Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story is a CBC Television miniseries first aired in two consecutive parts on March 12 and March 13, 2006. It dramatizes and fictionalizes the life and career of Tommy Douglas, the Canadian politician who oversaw the legislation of Canada's first medicare program as premier of Saskatchewan. The production is directed by John N. Smith and produced by Kevin DeWalt. CBC Television is the primary English language television service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. ... A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Thomas Clement Douglas, PC, CC, SOM, MA, LL.D (hc) (October 20, 1904 – February 24, 1986) was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Premier of Saskatchewan is the first minister for the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. ...

Cast

• Michael Therriault - Tommy Douglas
• Kristin Booth - Irma Douglas
• Graham Bell - Mr. Fortier
• Nicholas Campbell - Edward James Young
• Brent Carver - Secretary Balsam (fictional)
• Adrian Devine - M.J. Coldwell
• Paul Gross - John Diefenbaker
• Shannon Jardine - Lally
• Andy Jones - Mackenzie King
• Robert Maloney - Woodrow S. Lloyd
• Brian Markinson - Jimmie Gardiner
• Don McKellar - Clarence Fines
• Rob Roy - Weyburn Arena Moderator
• R.H. Thomson - Dr. Moulds (fictional)
• Ian Tracey - Charlie Lawson
• Kent Wolkowski - Danny Reeves
•  ??? Shirley Douglas

Michael Therriault Michael Therriault is an actor. ... Thomas Clement Douglas, PC, CC, SOM, MA, LL.D (hc) (October 20, 1904 – February 24, 1986) was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician. ... Kristen Booth (Born 28 August 1974 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) is an Canadian actress. ... Thomas Clement Douglas, PC, CC, SOM, MA, LL.D (hc) (October 20, 1904 – February 24, 1986) was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician. ... Graham Bell could refer to: Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of telephony D. Graham Bell, ornithologist This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Nicholas Campbell as Dominic Da Vinci Nicholas Campbell (b. ... Brent Carver (born 1952 in Cranbrook, British Columbia) is a Canadian actor. ... Paul Adrian Devine (born December 2, 1951 in Galveston, Texas) was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1973 to 1980 for the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. ... Hon. ... Paul Michael Gross (born 30 April 1959), is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. ... John George Diefenbaker, CH, PC, QC, BA, MA, LL.B, LL.D, DCL, FRSC, FRSA, D.Litt, DSL, (18 September 1895 – 16 August 1979) was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada (1957 – 1963). ... Andrew Jordan Jones (born January 15, 1948) is a member of CODCO. Andy Jones was born in St. ... Not to be confused with William Lyon Mackenzie, Mackenzie Kings grandfather. ... Robert Maloney may refer to: Robert S. Maloney (1881-1934) United States House of Representatives member from Massachusetts Robert Maloney (doctor), a doctor on Extreme Makeover Category: ... Woodrow Stanley Lloyd (July 16, 1913-April 7, 1972) was a Canadian politician who succeeded Tommy Douglas as Premier of the Province of Saskatchewan. ... The Right Honourable James (Jimmy) Garfield Gardiner (November 30, 1883-January 2, 1962) was a farmer, politician, Premier of Saskatchewan, Canada, and minister in the Canadian Cabinet. ... Donald Don McKellar (born August 17, 1963 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian actor, writer, and filmmaker. ... Clarence Melvin Fines (born August 16, 1905 in Darlington, Manitoba; died October 27, 1993 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) was provincial treasurer of Saskatchewan during the Tommy Douglas era, and also served as Deputy Premier. ... Weyburn is a city in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. ... R. H. Thomson (born 1947 in Richmond Hill, Ontario) is a Canadian television, film and stage actor. ... Ian Tracey (born 26 June 1964 in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada) is a Canadian Leo and Gemini Award -winning actor. ... Shirley Douglas OC (born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian television, film and stage actress. ...

