Prairie Giant
Encyclopedia
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 public healthcare program as Premier of Saskatchewan
. The production is directed by John N. Smith
and produced by Kevin DeWalt. Prairie Giant is distributed in the United States by Invincible Pictures.
promoted Prairie Giant as a "real story about real people" but the series was subjected to widespread commentary on the fallacies present in the story line. Historical fallacies and omissions concerning Canada's public healthcare system and its history, Douglas's personal life and career, and the mischaracterization of the Rt. Hon. James Garfield Gardiner
were identified.
On March 16, 2006, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
political columnist Randy Burton, among other things, wrote "It was wonderful television but abysmal history" and "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."
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 “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”.
On July 9, 2006, former CCF
MP and well-known journalist Douglas Fisher
described the film as “A Shoddy Portrait of another Prairie Giant”. 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.”
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. On 10 September 2007, it was announced that the controversial CBC mini-series would be rebroadcast with no changes on another channel, Vision TV, (on September 25 and 27). Several times, for instance in late 2007 and again in April 2008, the Hallmark Channel
broadcasted the series in Asia.
Attention has also been drawn to the funding provided to the film by the Government of Saskatchewan.
s, including:
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
first aired in two consecutive parts on March 12 and March 13, 2006. It dramatizes and fictionalizes the life and career of Tommy Douglas
Tommy Douglas
Thomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician...
, the Canadian politician who oversaw the legislation of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's first public healthcare program as Premier of Saskatchewan
Premier of Saskatchewan
The Premier of Saskatchewan is the first minister for the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
. The production is directed by John N. Smith
John N. Smith
John N. Smith is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. He began his career making documentary and short films before moving on to feature films and then finally working primarily in television. His work has been nominated in the Academy Awards, Genie Awards, and Gemini Awards, but has only...
and produced by Kevin DeWalt. Prairie Giant is distributed in the United States by Invincible Pictures.
Cast
- Michael TherriaultMichael TherriaultMichael Therriault is a Canadian actor. He attended Etobicoke School of the Arts in Toronto, Sheridan College in Oakville, and was a member of the inaugural season of the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre Training in Stratford, Ontario.After spending seven seasons at the Stratford...
- Tommy DouglasTommy DouglasThomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician... - Kristin Booth - Irma Douglas
- Graham Bell - Mr. Fortier
- Nicholas CampbellNicholas CampbellNicholas Campbell , sometimes credited as Nick Campbell, is a Canadian actor and filmmaker, who has won three Gemini Awards for acting. The movies Naked Lunch, Prozac Nation and the TV series Da Vinci's Inquest are some examples of his acting work.-Early life:Campbell was born in Toronto, Ontario,...
- Edward James YoungEdward James YoungEdward James Young was a Canadian politician and farmer. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1925 as a Member of the Liberal Party representing the riding of Weyburn. He was re-elected to Weyburn in 1926 and 1930 but defeated in 1935.- External links :*... - Brent CarverBrent CarverBrent Carver is a Canadian actor.Carver is known for a variety of stage and film roles, including The Wars, Kronborg: 1582, Lilies, Larry's Party, Elizabeth Rex, Millennium, Shadow Dancing, and Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love...
- Secretary Balsam (fictional) - Aidan DevineAidan DevineAidan Devine is a Canadian film actor. He was born in England and immigrated with his family to Canada at the age of 15. He studied at Dawson College's Dome Theatre in Montreal, Quebec and began his acting career in Montreal. He would later relocate to Toronto. His 1993 breakout role came in...
- M.J. Coldwell - Paul GrossPaul GrossPaul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
- John DiefenbakerJohn DiefenbakerJohn George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963... - Shannon Jardine - Lally
- Andy JonesAndy Jones (comedian)Andrew Jordan Jones is a Canadian comedian, and a former member of CODCO.Andy Jones was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador...
- Mackenzie King - Robert MaloneyRobert MaloneyRobert Maloney may refer to:*Robert S. Maloney United States House of Representatives member from Massachusetts*Robert Maloney , a doctor on Extreme Makeover* Robert B. Maloney , U.S. federal judge...
