REGINA — New Democrat members and luminaries are mourning the loss of former MLA and cabinet minister Kim Thorson.
Thorson, late of Regina, formerly of Weyburn, died Jan. 7 at the age of 93 years.
He was the last surviving member of the Tommy Douglas CCF government caucus. He represented Souris-Estevan in the legislature from 1956 to 1960 while Douglas was in power. He later returned to the Legislature and served as a cabinet minister under Allan Blakeney as Minister of Industry and Commerce, and was responsible for SaskPower and the Economic Development Corporation.
He also was a longtime lawyer and Rotarian, and involved in countless organizations and boards. More details about his life can be found in this article from 2020.
Opposition Leader Carla Beck paid tribute to Thorson in a statement issued Thursday.
"I want to extend my deepest and heartfelt condolences to family, friends and colleagues of former Saskatchewan NDP Minister and MLA Kim Thorson, and especially to his children – Eric, Janet, Vanessa and their families.
"A giant in progressive politics, Kim was someone who devoted much of his life to making the world a better place.The last surviving member of the Tommy Douglas Government Caucus, Kim and his colleagues changed healthcare for the better — and they changed Canada for the better. Imagine where we would be today without Medicare.
"I am proud to join my 26 Saskatchewan NDP colleagues each and every day in the ongoing fight for healthcare, but let’s be clear that we’ve only been given this privilege because of people like Kim Thorson who came before us. Today, we mourn the loss of an incredible Saskatchewan leader. Tomorrow, we carry on the fight in his honour and in honour of all those that came before us."
Health critic Meara Conway also paid tribute in remarks at a news conference Thursday morning at the legislature.
"He was the last surviving member of the Tommy Douglas Government Caucus and a former cabinet minister with the Blakeney Government. That was of course an incredible group. The government delivered, that was the government that delivered on the dream and vision of Medicare.
"They changed our country and they changed healthcare forever. Kim and his incredible colleagues will not be forgotten. Rest in peace Kim. I'm proud to be in the legislature because of you all fighting for public healthcare."
