In 2004, the CBC created a television program that asked the country to vote for the person they believe is the greatest Canadian of all time. He beat out other famous personalities such as Wayne Gretzky, Alexander Graham Bell and Terry Fox, to name a few. His crucial role in making healthcare available to all Canadians, free of cost, makes his impact on all past, present and future lives immeasurable.
Currently, the Federal Court of Canada has ordered the Canadian government to reconsider its decision not to release important secret files regarding Tommy. Though the government has already released partial reports, some think it is not living up to its obligation, under the Access to Information Act, to release further information to the public.
According to The Star, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) tracked Douglas from the late 1930’s until 1986 – the year of his death. But the government believes that in releasing more of these reports to the public, without any censorship, they’ll be giving away vital information about the methods of its spy trade.
However, the Federal Court is arguing that it is in the best interests of all present and future Canadians that we have access to any information that shapes “our collective knowledge and memory as a country.”
And Tommy’s daughter, Shirley, agrees. She is supporting this court challenge, even though the RCMP reports contain information garnered from their shadowing of her father, which involved analyzing his writing, attending his speeches and eavesdropping on his private conversations.
To learn more details about this case, click here!
Photo: Shirley, Tommy and her mother, Irma.