- Woodrow S. Lloyd - Brian MarkinsonBrian MarkinsonBrian Markinson is a Canadian film and television actor. He has appeared as Police Chief Bill Jacobs on Da Vinci's Inquest and Da Vinci's City Hall...
- Jimmy GardinerJames Garfield GardinerJames Garfield "Jimmy" Gardiner, PC was a Canadian farmer, educator, and politician... - Don McKellarDon McKellar-Personal life:McKellar was born in Toronto, Ontario to a lawyer father and teacher mother. He attended Glenview Senior Public School, Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute and later studied English at the University of Toronto's Victoria College...
- Clarence FinesClarence FinesClarence Melvin Fines was provincial treasurer of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan during the Tommy Douglas era, and also served as Deputy Premier.... - Rob Roy - Weyburn ArenaWeyburn, SaskatchewanWeyburn is a city in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located on the Souris River southeast of the provincial capital of Regina and is north of the border with the United States. The name is reputedly a corruption of the Scottish "wee burn," referring to a small creek. The city is...
Moderator - R.H. Thomson - Dr. Moulds (fictional)
- Ian TraceyIan TraceyIan Tracey is a Canadian Leo- and Gemini Award-winning actor. Over the years, Tracey has participated in over seventy films and television series. Tracey has starred in series like Da Vinci's Inquest and Intelligence, both CBC television series produced by long-time colleague Chris Haddock...
- Charlie Lawson - Kent Wolkowski - Danny Reeves
- Mackenzie Blaisdell - Shirley DouglasShirley DouglasShirley Jean Douglas, OC is a Canadian television, film and stage actress and activist. Her acting career combined with her family name has made her recognisable in Canadian film, television and politics.-Personal life:...
(childhood) - Christine MacInnis - Shirley DouglasShirley DouglasShirley Jean Douglas, OC is a Canadian television, film and stage actress and activist. Her acting career combined with her family name has made her recognisable in Canadian film, television and politics.-Personal life:...
(adult) - Ian Black - Tommy Douglas Sr.
Response
The CBCCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
promoted Prairie Giant as a "real story about real people" but the series was subjected to widespread commentary on the fallacies present in the story line. Historical fallacies and omissions concerning Canada's public healthcare system and its history, Douglas's personal life and career, and the mischaracterization of the Rt. Hon. James Garfield Gardiner
James Garfield Gardiner
James Garfield "Jimmy" Gardiner, PC was a Canadian farmer, educator, and politician...
were identified.
On March 16, 2006, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
The StarPhoenix is a daily newspaper that serves Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and is a part of Postmedia Network.The StarPhoenix was first published as The Saskatoon Phenix on October 17, 1902 . In 1909, it became a daily paper and, in 1910, was renamed the Saskatoon Capital...
political columnist Randy Burton, among other things, wrote "It was wonderful television but abysmal history" and "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...
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
... 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."
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
Regina Leader-Post
The Regina Leader-Post is the daily newspaper of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and now a member of the Postmedia Network.The newspaper was first published as The Leader in 1883, by Nicholas Flood Davin...
political columnist Murray Mandryk stated “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
Estevan Riot
The Estevan Riot, also known as the Black Tuesday Riot, was a confrontation between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and striking coal miners from nearby Bienfait, Saskatchewan which took place in Estevan, Saskatchewan on September 29, 1931. The miners had been on strike since September 7, 1931...
, 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
Allan Blakeney
Allan Emrys Blakeney, PC, OC, SOM, QC, FRSC was the tenth Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan from 1971 to 1982, and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party .-Life and career:...
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”.
On July 9, 2006, former CCF
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation 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...
MP and well-known journalist Douglas Fisher
Douglas Fisher
Douglas Fisher or Doug Fisher may refer to:* Douglas Fisher , British sailor & Fourth Sea Lord* Doug Fisher , British actor* Doug Fisher , Canadian politician and columnist...
described the film as “A Shoddy Portrait of another Prairie Giant”. 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.”
