Woodrow Lloyd

Premier of Saskatchewan (1961–64) As Premier, Lloyd was responsible for implementing the universal health care plan that had been introduced under Douglas. Lloyd's biggest obstacle was the July 1962 Saskatchewan doctors' strike, when the province's physicians withdrew service in an attempt to defeat the Medicare initiative. After updated legislation was passed, Maclean 's named Lloyd an "outstanding citizen".

In 1963, Lloyd's government created the Saskatchewan Economic Development Corporation to partner with private industry in research and development.

Although Medicare was successfully implemented—and would be implemented across the country in the years that followed—the political turmoil did lasting damage to the CCF government, which by 1964 and had been in power for twenty years. Ross Thatcher's Liberal Party took advantage of a mood for change and worked to limit competition between free-enterprise candidates in the 1964 provincial election; although the popular vote was a virtual tie between Lloyd's party and Thatcher's Liberals, the Liberals won a narrow majority government, which was only confirmed after a number of recounts in close ridings.

Late political career (1964–71) After the 1964 election, Lloyd became leader of the Opposition. In that role he sought to renew grassroots engagement and party policy, which he felt had begun to stagnate after the long period in power. In 1967, the party fully adopted the NDP name. Thatcher also called a snap election that year; although Lloyd's party increased its share of the vote, the Liberals secured a second majority, increasing Lloyd's sense of urgency to update the party platform. When the "Waffle" movement—a faction of New Left supporters seeking to return the NDP to its socialist roots and advocating against American imperialism—began making inroads into the NDP at both the federal and provincial level in the late 1960s, it found a supporter in Lloyd, who saw its potential to increase engagement and propose innovative policy. Lloyd voted in support of the movement's Manifesto for an Independent Socialist Canada at the 1969 federal NDP convention. However, the Waffle lost the vote and Lloyd's support for the movement and his willingness to open the party to debate proved contentious among the party at home. After a special caucus meeting in 1970 in which Lloyd judged he lacked the support of much of his cabinet, he decided to resign as party leader.

In July 1970, Allan Blakeney, who had served as Minister of Health under Lloyd, was elected as the new NDP leader. Lloyd opted not to run in the 1971 election, which saw Blakeney guide the NDP back to a majority government on a rejuvenated platform that incorporated elements of Waffle policy and promised a return to the interventionist approach of the CCF.

After politics Upon Lloyd's retirement, Tommy Douglas stated that Lloyd had been "the conscience of the government and the conscience of the party." In 1971, Lloyd was appointed as representative for the United Nations Development Program in South Korea. However, in 1972, just months after assuming that post, he died suddenly in Seoul.

Electoral history +Electoral history of CCF-NDP under Woodrow Lloyd Year Party VotesSeatsPosition Total % Total±1964 CCF-NDP268,74240.3% –0.5% –111967188,65344.4% +4.1% –2 Constituency elections

E Elected X Incumbent + General Election, June 15, 1944: BiggarParty Candidate Popular Vote % Co-operative Commonwealth Federation E Woodrow Lloyd 3,633 62.76% Frank Freeman 2,156 37.24%Total 5,789 100.00%Source: Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division

+ General Election, June 24, 1948: BiggarParty Candidate Popular Vote % Co-operative Commonwealth Federation E X Woodrow Lloyd 3,695 55.30% Andrew Stewart Shaw 2,987 44.70%Total 6,682 100.00%Source: Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division

+ General Election, June 11, 1952: BiggarParty Candidate Popular Vote % Co-operative Commonwealth Federation E X Woodrow Lloyd 3,811 64.18% Andrew Stewart Shaw 2,127 35.82%Total 5,938 100.00%Source: Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division

+ General Election, June 20, 1956: BiggarParty Candidate Popular Vote % Co-operative Commonwealth Federation E X Woodrow Lloyd 3,182 56.10% Frank Freeman 1,720 30.32% Edward Wilfred Maybuck 770 13.58%Total 5,672 100.00%Source: Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division

+ General Election, June 8, 1960: BiggarParty Candidate Popular Vote % Co-operative Commonwealth Federation E X Woodrow Lloyd 3,049 51.66% Andrew Douglas Hutchison 1,932 32.73% Jack Lehmond 663 11.23% Henry Neufeld 258 4.37%Total 5,902 99.99%1Source: Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division

+ General Election, April 22, 1964: BiggarParty Candidate Popular Vote % Co-operative Commonwealth Federation E X Woodrow Lloyd 2,875 48.02% Benson McLeod Blacklock 1,992 33.27% George Loucks 1,120 18.71%Total 5,987 100.00%Source: Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division

+ General Election, October 11, 1967: BiggarParty Candidate Popular Vote % New Democratic Party E X Woodrow Lloyd 2,916 50.09% Elmer McNiven 1,571 26.99% Peter Wiebe 1,334 22.92%Total 5,821 100.00%Source: Saskatchewan Archives — Election Results by Electoral Division