Collection Tape R-8185 to Tape R-8188; Tape R-8318 to Tape R-8471 - The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and the New Democratic Party in Saskatchewan Oral History Project

Sound recordings of interviews conducted by Jean Larmour with 41 people who were active with the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) of Saskatchewan. Questions relate to the CCF and NDP activities in Saskatchewan and the government of T.C. Douglas. Former MLAs, cabinet ministers and others give their views on government and civil service and describe their own participation and work on committees and in shaping policy. People also discuss their own lives and what drew them to politics, their work and contributions to the political process. Summaries and transcripts for some of the interviews are included.

Interviewees are as follows (alphabetical by surname):

Lesley (Les) Gordon Benjamin, Regina (Tape R-8318; Tape R-8319) discusses his family background; work with railway; union activities; involvement in the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and socialism; CCF Provincial Council in the 1950s and 1960s; T.C. Douglas; duties as CCF Party secretary in the 1960s; and CCF/NDP politics in Saskatchewan. 1982. Transcript included. 120 minutes.

Jacob Benson, Vancouver, British Columbia (Tape R-8320; Tape R-8321; Tape R-8322) discusses his family background; emigration to Canada; Saskatchewan Grain Growers' Association; Saskatchewan Wheat Pool; the Progressive Party in the 1920s; Communist and socialist activities in Saskatchewan during the 1930s; George Williams and M.J. Coldwell; and the formation of the first CCF government in 1944. 1982 135 minutes. Transcript included.

Thomas John Bentley, Vancouver, British Columbia (Tape R-8323; Tape R-8324; Tape R-8325) discusses his family background; grain sales in the 1920s; the establishment of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool; his employment by the Wheat Pool as a field man; the impact of the Depression in the 1930s; the Progressive Party; CCF activities; health care; and his career as a cabinet minister, including Minister of Health and Minister of Social Services. 1982. 165 minutes. Transcript included.

Donald H.F. Black, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8326; Tape R-8327) discusses Chief Industrial Executive; George Cadbury; T.C. Douglas; Crown corporations; development of natural resources; government ownership versus private enterprise; Economic Advisory and Planning Board; Saskatchewan Power Corporation; potash resources; and Interprovincial Pipe and Steel Co. (IPSCO). 1981. 120 minutes. Transcript included.

Allan E. Blakeney, Regina (Tape R-8328; Tape R-8329) discusses his career as a civil servant from 1950 to 1958 and discusses Saskatchewan Government Finance Office; crown corporations; Interprovincial Pipe and Steel Co. (IPSCO); government aims and ideology on resource development; Securities Commission; CCF politics; and the T.C. Douglas government. 1982. 120 minutes.

Roy Borrowman, Regina (Tape R-8330; Tape R-8331) discusses his career as a civil servant during the governments of T.C. Douglas and Woodrow S. Lloyd. He also discusses family background, Weyburn during the Depression, employment with the Economic Advisory and Planning Board, Budget Bureau, role as Assistant Deputy Minister of the Department of Public Works, appointment as a purchasing agent and reasons for leaving in 1968. 1983. 120 minutes.

George Bothwell, Regina (Tape R-8332; Tape R-8333; Tape R-8334) discusses family background, career as a newspaper reporter with The Leader-Post, Regina, the Regina Riot, work with Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), involvement in the CCF, the government of T.C. Douglas, Hazen Argue, and government advertising. 1982. 135 minutes. Transcript included.

Meyer Brownstone, Regina (Tape R-8335; Tape R-8336; Tape R-8337) discusses his work as an agricultural economist for the Government of Saskatchewan from 1947 to 1964. He also discusses family background and education, role of Economic Advisory and Planning Bureau, George Cadbury and Clarence Fines, private co-operative and public development, Royal Commission on Agriculture and Rural Life, and observations of the CCF government. 1982. 135 minutes.