The producers initially claimed that the film was well researched. On June 12, 2006, the CBC, through Executive Vice-President Richard Stursberg
Richard Stursberg
Richard Stursberg was executive vice president of CBC/Radio Canada from October 1, 2004 to August 6, 2010.-Life and career:Stursberg has more than 25 years’ experience in the entertainment, broadcasting, cable, telecommunications and cultural industries, including terms as head of the Canadian...
, 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. On 10 September 2007, it was announced that the controversial CBC mini-series would be rebroadcast with no changes on another channel, Vision TV, (on September 25 and 27). Several times, for instance in late 2007 and again in April 2008, the Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
broadcasted the series in Asia.
Attention has also been drawn to the funding provided to the film by the Government of Saskatchewan.
Funding
Below is a general breakdown of the direct funding the film received:| Funding Source | Amount (CDN$ Canadian dollar The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... ) |
|---|---|
| CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster... - Broadcast licence |
$1,204,500 |
| Telefilm Canada Telefilm Canada Telefilm Canada or Téléfilm Canada is a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Canada.It is the primary federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry.... - Equity Investment Program |
$2,480,000 |
| Canadian Television Fund Canadian Television Fund The Canadian Television Fund supported the production and broadcast of Canadian television programs. On 1 April 2010, the Canadian Television Fund became the Canada Media Fund... - Licence Fee Top-Up Program |
$1,520,000 |
| Government of Saskatchewan - Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 | $614,000 |
| Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit | $471,494 |
| Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit | $1,589,606 |
| CanWest Western Independent Producers Fund | $110,000 |
Awards
Prairie Giant was nominated for a total of nine Genie AwardGenie Award
Genie Awards are given out to recognize the best of Canadian cinema by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. From 1949-1979, the awards were named the Canadian Film Awards...
s, including:
- 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 WallKim WallKim Wall is an American Actress. She is probably best known for starring in the 1988 sequel Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland.-Career:...
) - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series – Nomination (Michael TherriaultMichael TherriaultMichael Therriault is a Canadian actor. He attended Etobicoke School of the Arts in Toronto, Sheridan College in Oakville, and was a member of the inaugural season of the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre Training in Stratford, Ontario.After spending seven seasons at the Stratford...
) - Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series – Nomination (Don McKellarDon McKellar-Personal life:McKellar was born in Toronto, Ontario to a lawyer father and teacher mother. He attended Glenview Senior Public School, Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute and later studied English at the University of Toronto's Victoria College...
) - 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)
See also
- Estevan RiotEstevan RiotThe Estevan Riot, also known as the Black Tuesday Riot, was a confrontation between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and striking coal miners from nearby Bienfait, Saskatchewan which took place in Estevan, Saskatchewan on September 29, 1931. The miners had been on strike since September 7, 1931...
- Father of MedicareFather of medicareSeveral individuals may be recognized as the father of medicare in Canada.*Tommy Douglas forwarded public health insurance as Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961 and federal leader of the New Democratic Party from 1961 to 1971. Although Douglas is often credited as the "father of Medicare"...
- The Greatest CanadianThe Greatest CanadianOfficially launched on April 5, 2004, The Greatest Canadian was a television program series by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to determine who is considered to be the greatest Canadian of all time, at least among those who watched and participated in the program...
- Cooperative Commonwealth Federation
- TrudeauTrudeau (film)Trudeau is a 2002 television miniseries dramatizing the life of former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. It aired on CBC Television and was written by Wayne Grigsby and directed by Jerry Ciccoritti....
- Politics of SaskatchewanPolitics of SaskatchewanThe Politics of Saskatchewan are part of the Canadian federal political system along with the other Canadian provinces. Saskatchewan has a Lieutenant-Governor, Gordon Barnhart, who is the representative of the Crown in Right of Saskatchewan, an elected premier, Brad Wall, leading the Cabinet, and a...