[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H655]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TOMMY DOUGLAS FROM WEYBURN, SASKATCHEWAN

  (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, like everyone last night, I was watching 
the Olympics and I was wondering who was the most famous person in 
Canada. Fame is a rather fleeting thing; 60 seconds down a hill or on 
an ice rink.
  The most famous person in Canada, by a vote on the CBC, was a 
politician, a Baptist minister, from Weyburn, Saskatchewan. His name is 
Tommy Douglas. Tommy Douglas, in 1947, brought universal health care to 
Saskatchewan.
  Nobody remembers the people who said that they would never have 
health insurance in Canada. Nobody remembers all the people that fought 
him. He was elected five times premier of Saskatchewan because the 
people remembered who brought them health care. Maybe that is why 
former Speaker Gingrich said, ``We can't let Mrs. Clinton succeed or 
the Democrats will be in forever.'' Well, that is what we are seeing 
again, folks. Maybe the Republicans are afraid that they will never get 
back in.
  Nobody remembers who didn't say ``yes.''

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