Kenneth W. Bryden, Toronto, Ontario (Tape R-8338; Tape R-8339) discusses his career in the Saskatchewan civil service including family background and education, formation of a Labour Department by the CCF government in 1944, labour legislation, role as chairman of the Labour Relations Board, expropriation of the Prince Albert box factory; Morris Shumiatcher, and union organization. 1980. 75 minutes.

Marion Bryden, Toronto, Ontario (Tape R-8339) discusses her employment with the Economic Advisory and Planning Board including responsibilities, coworkers, population research, recommendations and projects, health care and political involvement. 1982. 45 minutes. Transcript included.

Niles Leonard Bechanan, Regina (Tape R-8340; Tape R-8341) discusses his political career as a CCF Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1956 and personal views of T.C. Douglas and others. 1982. 120 minutes.

George W. Cadbury, Oakville, Ontario (Tape R-8342; Tape R-8343; Tape R-8344; Tape R-8345) speaks about the activities of the Economic Advisory and Planning Board from 1946 to 1952. Conducted in 1981 and 1982. Transcript included.

David Cass-Beggs, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8346; Tape R-8347) discusses his family and political background; sinking of the Athenia in 1939; research during World War II; problems of rural electrification; natural gas distribution; appointment as General Manager of Saskatchewan Power Corporation in 1952; observations of T.C. Douglas and other cabinet ministers; and his dismissal by Ross Thatcher. 1981. 105 minutes. Transcript included.

Lionel Philias Coderre, Regina (Tape R-8348; Tape R-8349; Tape R-8350) discusses his career as a Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1956 to 1971 and as a Cabinet Minister from 1964 to 1971. He discusses attitudes of Ross Thatcher to labour organizations; labour legislation; Essential Services Act; Department of Co-operatives and Co-operative Development; Department of Public Works; and the defeat of the Thatcher government. 135 minutes.

Edward Milton Culliton, Regina (Tape R-8351; Tape R-8352; Tape R-8353) discusses his activities in the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan, including his period as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan (MLA) for the Gravelbourg constituency, 1935-1944 and 1948-1951; family background; the Gravelbourg constituency; T.C. Douglas; Walter Tucker; Clarence M. Fines; appointment to Bench; and chairmanship of the Saskatchewan Golden Jubilee (1955) Committee. 1982. 135 minutes.

Charles David Cuming, Regina (Tape R-8185; Tape R-8186; Tape R-8187; Tape R-8188) Tape R-8185 and Tape R-8186 were recorded by Cuming in 1982 and Tape R-8187 and Tape R-8188 are interviews with Cuming conducted by Jean Larmour in 1983. 3 hours. Cuming was a CCF activist in the 1930s and 1940s and served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan (MLA) for Souris-Estevan from 1944 to 1948.

Thomas C. Douglas, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8353.1 to Tape R-8406) discusses his political career from 1935 to 1978. Interviews conducted in 1981 and 1982. 52 hours. Transcript included.

Jean Downing, Toronto, Ontario (Tape R-8407) discusses her work with the Economic Advisory and Planning Board from 1949 to 1957. She discusses revenue forecasting; public housing; South Saskatchewan River Development; and problems as a female civil servant. 1982. 60 minutes. Summary included.

Carl Edy, Regina (Tape R-8408; Tape R-8409; Tape R-8410) discusses his responsbilities as Public Service Commissioner, 1946-1950, and Executive Director of the Government Finance Office. He discusses his personal background; early political interests; 1944 campaigns; Labour Conciliation Board; Public Service Commission selection process; difficulties with unions; Industrial Development Fund, 1952-1959 and Inter-Provincial Steel Company (IPSCO); Workmen's Compensation Board; resignation after CCF defeat; personal observations of T.C. Douglas, Woodrow S. Lloyd and Allan E. Blakeney. 1982. 3 hours. Summary included.

