Top Ten (8) LESTER B. PEARSON
When it comes to Canadian Prime Ministers, few accomplished so much in so little time as Lester B. Pearson. During his five years in office Pearson oversaw the introduction of the Canada Pension Plan, national Medicare, the Commission on bilingualism and biculturalism, and the Maple Leaf Flag. And, he did it all without ever winning a majority government.
In addition to his two terms as Canada's 14th prime minister, Pearson also enjoyed a distinguished 20-year career with the Department of External Affairs. His crowning achievement was being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his introduction of a peacekeeping force during the 1956 Suez Crisis.
Through it all Lester Pearson - or "Mike" as he preferred to be called - maintained a self-effacing manner and wry wit that endeared him to a generation of Canadians during the tumultuous 1960s.
Long before he would begin to jet around the globe, the young Pearson moved many times with his family to various Ontario towns because of his father's work as a Methodist minister. Born in 1897 in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of Toronto), Pearson's childhood was filled with athletics: mostly hockey and his favourite, baseball.
In 1913 he enrolled at the University of Toronto's prestigious Victoria College, before enlisting at age on his 18th birthday to fight in the First World War. Following some time overseas Mike devoted himself to academics, landing a scholarship at Oxford and then accepting a teaching position at U of T in 1923.
His career path would take a historic turn in 1928 when he was recruited into the still-young Department of External Affairs (now Foreign Affairs and International Trade). Over the next three decades, he played a vital role in forging Canada's international image. He was active in the formation of the United Nations and several of its agencies, and he was one of the architects of NATO.
In 1948, he answered the call of politics, winning the federal seat of Algoma-East as a member of the Liberal Party. He was immediately appointed head of External Affairs and would go on to serve as Canada's U.N. representative.
In October 1956 an Egyptian blockade of the Suez Canal threatened to boil over into a full-fledged war. When Britain, France and Israel attacked Egypt in an effort to take control of the canal, Pearson suggested an alternative strategy: a neutral United Nations-sponsored force to police the region. The new United Nations Emergency Force diffused the conflict, as it would continue to do in future decades, under a new name - U.N. Peacekeepers.
Pearson's Suez success earned him The Nobel Peace Prize in 1957, making him the first Canadian ever given the honour.
On the heels of this award, Pearson won the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1958. He quickly went about transforming the languishing party with a number of progressive social welfare initiatives, hiring a pollster for the first time and recruiting young talent such as John Turner, Jean Chrétien and Pierre Trudeau.
After spending five years as the opposition, Pearson won the 1963 federal election, wresting the leadership of Canada from his rival John Diefenbaker.
Despite holding only 129 seats (four short of a majority), Pearson moved ahead with his packed policy agenda, eventually unveiling the Canada Pension Plan, Medicare, the Canada Student Loans program and a Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism meant to address the growing issue of francophone rights. Pearson also integrated the three armed forces, increased old age payments and veterans allowances, established the Royal Commission on Women and extended family allowances to include incentives for 16 and 17 year olds to remain in school.
Pearson introduced the national labour code, with a minimum wage of $1.25 per hour, an 8-hour working day, a 40-hour work week and two weeks vacation. He also initiated a daring new concept in trade relations with the United States when he signed the Canada-United States Automotive Agreement, or Auto Pact, in January 1965. This lead to the creation of thousands of jobs in southern Ontario in US owned auto-making plants. With these successes, the economy was booming and unemployment was at its lowest rate since the mid 1950s.
But his most contentious move was his introduction of a new Canadian flag to replace the unofficial British Red Ensign. Many British loyalists, including Diefenbaker, stridently objected to the move leading to more than a year of public protest and political debate.
In December 1964 the proposed red-and-white Maple Leaf was finally put to a vote; it was approved, making it Canada's first official flag in its nearly 100-year history.
His final political challenge would come during Canada's Centennial celebrations of 1967. During a visit to Expo '67 in Montreal, French President Charles de Gaulle made his infamous "Vive le Québec libre" speech to a crowd. Amid nationwide controversy, Prime Minister
Pearson delivered his response the next day insisting that "Canadians do not need to be liberated." Chastened, de Gaulle returned to France.
At the end of the centennial year, Pearson surprised many by announcing his retirement. At a Liberal leadership campaign the following spring, Pearson passed the torch to the popular young Liberal, Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Pearson's other early recruits, John Turner and Jean Chrétien, would also eventually serve as prime ministers.
After a brief retirement spent writing his memoirs and heading up several U.N. committees, Pearson died in December 1972 following a battle with cancer.
Countless schools, buildings and awards have been named in his honour and since his passing, many have identified him solely with his introduction of peacekeeping. But history shows that the passionate and pragmatic Mike was also a sportsman, war veteran, intellectual, and extraordinary diplomat.
