Ottawa

Norman Bethune: Canadian icon or communist villain (or merely something to talk about this week)?

Conservative MP Rob Anders is displeased with the Harper government’s decision to provide funding for the Bethune Memorial House.

In celebrating Norman Bethune, Tony Clement at least has company in the likes of Chuck Strahl, Michael Chong, Lawrence Cannon and Gary Goodyear. Last year, the Canadian Mint released a commemorative coin to mark the 75th anniversary of Dr. Bethune’s invention of the blood transfusion vehicle. In 2007, the Harper government created the Norman Bethune Health Research Scholarships Program that allows for Chinese students to pursue PhDs in Canada.

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