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9-10
Tommy Douglas Timeline
Project type: Assignment
Related topic:
Tommy Douglas and the NDP
Tommy Douglas and the NDP
Subjects
History
Social Studies
Political Science
Social Studies
Political Science
Summary
Students will create a timeline of the important developments in Canadian politics and Tommy Douglas’ role in those developments.
Duration
1 to 2 lessons
Purpose
To identify significant events in Canada’s political history
Before Exploring
Have students spend several days observing and listing the ways government is involved in their lives, such as services the government provides (such as health care), things that, through government, our taxes pay for (such as highways), and laws that affect their everyday lives (such as seat belt laws). Have students share items from their list and create a master list on the board or chart paper.
Lead a class discussion on which services, programs, or laws students think we could live without. Have them discuss what life would be like in Canada without this government intervention in our lives.
Outline the Opportunity
Divide the class in groups to focus on different periods in the life and times of Tommy Douglas and the political movements in which he was involved. Assign groups one of the following topics:
Douglas’ family, childhood, and life before entering politics
Douglas’ early political involvement in the 1930s
Douglas and the CCF government of Saskatchewan, 1944–61
Douglas as first federal leader of the NDP, 1961–71
Douglas’ last years as a politician and private citizen, 1971–86
Direct groups to the topic Medicare and Social Welfare: Tommy Douglas and the NDP on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Groups will browse the site to gather the information they need. Groups can use the following questions to focus their inquiry (also available on the download sheet Tommy Douglas Timeline:
- What were the main events in Tommy Douglas’ life during this period?
- What important events were taking place in Canada during this time?
- What role did Douglas and/or the political parties with which he was associated (CCF/NDP) play in Canada at this time?
- What can you learn about life in Canada during this period of the country’s history?
Revisit and Reflect
Each group will present a report dealing with its assigned period. As a class, create timelines of important events for Douglas, the CCF/NDP, and Canada for the periods researched. Allow students time to review the timelines and discuss how one person or one political movement can shape the course of a country’s history for a period of time.
Extension
Students can prepare a presentation, in any format they wish (play, short story, song, and so on), comparing the life of an average Canadian today with that of an average Canadian in the 1930s, focusing specifically on how life has changed since the social and economic reforms introduced by Douglas and the CCP.
