Poetry and Mythmaking in Canadian Politics
In another sad plea for vindication, Brain Mulroney spoke to friends and supporters this past week at a gala dedicated to remembering his election as Prime Minister, promising to suffer bravely the self inflicted wounds resulting from his associating with various disreputable pay-off artists and lobbyists during and after serving as Prime Minister, and in so doing drawing upon a quote from an old Scottish (some claim English) ballad.
Apparently he still believes that he will return to the larger political arena in some capacity, having promised the party faithful and acolytes that he will “rise and fight again”. Let’s hope that this was just a moment of romantic Irish blarney and that he actually plans to drop any notions about pursuing public vindication any further. The very best thing for him and the country is that he exit from the public stage for good. At the very least he is as sleazy and dishonest a Prime Minister as this country has known for a very long time. His continuing presence on the political scene sets a very bad example for those interested in politics including – say – the country’s innocent youth, whom the Conservatives claim to be very worried about in terms of bad influences. The celebration of his glorious leadership also runs counter to the Conservative’s claimed emphasis on honesty and integrity.
Of special interest is that in its reports the media ate it up. They especially loved the fact that in quoting from this lovely and romantic old ballad, he used the exact quote used by John Diefenbaker when he was successfully challenged for the Conservative Party leadership in 1967. Many wondered whether Mulroney even knew of Diefenbakers use (who cares) of the quotation, others assumed that he did and used it deliberately and some of those wondered what exact parallels he was suggesting about his future and that of Diefenbaker after being humiliated by his own party.
A fascinating question is whether any of the Conservative stalwarts who applauded so vigorously know anything the of the original use of this quotation in Canadian politics by one of our true Canadian political heroes. It appears not from reading and listening to most reports. If not, one wonders about both the political literacy and the fact checking skills of speechwriters and activists within the Conservative Party.
One need only search the CBC archives for the only apparent reference to the use of the phrase in Canadian politics at the time of its actual use:
“Four years after a stunning majority win, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker returns to the polls to seek a second mandate from Canadians. His Liberal opponent once more is Lester Pearson, but the 1962 campaign sees a new player on the federal stage: the New Democratic Party, led by former Saskatchewan premier Tommy Douglas.
When it all shakes out, Diefenbaker is humbled by the narrow margin of victory for his Progressive Conservatives. Douglas, who failed to win his seat, is unbowed by the result. In this election-night recap, he (Douglas) quotes an English ballad: “I will lay me down and bleed a while, and then I’ll rise and fight again.”
The tape can be watched at CBC archives ( Broadcast date: Sept. 16, 1962; accessed at http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/federal_politics/clips/15689/. )
As a matter of historical interest the ballad is dedicated to the Scottish Admiral Sir Andrew Barton. And Douglas referred to it as a Scottish not English ballad (sorry CBC). The exact lines are as follows:
I am hurt but I am not slain.
I’ll lay me down and bleed awhile,
Then I’ll rise and fight again.’
True to his reputation Douglas quoted it verbatim. His extemporaneous use of it in conceding his unexpected and to most observers shocking defeat in standing for Parliament after stepping down as Saskatchewan Premier was an electric moment. It confirmed Douglas as the most eloquent and poetic political leader in Canadian history. The quote that night appeared neither maudlin nor self serving. No one doubted that it was a spontaneous, authentic, eloquent expression of what he felt in his heart at that painful moment. Supporters and opponents alike were reduced to tears – many old scarred veterans of political wars.
Perhaps best of all, Douglas did rise and fight again, as the leader of the New Democratic Party in Parliament, as the champion of national public health care following his lead in Saskatchewan, and as a lone and deeply courageous parliamentary opponent of the suspension of rights and freedoms under the War Measures Act, among other things. Not for him the endless maudlin pleas of Mulroney and Diefenbaker to be seen as victims, misunderstood and abused.
Knowing this history is no doubt a small thing in the larger scheme of things. However it would be gratifying to see at least some of the media provide a historically accurate account of the use and abuse of this evocative ballad by Canadian politicians. Its use by Mulroney and attribution to Diefenbaker sullies its powerful evocation of the pain of defeat and the resolve to go forward, after a brief respite, with courage and determination. Neither have ever come close to doing it justice in their lives lived. Tommy other hand, spoke from the heart. It uniquely and authentically was his voice and spoke to his life.
It is just one reminder of why Tommy Douglas was voted by CBC listeners as the greatest Canadian ever. And why he will be remembered for his grit, determination, and eloquence. As well as for his incredible accomplishments.
