Mouseland

An ever-relevant story told by The Greatest Canadian, Tommy Douglas.

Hi, My name is Kiefer Sutherland.

Many of you may know me as an actor

but there is something in my background

that you may not know.

Something which I am very proud of.

I'm also the grandson of the late Tommy Douglas,

a Premier who brought a enormous change to Saskatchewan

and the rest of Canada.

He was also the first leader

of the New Democratic Party.

Using his voice in a recording

that he had made in 1962,

we'd like to share a story with you.

A story that he made famous as early as 1940

It's a story of a place called Mouseland

And it's as important today

as it was many years ago.

It's not just a piece of History,

it's really one of the best explanations,

you'll ever hear about why Canadians, like you and me,

support the New Democrats.

The NDP and the members of the United Food and Comercial Workesrs Union

across Canada

are proud to present this animated version

of Mouseland,

It's a message worth preserving

for generations to come

and for current generations.

So, please, join me now.

It's my grandfather. He takes us to a place

that he called Mouseland.

It's the story of a place

called Mouselanda.

Mouseland was a place where all the little mice lived and played,

were born and died,

and they lived much as you and I do.

They even had a Parliament.

Every four years they had an election.

They used to walk to the polls and cast their ballots.

Some of them even got a ride to the polls.

And got a ride for the next four years afterwards too.

Just like you and me.

And every time on election day

all the little mice used to go to the ballot box

and they used to elect a government.

A government made up of big, fat, black cats.

Now if you think it's strange that mice should elect

a government made up of cats,

you just look at the history of Canada for the last 90 years

and maybe you'll see that they weren't any stupider than we are.

Now I'm not saying anything against the cats.

They were nice fellows.

They conducted their government with dignity.

They passed good laws -that is, laws that were good for cats.

But the laws that were good for cats

weren't very good for mice.

One of the laws said that mouseholes

had to be big enough so a cat could get his paw in.

Another law said that mice

could only travel at certain speeds

-so that a cat could get his breakfast

without too much physical effort.

All the laws were good laws,

for cats.

But, oh, they were hard on the mice.

And life was getting harder and harder.

And when the mice couldn't put up with it any more,

they decided something had to be done about it.

So they went en masse to the polls.

They voted the black cats out.

They put in the white cats.

The white cats, the white cats had put up a terrific campaign.

They said: "All that Mouseland needs is more vision."

They said: "The trouble with Mouseland

is those round mouseholes we've got.

If you put us in we'll established square mouseholes."

And they did.

And the square mouseholes were twice as big

as the round mouseholes,

and now the cat could get both his paws in.

And life was tougher than ever.

And when they couldn't take that anymore,

they voted the white cats out and put the black ones in again.

Then they went back to the white cats.

Then to the black cats.

They even tried half black cats and half white cats.

And they called that coalition.

They even got one government

made up of cats with spots on them:

they were cats that tried to make a noise like a mouse but ate like a cat.

You see, my friends, the trouble wasn't with the colour of the cat.

The trouble was that they were cats.

And because they were cats,

they naturally looked after cats instead of mice.

Presently there came along one little mouse

who had an idea.

My friends, watch out for the little fellow with an idea.

And he said to the other mice,

"Look fellows,

Why do we keep on electing a government made up of cats?

Why don't we elect a government made up of mice?"

"Oh," they said, "he's a Bolshevik.

Lock him up!" So they put him in jail.

But I want to remind you:

that you can lock up a mouse or a man

but you can't lock up an idea.

As my granfather would have wanted,

the message of Mouseland,

is for all the people of Canada.

We hope you have enjoyed this production

and we hope that this has left you

with something to think about.

Thanks to the short film I think Tommy Douglas's words

have as much life and meaning today

as when he first spoke them.

Thank you very much for joining me.

Subtitles by: Yolanda Juarros Barcenilla http://www.educarueca.org