Controversies

Prairie Giant has attracted a great deal of controversy. Although the CBC promoted Prairie Giant as a ‘real story about real people’, after the miniseries aired on the CBC in two parts on March 12 and 13, 2006, newspaper columnists, radio talk shows, internet blogs, and the Saskatchewan legislature commented on the fallacies present in the story line of the CBC – Minds Eye Productions mini-series. Historical fallacies and omissions concerning Medicare, Douglas's personal life and career, and the mischaracterization of the Rt. Hon. James Garfield Gardiner were identified. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), a Canadian crown corporation, is the country’s national public radio and television broadcaster. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Right Honourable James (Jimmy) Garfield Gardiner (November 30, 1883-January 2, 1962) was a farmer, politician, Premier of Saskatchewan, Canada, and minister in the Canadian Cabinet. ...

On March 16, 2006, Saskatoon StarPhoenix political columnist Randy Burton wrote [1] “…and the fall guy was Jimmy Gardiner. At least I think that’s who it was. By the time the Mother Corp was finished with him, the poor guy looked more like Jimmy Cagney.” “It was wonderful television but abysmal history”. “On almost every score, scriptwriter Bruce Smith got Gardiner wrong. Significant historical events were either twisted beyond recognition or worse, drawn out of thin air.” Burton identified specific instances of historical error and highlighted the Estevan coal miner’s strike as “probably the most egregious error in Prairie Giant… [Gardiner's] speech is broadcast live to the entire province and leaves the clear impression that Gardiner was the premier of the day… This whole scene is false… Worse, to suggest the Liberal Gardiner would publicly attack immigrants in such a manner belies his history of fighting the Ku Klux Klan… On the television show, Gardiner is almost always shown with a drink in his hand but, in real life, he was a teetotaler… to suggest that he was nothing but a thuggish strongman, who put political squabbles ahead of the welfare of his province’s interests, is nothing but character assassination.” March 16 is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Saskatoon StarPhoenix is a daily newspaper that serves Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and area. ... Members of the second Ku Klux Klan at a rally during the 1920s. ...

Burton quoted Saskatchewan political scientist David Smith as saying “it was really a travesty to do what they did”.

On March 17, 2006, Regina Leader-Post political columnist Murray Mandryk stated [2] “But the third critical aspect for a project like this has to be some level of historical accuracy and it is in the script itself where the movie fails. The most egregious example of this was clearly the Estevan Riot, where any sense of historical accuracy began and ended with the death of the miners. Simply put, the bodies were not left in the street to rot for all to see. Gardiner was not the premier of the day and he didn’t give a province-wide radio address attacking the strikers as communists and undesitrable immigrants.” Mandryk states that former NDP Premier Allan Blakeney described the movie as “seriously flawed” and quotes Blakeney as saying “But he was not Saint Tommy and nor was Jimmy Gardiner the epitome of evil”. is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Regina Leader-Post is a local newspaper of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and a member of the CanWest News Service. ... The Honourable Allan Emrys Blakeney, PC , OC , SOM , QC , MA , DCL (born September 7, 1925) was the Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan from 1971 to 1982, and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP). ...

On July 9, 2006, former CCF MP and well-known journalist Douglas Fisher described the film as “A Shoddy Portrait of another Prairie Giant”[3]. Fisher stated “I was taken aback… by the low sleazy way Jimmy Gardiner was depicted… He was a very moral, judgmental man, abstemious, work-absorbed and politically courageous.” Referring to 1957, Fisher adds “I soon realised that the CCF’s horror stories about Jimmy’s 'machine' and its vile patronage were an attempt to make a devil of him for what was, in fact, simply well-organised partisanship.” July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 175 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction. ... Douglas Mason (Doug) Fisher (born September 19, 1919) is a Canadian political columnist and former politician. ...

The producers initially claimed that the film was well researched. On June 12, 2006, the CBC, through Executive Vice-President Richard Stursberg, stated "I regret the mischaracterization of James Garfield Gardiner in the mini-series 'Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story' that we aired earlier this season". He further stated "The criticisms… expressed about the credibility of this portrayal concerned us greatly even as we came to its defence. To help us address the criticisms, we engaged an outside third-party historian… to assess the way in which Mr. Gardiner was depicted. I regret to say that his conclusion was that the character created for the film does not reflect the accepted historical record… the characterization in the mini-series is significantly different from Mr. Gardiner's true personality and behaviour." The CBC pulled Prairie Giant from future scheduled broadcasts, stating that it would return if they find a solution to address the historical fallacies.[4] June 12 is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Questions have also been raised about the wisdom of the Government of Saskatchewan having contributed funding to the film.^[1].^[2]

Funding

Here is a general breakdown of the direct funding the film received:^[3]

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Loonie. ... The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), a Canadian crown corporation, is the country’s national public radio and television broadcaster. ... Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated primarily to the development and promotion of the Canadian film, television, and new media industries. ... The Canadian Television Fund was created in 1996 to support the broadcast and production of quality Canadian television programming. ... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (Latin: The Strength of Many Peoples) Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Gordon Barnhart - Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (Split from NWT) (9th (province)) Area Ranked... CanWest Global Communications Corp. ...

