A political wave in wartime Saskatchewan reshaped how government and business intertwined.
After the CCF’s election victory in June 1944, Premier Tommy Douglas and Finance Minister Clarence Fines launched one of Canada’s most ambitious public ownership programs. By June 1945, new Crown Corporations, including SGI, SaskTel, and SaskPower began expanding, bringing electricity, insurance, and telephone service to parts of the province for the first time. Rural families who’d never seen lights or phones were now connected.
Those early experiments in public enterprise became a hallmark of Saskatchewan’s identity: pragmatic, community‑minded, and proudly self‑reliant.
Learn more about 100 Years of CKRM at 620ckrm.com.
100 Years of Saskatchewan History
This article is part of a series that celebrates both the history of Saskatchewan and the 100th anniversary of one of Saskatchewan's most storied radio stations. For more key moments from the last 100 years, visit the CKRM timeline.