Doug – good article. Did you ever work with Tommy Douglas in Saskatchewan? And can you recommend a good biography of him? Aside from health care, I know nothing about him and he’s always made me curious.
Yes I did work with him a bit although as an MP and not as Premier.
He was truly an extraordinary individual. Very principled and inspiring but never a prig. He was the best orator I have ever heard.
I was at a dinner of about 1400 people at which he spoke when he was dying of cancer. He climbed on top of a table and spoke without notes for almost an hour. It was the most intelligent and inspirational speech I have ever heard. The standing ovation that followed was almost as long – people did not want to stop – and I saw hundreds of grown people crying their heads off. it was amazing. I will never forget it. i drove him home after and he was still as energetic and full of life as when he arrived. He was a true life force.
The following are biographies. You might look at Walter Stewart, Shackleton or McLeod as first choices.
Johnson, A. W. Dream No Little Dreams: A Biography of the Douglas Government of Saskatchewan, 1944-1961. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004.
Dream No Little Dreams is a comprehensive analysis of the Douglas CCF government in Saskatchewan between the years of 1944 and 1961. Johnson, a civil servant within the government, provides not only a detailed account of the public policy and governance decisions taken during their five term mandate, but also attempts to explain the dynamics, both personal and institutional, that contributed to the decision-making process during the period. He makes an effort to portray the mixture of emotion, ideology and pragmatism that fuelled the political climate during those formative years. (394 pages)
Stewart, Walter. The Life and Political Times of Tommy Douglas. Toronto: McArthur, 2003.
In Douglas’ most recent biography, Stewart makes clear that the purpose of his retrospective work, which traces Douglas’ life from early age to his deathbed, was to place the man’s political legacy within the context of the times in which he sought to better Canadian society. He acknowledges that he referred in many cases to the insights provided within the two previous biographical efforts by Shackleton and the McLeods. Written in 2004, during a time of uncertainty for the Canadian system of universal health care, Life and Times is also intended to provide a reminder of the principles that Tommy so proudly espoused during the creation of the Medicare program. (334 pages)
Margoshes, Dave. Tommy Douglas: Building the New Society. Montreal: XYZ Pub., 1999.
This short narrative of the life of Tommy Douglas, while also in a format that tracks him from young man to elder statesman, is written in a much less formal style than the other biographies. Filled with light-hearted anecdotes about his family life and political career, it is less a search of his inner demons and motivations than a gracious and readable overview of the life of a revered Canadian. A terrific resource for those who would prefer a quick and basic introduction to Tommy Douglas, the book emphasizes his strength of character, his courage, and his ability to demonstrate to Canadians that even the boldest policies are acceptable if they are sensible and just. (185 pages)
McLeod, Thomas H. and Ian McLeod. Tommy Douglas: The Road to Jerusalem. Edmonton: Hurtig, 1987.
Thomas and Ian McLeod’s biography also follows the life of Tommy Douglas from childhood in a working-class immigrant family through a political career that spanned almost half a century. Co-author Thomas McLeod, who was a fellow CCF member and economic advisor to the Saskatchewan provincial government as well as a long-time friend of Douglas’, endows the reader with the wisdom only an insider could provide. The Road to Jerusalem is a fine source for those seeking to understand Tommy Douglas’ lifelong devotion and persistence to the principles of civil rights, peace and equality. (341 pages)
Douglas, Thomas Clement. The Making of a Socialist: The Recollections of T. C. Douglas. / ed. By Lewis H. Thomas. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, 1982.
A compilation of transcribed interviews recorded in 1958 with journalist Chris Higginbotham, Douglas describes aspects of his personal and political life in informal terms. Photographs and contextualization supplied by editor Lewis H. Thomas accompany Douglas’ recollections, from childhood to the Premiership of Saskatchewan. The Making of a Socialist provides a fascinating glimpse into Douglas’ political philosophy and character. It is also an interesting perception of Canadian political history as it was being shaped in Saskatchewan a half-century ago. (400 pages)
Shackleton, Doris French. Tommy Douglas. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1975.
Shackleton’s work is an authoritative and frequently cited biography of Tommy Douglas written in 1975. Her portrayal, spanning from his childhood and formative years to shortly after his concession of the leadership of the federal NDP, creates a vivid impression of both Douglas’ personal and political character. Interwoven with his personal reflections as well as those of many of his closest acquaintances, Tommy Douglas provides a great deal of insight into what inspired and motivated the man that was so warm and colourful on the podium, who garnered the love and respect of ordinary Canadians, yet was often guarded in his personal life. (333 pages)