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.