When it comes to Canadian Prime Ministers, few accomplished so much in so little time as Lester B. Pearson. During his five years in office Pearson oversaw the introduction of the Canada Pension Plan, national Medicare, the Commission on bilingualism and biculturalism, and the Maple Leaf Flag. And, he did it all without ever winning a majority government.
In addition to his two terms as Canada's 14th prime minister, Pearson also enjoyed a distinguished 20-year career with the Department of External Affairs. His crowning achievement was being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his introduction of a peacekeeping force during the 1956 Suez Crisis.
Through it all Lester Pearson - or "Mike" as he preferred to be called - maintained a self-effacing manner and wry wit that endeared him to a generation of Canadians during the tumultuous 1960s.
Long before he would begin to jet around the globe, the young Pearson moved many times with his family to various Ontario towns because of his father's work as a Methodist minister. Born in 1897 in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of Toronto), Pearson's childhood was filled with athletics: mostly hockey and his favourite, baseball.
In 1913 he enrolled at the University of Toronto's prestigious Victoria College, before enlisting at age on his 18th birthday to fight in the First World War. Following some time overseas Mike devoted himself to academics, landing a scholarship at Oxford and then accepting a teaching position at U of T in 1923.
His career path would take a historic turn in 1928 when he was recruited into the still-young Department of External Affairs (now Foreign Affairs and International Trade). Over the next three decades, he played a vital role in forging Canada's international image. He was active in the formation of the United Nations and several of its agencies, and he was one of the architects of NATO.
In 1948, he answered the call of politics, winning the federal seat of Algoma-East as a member of the Liberal Party. He was immediately appointed head of External Affairs and would go on to serve as Canada's U.N. representative.
In October 1956 an Egyptian blockade of the Suez Canal threatened to boil over into a full-fledged war. When Britain, France and Israel attacked Egypt in an effort to take control of the canal, Pearson suggested an alternative strategy: a neutral United Nations-sponsored force to police the region. The new United Nations Emergency Force diffused the conflict, as it would continue to do in future decades, under a new name - U.N. Peacekeepers.
Pearson's Suez success earned him The Nobel Peace Prize in 1957, making him the first Canadian ever given the honour.
On the heels of this award, Pearson won the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1958. He quickly went about transforming the languishing party with a number of progressive social welfare initiatives, hiring a pollster for the first time and recruiting young talent such as John Turner, Jean Chrétien and Pierre Trudeau.
After spending five years as the opposition, Pearson won the 1963 federal election, wresting the leadership of Canada from his rival John Diefenbaker.
Despite holding only 129 seats (four short of a majority), Pearson moved ahead with his packed policy agenda, eventually unveiling the Canada Pension Plan, Medicare, the Canada Student Loans program and a Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism meant to address the growing issue of francophone rights. Pearson also integrated the three armed forces, increased old age payments and veterans allowances, established the Royal Commission on Women and extended family allowances to include incentives for 16 and 17 year olds to remain in school.
Pearson introduced the national labour code, with a minimum wage of $1.25 per hour, an 8-hour working day, a 40-hour work week and two weeks vacation. He also initiated a daring new concept in trade relations with the United States when he signed the Canada-United States Automotive Agreement, or Auto Pact, in January 1965. This lead to the creation of thousands of jobs in southern Ontario in US owned auto-making plants. With these successes, the economy was booming and unemployment was at its lowest rate since the mid 1950s.
But his most contentious move was his introduction of a new Canadian flag to replace the unofficial British Red Ensign. Many British loyalists, including Diefenbaker, stridently objected to the move leading to more than a year of public protest and political debate.
In December 1964 the proposed red-and-white Maple Leaf was finally put to a vote; it was approved, making it Canada's first official flag in its nearly 100-year history.
His final political challenge would come during Canada's Centennial celebrations of 1967. During a visit to Expo '67 in Montreal, French President Charles de Gaulle made his infamous "Vive le Québec libre" speech to a crowd. Amid nationwide controversy, Prime Minister
Pearson delivered his response the next day insisting that "Canadians do not need to be liberated." Chastened, de Gaulle returned to France.
At the end of the centennial year, Pearson surprised many by announcing his retirement. At a Liberal leadership campaign the following spring, Pearson passed the torch to the popular young Liberal, Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Pearson's other early recruits, John Turner and Jean Chrétien, would also eventually serve as prime ministers.
After a brief retirement spent writing his memoirs and heading up several U.N. committees, Pearson died in December 1972 following a battle with cancer.
Countless schools, buildings and awards have been named in his honour and since his passing, many have identified him solely with his introduction of peacekeeping. But history shows that the passionate and pragmatic Mike was also a sportsman, war veteran, intellectual, and extraordinary diplomat.