Awards

Prairie Giant was nominated for a total of nine Dora Awards, including: The Dora Mavor Moore Award (also known as the Dora Award) is a Canadian award presented annually which honours Canadian theatre and dance productions given in five major categories: General Theatre, Independent Theatre, Dance, Opera, and Theatre for Young Audiences. ...

• Best Dramatic Mini-Series -- Nomination (Kevin DeWalt, producer)
• Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series -- Nomination (Bruce M. Smith)
• Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Dramatic Program or Series -- Nomination (Kathy McCoy, Kim Wall)
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series -- Nomination (Michael Therriault)
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series -- Nomination (Don McKellar)
• Best Achievement in Casting -- Nomination (Carmen Kotyk)
• Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series -- Nomination (Pierre Letarte)
• Best Achievement in Make-Up -- Winner (Donald J. Mowat, Paula Fleet, Jane Meade)
• Best Sound in a Dramatic Program -- Nomination (Rob Bryanton, Steve Hasiak, Evan Rust, Al Sherbin, Warren St. Onge)

Prairie Giant received seven awards at the 2007 Accolade Television Competitions, including: Michael Therriault Michael Therriault is an actor. ... Donald Don McKellar (born August 17, 1963 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian actor, writer, and filmmaker. ... Rob Bryanton is a Canadian author and composer, from Regina, Saskatchewan, known for his first book, Imagining the Tenth Dimension. ...

• Best of Show - Network Television (Kevin DeWalt, producer)
• Best of Show - Lead Actor (Michael Therriault)
• Award of Excellence - Direction (John N. Smith)
• Award of Excellence - Script/Writer (Bruce M. Smith)
• Award of Excellence - Art Direction (Kathy McCoy, Kim Wall)
• Honorable Mention - Editing (Jackie Dzuba)
• Honorable Mention - Sound: Overall Impact - (Rob Bryanton, Steve Hasiak, Evan Rust, Al Sherbin, Warren St. Onge)

The chaiperson of the of the Accolade Television Competition also released this commendation for the project: "First, I want you to know that we were very much taken with The Tommy Douglas Story. In fact it won the most awards of any program for the last Accolade deadline. It is unusual for us to grant that many honors. I'll have to check, but I don't recall ever having so many honors to go to one program. It is an absolutely excellent production and everyone involved should be very proud. ..." Michael Therriault Michael Therriault is an actor. ... Rob Bryanton is a Canadian author and composer, from Regina, Saskatchewan, known for his first book, Imagining the Tenth Dimension. ...

References

1. ^ Leader-Post: CBC yanks Douglas movie. James Wood. Jun 13, 2006. pg. A.1.Fro
2. ^ CBC WatchNDP party $614,000 contribution
3. ^ Email with Janine Stener, Associate Producer, Mouseland Productions Inc. June 22nd, 2006.

• For the love of Tommy; Dave Margoshes. The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ont.: May 10, 2005. pg. R.3
• Moose Jaw Times Herald. Moose Jaw, Sask.: Mar 21, 2006. pg. 2

See also

• Father of Medicare
• The Greatest Canadian
• Cooperative Commonwealth Federation
• Trudeau

Several individuals may be recognized as father of the Canadian system of universal public medicare: Tommy Douglas pioneered public health insurance as Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961 and federal leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada from 1961 to 1971. ... Officially launched on April 5, 2004, The Greatest Canadian was a project by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to find out who is considered the greatest Canadian of all time. ... The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups as well as the League for Social Reconstruction. ... Trudeau was a 2002 television miniseries, which aired on CBC Television. ...

External links

• Official site
• Trailer
• CBC site for Prairie Giant
• Prairie Giant on IMDB
• Talking Dog Studios - audio post