Bio
In 1957, local CCF organizers looking for a candidate to fight the legendary Liberal cabinet minister C.D. Howe, turned to a high school teacher in Port Arthur.
Douglas Fisher took a shot at it and the end result shocked the nation as he ‘dethroned’ the man nicknamed the ‘Minister of Everything’.
It is arguably the greatest upset in Canadian history. The win grabbed media attention in Ottawa and Fisher’s early appearances in both the House of Commons and parliamentary committees showed him to be a challenging speaker and fierce inquisitor.
While still an MP, Douglas began writing columns with the Toronto Telegram, later the Toronto Sun, eventually turning to a full-time career of over 45 years in print, more than 25 years as host of a Sunday night tv show, Insight with Doug Fisher, and regular appearances on CTV’s Question Period.
Left to right: father Roy, sister Irene, mother Pearl, brother George, and sister Joyce with Douglas.
Douglas was born in a cottage on Queen St., in Sioux Lookout, Ontario September 19, 1919. He spent most of his childhood in Sioux lookout. He became a soldier for the Canadian Army in early 1940 and served with the12th Manitoba Dragoons, an armoured car regiment that trained in Canada and the UK before taking part in the allies’ Normandy offensive in 1944.
Douglas was a student at Ryerson, the University of Toronto, obtaining a bachelor of library science. As a working man, he went from miner, to fire ranger, to bridge guard, to construction and finally teaching. As an MP he served for seven years, during which time he became a columnist; in 1974 Douglas served as chairman of Hockey Canada.
Barbara and Douglas with sons Mark, baby Luke, Tobias, Matthew and John; 1965.
Newspapers
- Toronto Telegram 1962-1971
- Toronto Sun 1972-2006
Magazines
- Legion Magazine 1970s-2005
- Executive Magazine 1978-1984
Television
- CFTO 1962, CJOH 1962-1998, CTV Question Period -1977, CBC
Lobbyist
- Forestry
- Indians
- Sport
- Royal Commissions
MP
- Politician 1957-1965 + 1968 + 1972
- The CCF Party 1957-1962
- NDP 1963-1965
Teacher
- Teachers College 1956-57
- Port Arthur Collegiate Institute 1957-58
Librarian
- Queens (full time) and Postgraduate student (part time) 1952-53
- Lakehead Technical lnstitute 1953-56
Student archivist
- University of London 1950-51
Soldier
- WWII 1942-1945
I was born in Port Arthur (Thunder Bay) in 1955 to Morris and Doris Fisher and for my entire youth when I told people my name they would invariably ask if Doug Fisher was my father and I would say “No, he’s my grandfather”. After some puzzled looks, and some saying that he’s not old enough to be my grandfather I would then tell them that no I was not “that” Doug Fisher’s son, but that indeed my grandfather’s name is Doug Fisher. I knew that Doug Fisher was a politician before I knew what a politician was and although we never met he was a big part of my youth in Port Arthur.
Doug Fisher was an excellent teacher. He taught us to think critically and instilled in us a love of history and its importance. He suggested many books to read which took us beyond the bare textbook, and made the subject come alive. He and Peter Hennessy inspired many of us to study history in university and pursue careers in teaching. He was an important part of Canadian political history and will be missed.
I have very fond memories of my time at PACI and especially the time spent in Doug’s history classes. I was in contact with Sheila Hurtig in the year of our reunion and was truly disappointed that Doug could not attend as I would truly have loved to have seen him again after so many years although the big screen filled in quite nicely. At any rate I did see a great many fellow students that I hadn’t seen in what was almost a lifetime. I do wish to thank Doug Fisher for all he meant to me and the things I remembered through all these years, I wish him well and many more fine years—people like him are few and far between and probably come once in a lifetime. Sincere Best Wishes..Ken Burns,now retired from the City of Calgary Electric System and living in Nanaimo BC. 3 children,8 grandchildren and two great grandsons.