Jacob Walter Erb, Regina (Tape R-8411; Tape R-8412) discusses family background and education; entrance into political life in 1941; service as Minister of Health, 1956-1961; implementation of universal medicare; the medicare crisis; his work as chairman of the Workmen's Compensation Board in 1964; and an assessment of the governments of T.C. Douglas, Woodrow S. Lloyd, Ross Thatcher and Grant Devine. 1982. 120 minutes.

Clarence Melvin Fines, Regina (Tape R-8413; Tape R-8414; Tape R-8415; Tape R-8416; Tape R-8417; Tape R-8418; Tape R-8419) discusses his career as a cabinet minister in the T.C. Douglas Government from 1944 to 1960. He discusses his family background and education; work as a political organizer in the late 1920s and 1930s; M.J. Coldwell and the Farmer and Labour Party, 1932; establishment of the CCF; George Williams; Crown corporations; industrial development and economic planning; Saskatchewan Government Airways; Saskatchewan Government Insurance Office (SGIO); public, private and co-operative development; role in government; and relationship with T.C. Douglas. 1982. 6 hours. Transcript included.

William L. Haney, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8420; Tape R-8421) discusses his career with the Public Service Commission, Treasury Department and the Local Government Board. He also discusses family background and education; entrance into the civil service in 1949; Albert Johnson and Thomas McLeod as Deputy Provincial Treasurers; his working relationship with Clarence Melvin Fines; rural modernization; the abilities and personal traits of T.C. Douglas and Woodrow S. Lloyd. 1981. 90 minutes. Transcript included.

Orville K. Hjertaas, Prince Albert (Tape R-8422; Tape R-8423) discusses his work with the Health Services Planning Commission. He also discusses his personal background; medical career; organizing health regions; concept of universal health care; Advisory Committee to the Health Services Planning Commission; the medicare crisis; his political candidacy in 1967 and 1971; T.C. Douglas and Woodrow S. Lloyd; and the future of medicare. 1982. 105 minutes. Transcript included.

Marjorie Cooper-Hunt, Regina (Tape R-8424; Tape R-8425) discusses her activities in the CCF and period as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1952 to 1967. She discusses her personal background; community work; entrance into politics; government of T.C. Douglas; role of backbenchers; influence of party organization upon cabinet; Cabinet Planning Board Committee; responsibilities as chairman of the Legislative Committee on Crown Corporations, 1960-1964; and the medicare crisis. 1982. 90 minutes. Transcript included.

Albert W. Johnson, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8426; Tape R-8427) discusses his career in the Saskatchewan civil service from 1945 to 1964. He discusses his personal background and education; appointment to the Adult Education Division; impression of Watson Thompson; work with Tommy McLeod in the Budget Bureau; the Hospital Services Plan and the establishment of the first hospital insurance scheme in North America; his responsibilities as Deputy Provincial Treasurer; and impressions of other civil servants. 1982. 120 minutes. Transcript included.

Michael Kalmakoff, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia (Tape R-8428; Tape R-8429) discusses his career in the Saskatchewan civil service from 1946 to 1964. He discusses his family background; teaching in Yorkton and Saskatoon; appointment to the Government Finance Office; George Cadbury; managing the Saskatchewan Timber Board in 1950; and the lumber and pulpwood industries. 1982. 105 minutes. Transcript included.

Alex Gordon Kuziak, Yorkton (Tape R-8430; Tape R-8431; Tape R-8432)

H.S. (Tim) Lee, Downsview, Ontario (Tape R-8433; Tape R-8434; Tape R-8435) discusses his responsibilities as an administrative assistant to Premier T.C. Douglas in 1950. He also discusses his personal background; arrival in Saskatchewan in 1948; observations of a number of government members; character and style of T.C. Douglas; Ross Thatcher; and public, private and co-operative development. 1982. 135 minutes. Transcript included.

David Levin, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8436) discusses his educational background; responsibilities with the Economic Advisory and Planning Board and the Department of Social Welfare; and concepts in public administration. 1981. 45 minutes. Transcript included.

