The 'Douglas-Coldwell Foundation' is a
Canadian think tank devoted, in the words of its slogan, to "promoting education and research into
social democracy." It was founded in
1971, and is based in
Ottawa.
The Foundation was named for and inspired by
Tommy Douglas, the first federal leader of the
New Democratic Party from
1961 to
1971, and
M. J. Coldwell, leader of its predecessor
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from
1942 to
1960. Both had desired a Canadian counterpart to the
Fabian Society.
In
1987, it merged with the Ontario Woodsworth Memorial Foundation of
Toronto, named for Coldwell's predecessor as CCF leader,
J. S. Woodsworth.
The foundation has underwritten biographies of
Douglas,
Coldwell,
Clarence Gillis,
Stanley Knowles, and
Grace MacInnis, scholarships and lectureships at Canadian post-secondary institutions, and awards. Conferences supported have included Federal NDP Renewal Conferences in
1994 and
1995.
The Foundation is a registered
charitable foundation, contributions to which are
tax-deductible in Canada; it accepts memberships and solicits donations from individuals and organizations in the general public. While predominantly associated with NDP members and activists, and concerned in part with the history and future of the party, it is an independent group with no administrative connection to any political party.
External link
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Douglas-Coldwell Foundation