A 5-minute cartoon that roasted Canadian politics so hard they made it required curriculum.
The Story of Mouseland was a story first told by Clarence Gillis, and later and most famously by Tommy Douglas, leader of the Saskatchewan Co-operative Commonwealth Federation that became the New Democratic Party of Canada, both social democratic parties. It was a political fable expressing the CCF's view that the Canadian political system was flawed in offering voters a false dilemma: the choice of two parties, neither of which represented their interests.
Writing
Douglas's narration turns a children's fable into a political gut-punch.
Direction
Durkee makes mice voting feel more coherent than actual elections.
Director
Kevin Durkee
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Tommy Douglas is the father of Canadian universal healthcare; this fable was his warmup act for bigger socialist dreams.
The story originally targeted the Liberals and Conservatives specifically—today's audiences usually map it onto whatever two-party system oppresses them locally.
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