The Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation is Canada's charitable home for social democracy and its many leaders. It was founded nearly 50 years ago by the "Greatest Canadian" and the father of medicare in Canada, Tommy Douglas.
If you were asked to name three great leaders of Canadian Social Democracy, it is likely that Tommy Douglas, Major James Coldwell and Jack Layton would come to mind. Their life-long contributions to social democracy in Canada and around the globe are well celebrated.
A dream they shared was to build an independent progressive charitable think tank unbound to any other organization or political party.
In November 1971 this dream became a reality with the establishment of the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation with Tommy Douglas as its founding President. In the words of Tommy Douglas, the Foundation would: "provoke discussion…to keep the movements on the left-whether the co-operative movement, the trade union movement or the political movement- from getting in a rut."
In 1987, our organization was strengthened through a merger with J.S. Woodsworth's own charity; the Woodsworth Memorial Foundation.
Through new research and educational programs, the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation aspires to teach Canadians about our founder's legacies and their important contributions to our country and modern-day society. Our goal is to advance the work and ideas of Tommy Douglas and his vision for a Canada where no person is left behind.
As of January 2022, the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation was renamed the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation, with Jack Layton being named a Founder of the charity.
The Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation is a Canadian registered charity. All donations will be tax receipted.