Hugh James Maher, North Battleford (Tape R-8437; Tape R-8438) discusses early interest in civic, provincial and federal elections in the 1940s and 1950s; his service as mayor of North Battleford, 1953-1982 (not inclusive); community organizations; his love of public life; impressions of political contemporaries; and Liberal Party activities in Saskatchewan. 1982. 105 minutes. Transcript included.

Norman McGillivray, Regina (Tape R-8439; Tape R-8440) discusses early participation in the co-operative movement; farming and community life in the 1930s; years as president of the Saskatchewan School Trustees' Association, 1949-1952; fundraising for the CCF; municipal politics versus provincial; and impressions of other political activists. 1981. 120 minutes. Transcript included.

Eleanor McKinnon, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8441; Tape R-8442; Tape R-8443) discusses her work as personal secretary to T.C. Douglas from 1944 to 1961. 1982. 150 minutes.

Thomas H. McLeod, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8444; Tape R-8445; Tape R-8446; Tape R-8447; Tape R-8448) discusses family background and education; association with T.C. Douglas in the 1930s; development of personal political convictions; 1944 provincial general election; structure of first CCF administration; role and responsibilities of Economic Advisory and Planning Board; concept of economic planning; first Federal-Provincial Premiers' conference in 1945; and other personalities in the service. 1981. 270 minutes. Transcript included.

Grant C. Mitchell, Regina (Tape R-8449; Tape R-8450; Tape R-8451)

Joseph Lee Phelps, Saskatoon (Tape R-8452; Tape R-8453), a CCF Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Saskatoon from 1938 to 1948, discusses his farming experiences; farmers' organizations in the 1920s and 1930s; M.J. Coldwell; elections of 1938 and 1944; appointment to Cabinet; government acquisitions of various enterprises; and his relationship with other government members, 1944-1948. 105 minutes. Transcript included.

Frederick Burns Roth, Toronto, Ontario (Tape R-8454; Tape R-8455; Tape R-8456) discusses his life and work and work as a civil servant. He served as Deputy Minister of the Saskatchewan Department of Public Health from 1952 to 1962. 1982. 180 minutes.

Thomas K. Shoyama, Victoria, British Columbia (Tape R-8457; Tape R-8458; Tape R-8459; Tape R-8460; Tape R-8461; Tape R-8462) discusses his personal background, education, discrimination, war period, Saskatchewan Economic Advisory and Planning Board, provincial economy, T.C. Douglas and other cabinet ministers, resource development, government, private and co-operative enterprises, role of Crown corporations, W.S. Lloyd, education, and medicare legislation. 1981-1982. 5 hours. Transcript included.

Donald Duggans Tansley, Ottawa, Ontario (Tape R-8463; Tape R-8464) discusses his family background, education, responsibilities with the Budget Bureau, 1950-1959, character of the Saskatchewan civil service, Crown corporations, work as Chairman of the Saskatchewan Health Services Commission from 1962 to 1964, and the medicare crisis. 1982. 90 minutes. Transcript included.

Clifford H. Thurston, Regina (Tape R-8465; Tape R-8466) discusses his political life and period as a CCF MLA from 1956 to 1964, family background, early CCF organization, J.S. Woodsworth, M.J. Coldwell, T.C. Douglas, the philosophy of universal medicare, election campaigns and issues, and the meaning of public life and responsibilities. 1981. 2 hours. Transcript included.

Robert Alexander Walker, Saskatoon (Tape R-8467; Tape R-8468; Tape R-8469) discusses personal background, education, service in the Royal Canadian Air Force, early interest in the CCF, his role as Attorney General in the T.C. Douglas Government, and the Saskatchewan Securities Commission Act, 1954. 1982. 165 minutes.

Edward (Ed) Charles Whelan, Regina (Tape R-8470; Tape R-8471) discusses personal background, arrival in Saskatchewan in 1946, work of the Co-operative Union, early political involvement, election to Provincial Council of the CCF in 1948, and T.C. Douglas. 1981. 80 minutes. Transcript included.