passed on from generation to generation which thanks to “Multiculturalism” we are seeing become confused, and a minority, the country will fall and it already is.

    Look up the confederate forefathers of Canada, Spoke Gaelic, but switched for more common tounges out of common curtousy.

    John A MacDonald and every other PM.

  3. How can I not vote NDP after watching this?

    Conservatives purposely mismanage taxes to fund public health care so they can come back to the Canadian people and say “See? Public health care doesn’t work! It’s time to privatize!”.

  4. @yukoncornileus4 Your are either an american or an ignorant muppet (mmm..is that the same thing?). Cross the border and see how much better it is. A national health service is MORAL. Its objective however clumsy is its attempts at perfection is still MORAL. What the US has is SICK, instigated by Nixon for profiteers and not for its people. You judge a nation from how it treats its poor.
    You have nothing to contribute. Keep flicking the remote Bubba

  5. @morklind Yes I can’t possibly be Canadian because we all know there is only one way all Canadians think, and then throw in some anti-Americanism, you are such a stereo-type. Canadians cross the border all the time. How moral is it to have you citizens die in waiting lists and refuse them the ability to use there own means. Supreme Court has said it is not moral at all. There are more than two countries in the world! Why the hell can’t we look at the nations doing better than us, all 34 of them.

  6. Have you considered population, social infrastructure, standard of living, etc. as factors with long line ups? Or staffing numbers and CEO salaries, for that matter?

  7. Here was a politician who actually believed in using Canadian tax payer’s money on, and for, the Canadian people. Thank you for this post.

  8. Interesting to blame this budget cutback on Helmut Schmidt, then-Chancellor of Germany. He was the leader of the Social Democratic Party!

    • the german social democrats have always been a very wishy washy party, and helmut schmidt was known to be on their right wing and very friendly with the free democrats. i’m not surprised that schmidt would have advised trudeau to slash healthcare funding

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