On November 17, 1961, the Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance bill received royal assent, with universal medicare to be implemented province-wide in July of 1962.
While medicare is now cheered in Canada as one of the great things about living in this country, and Tommy Douglas was even voted as the “Greatest Canadian” in a CBC poll largely on people’s appreciation for the program, at the time it was not universally popular.
Reading the pages of the Yorkton Enterprise, one would think it was the worst thing to happen in the history of Canada. Editorials at the time lambasted Douglas for the increased taxes, partially to pay for the new program. The writer at the time theorized that the only people immigrating to the province would be people in need of medical care, while everyone else would leave in a panic.
It wasn’t until the next year that the effects of the new law would come into effect. The doctors of the province did not approve of the new law, and the result was a strike protesting its implementation.
Dr. C.J. Houston stated “You, the patients and your health, are faced with a greater danger than has ever been faced in the history of Saskatchewan.” He regarded government involvement in health care as the worst thing that could possibly happen, and was one of four local doctors who argued strenuously against it.
City council of the day got involved as well, declaring that they would ask the premier Woodrow S. Lloyd to delay the act, with Alderman Bill Johnson arguing most strenuously against it, arguing that it was an infringement of the rights of the province’s doctors. Some people even argued that they should demand Lloyd resign as premier, though this was shot down.
“Whatever happens, Tommy’s legacy is not the kind that will set up gentle thoughts of gratitude” read an editorial in the Yorkton Enterprise.
Controversy was not exclusive to the world of healthcare, however. After a 3-2 loss to the Saskatoon Quakers, the Yorkton Terriers were incensed, and launched a formal protest to dispute a goal awarded at the end of the first period. The goal judge said there was a goal scored, but the play wasn’t suspended immediately as nobody else noticed. The head referee for the game, Jules Zwick, had his eye on other things. This was not something new for the Terriers, after a similar incident the year previous cost them a playoff spot. They threatened to leave the league if it happened again.
Christmas was also in the air, and that meant you could shop on Wednesdays, which was otherwise not allowed in Yorkton.
