Persona

Thatcher, Ross

1917-1971

Ross Thatcher was born on May 24, 1917, in Neville, Saskatchewan. During the 1920s, his father, Wilbert Thatcher, founded a hardware store in Moose Jaw. Thatcher helped out in the store while attending school. He graduated from high school at 15 and graduated from Queen’s University, with a Bachelor of Commerce, at 18. He began work at Canadian Packers in Toronto, however, in the late 1930s, his father became ill and Thatcher returned to Moose Jaw to run the family business.

Thatcher was actively involved with politics. In 1942, he was elected to the Moose Jaw City Council, with a specific emphasis on business reform, and in 1945 he was successful in winning the federal riding of Moose Jaw for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. Although a member of the CCF, his emphasis on business caused friction within the party. Thatcher later ran as an independent and as a liberal. One of his more notable events as a politician was his debate with Tommy Douglas in Mossbank, Saskatchewan. Although the debate was considered a draw, the fact that he kept up with Douglas was considered a victory for the Liberal party. Thatcher died of a heart attack on July 22, 1971 in Regina.