Tommy Douglas: Hero of the common Canadian

The Falkirk-born Douglas, who came to Canada when he was six, would grow up to alter the political and social landscape of his adopted country. From his humble roots as a rural Baptist preacher, Douglas would go on to spend 44 years as an elected politician, serve five terms as premier of Saskatchewan and become the leader of Canada's first socialist government.

As a young minister during the Depression, Douglas buried two parishioners who, because they didn't have the money for doctors, had perished. If there was a turning point for Douglas, it was this. He vowed he would work to change the lives of poor Canadians and, ultimately, all Canadians.

He helped his congregation through some difficult years, offering support and solace, but, ultimately, decided he could better serve a wider audience. Inspired by his religious beliefs - yet convinced he needed a larger pulpit - Douglas entered politics.

In 1934, he ran unsuccessfully as a provincial candidate for the Farmer-Labour party. That would be one of the few times he failed to gain recognition and widespread support.

A year later he ran again, this time under the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and became one of the party's first members to sit in the House of Commons. He would spend nine years as an MP before turning his eye back to Saskatchewan, where he would eventually become president of the provincial CCF party, party leader and, at the age of 39, premier.

Douglas never abandoned his religious roots or his commitment to Canadians whose financial circumstances left them without a safety net. As premier of Saskatchewan, he was responsible for the implementation of both free hospital treatment and Medicare. The face of the country was changed by a humble minister who had vowed that every Canadian was entitled to have access to health care.

He began slowly. In 1944, pensioners were granted free access to medical, dental and hospital services. The treatment of diseases such as cancer, mental illness and tuberculosis were made free for all.

Three years later, the premier introduced free hospital care for all at a cost of $5 a person. Twelve years later, Medicare came into effect. It would be universal, pre-paid and include preventative care.

And so, Douglas made good on his vow to prevent disadvantaged people from dying because of social or economic status. But he and his political party did not stop there. Under his stewardship, Douglas and the CCF developed the Saskatchewan Power Corporation. Previously, only 300 rural households in the province had power. By 1964, some 65,000 farm households had access to an energy source.

Douglas eventually became leader of the New Democratic Party, an evolution of the CCF. It is said he is the most influential person in Canada who never became prime minister.

When he died in 1986 at the age of 81, Douglas was hailed as "a man who did good deeds in a naughty world."

In 2004, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation held a national contest to determine the greatest Canadian of all time - the person who had the most profound impact on the nation. Tommy Douglas, that humble preacher who hailed from Falkirk, was declared the winner. He bested Marathon of Hope runner Terry Fox and former prime minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

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