- Tommy Douglas: Now many of you have asked whether I took any awards upon graduation, and well, you know, as a matter of fact, I did. Oh, I walked off with quite a few of 'em. But when they found them missing, they made me give them back.
- Tommy Douglas: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are they who are persecuted. But, you know, that isn't the world that we live in, is it? No, no, in this world, it's blessed are the strong, blessed are the educated, blessed are the powerful. The poor and the meek aren't blessed at all, and people who call themselves good Christians, stand by and tolerate it.
- Tommy Douglas: I would like to tell you a story. It's the story of a place called Mouseland. And this is where all the little mice lived and played, were born and died, and where they lived, much the same as you and I do. They even had a parliament, and every four years they held an election, used to walk down to the polls and cast their ballots. Some of them even got a ride to the polls. And they 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, and maybe you'll see, 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 are good for cats, aren't very good for mice. One of the laws said that mouse holes have to be big enough so that 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 effort. All of 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 take it anymore, they decided something had to be done about it. So they went en masse to the polls, and they voted the black cats out. They put in the white cats. And still nothing changed.
- Tommy Douglas: You see, my friends, the trouble was not the color of the cats. The trouble was that they were cats. So naturally they looked after cats instead of mice. And then one day, there came along one little mouse, who had an idea. My friends, watch out for that little fellow with an idea. And he said to all the little mice, he said, Listen fellas, why do we keep on electing a government made up of cats? Why don't we elect a government made up of mice? Ah, they said, he's a Bolshevik, lock him up. And so they threw him in jail. But I want to remind you, you can lock up a mouse, and you can lock up a man, but you can't lock up an idea. And one of these days, that little mouse is going to get himself elected. Myself, I say it's high time.
- Jimmie Gardiner: Don't you tell me how to look after my own farmers, boy. I was the premier of Saskatchewan when you were in short pants. Oh wait, I forgot. You still are in short pants.
- Mackenzie King: Reverend Douglas, I must compliment you on the way you managed to keep my minister of agriculture in a permanent state of agitation. I daresay you have a bright future in politics.
- Tommy Douglas: I've just been told I'm standing on a manure spreader right now. Well, I must say, this is the first time I've ever given a speech from atop the Liberal platform.
- Tommy Douglas: Mr. Speaker, please forgive me if I stumble slightly today, for I must admit to feeling quite overwhelmed to be here. In fact, I was telling my wife, Irma, this morning that I was afraid members like the gifted Mr. Gardiner of Melville were likely to eat me alive.
- Jimmie Gardiner: And so I might.
- Tommy Douglas: But she assured me that if such a thing were to happen, he'd be the only man in Parliament with more brains in his stomach than in his head.