John Diefenbaker was the last “old Tory” to be the Prime Minister of Canada. He was a member of the Conservative Party with deep values as well as being a British loyalist who supported the Queen. Diefenbaker was also a man that was well known for not supporting anything he thought was anti- British. This sentiment was most evident when Diefenbaker criticized the Liberal’s refusal to support Britain in the Suez Canal crisis and sided with the Americans. This loyalty the Diefenbaker had to the British Commonwealth would not serve him well as Prime Minister of Canada. In 1958, Diefenbaker would win the largest majority government in Canadian history upsetting the new leader of the Liberal Party, Lester B. Pearson, who had taken over for St. Laurent. In the election Diefenbaker would win 208 seats out of a possible 265 seats. The Liberal Party, led by Pearson would only be able to obtain 48 seats making them the Official Opposition. Five years after this historic win, John Diefenbaker would once again rewrite history by losing the largest number of seats in Canadian history. Historians who have written about Diefenbaker are confounded when they try to unravel the puzzling actions of Diefenbaker in his dealings with others concerning foreign and domestic policies. Many historians look at a few major mistakes that Diefenbaker committed during his term as Prime Minister from 1957 until 1963 which led to his collapse of power. The major events that led to the downfall of his government in 1963 included; the amount of spending and tax cut bills his government passed immediately after the election, the Avro Canada planes which Canada was building to become the leader in aeroplane technology, the Bomarc Missile Crisis in the 1960s in whi...
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The conservative party has been in existence since the 1670s and was first called the ‘Tories’, a term used by the Scottish and Irish to describe a robber. This party is a right- wing party which believed in conserving the tradition and the king, as the name entails. David Cameron, the current party leader became the leader in 2005. He is also the present prime minister of Great Britain and he has made a lot of changes since he became the leader of the party. In this essay, I will talk about the history of the party, looking into detail at their gradual changes or transition in ideology and the various changes that David Cameron has made to the party’s image and beliefs.
“Let us be English or let us be French . . . and above all let us be Canadians.” Born on January 11, 1815, in Glascow, Scotland, Sir John A. Macdonald became the first prime minister of Canada and one of the most transcendent that Canada has ever seen. He immigrated to Canada in 1820, at the age of five, where his family, including his mother, father and two siblings, settled in Kingston, Ontario. He spent his childhood studying at the Midland District Grammar School, where he developed his passion for the English language and at the same time, realizing his new dream of becoming a lawyer. He was unable to attend university as a result of the financial problems within his family; however, that did not stop him from achieving his goal. At the age of fifteen, Sir John A. Macdonald entered a law office as a junior and as a result of his perseverance and dexterous personality, he was called to the bar in 1836. He then began his law practice with extensive success as a commercial lawyer in Toronto and Kingston. His commendable efforts as a lawyer were well recognized by many and he became extensively popular and was regarded as a positive leader that could make a difference. By 1844, he was elected to represent Kingston in the Legislative Assembly of Canada. In 1854, he helped create the Conservative party and on July 1, 1867, the day of Confederation, he became Canada’s first prime minister. Sir John A. Macdonald contributed to Canadian history in a significant way as his actions had a positive impact on Canada, which helped it develop and prosper.
"It is what we prevent, rather than what we do that counts most in Government." (Mackenzie King august 26, 1936) This statement sums up the best secrets of Mackenzie King's success as prime minister, and perhaps, the key to governing Canada effectively. King's record of prime minister is sometimes difficult to judge. He had no uninteresting images, he gave no repetitive speeches, and he champions no drastic stage. He is remembered for his easygoing, passive compromise and conciliation (Gregory, page 267). Yet Mackenzie King led Canada for a total of twenty-two years, through half the Depression and all of the Second World War. Like every other prime minister, he had to possess ambition, endurance and determination to become prime minister and, in spite if appearances, his accomplishments in that role required political acuity, decisiveness and faultless judgment.
Stevenson, Garth. "Canadian Federalism: The Myth of the Status Quo." Reinventing Canada: Politics of the 21st Century. Ed. M. Janine Brodie and Linda Trimble. Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2003. 204-14. Print.
The post-war time was a period where major changes were occurring. After being involved in two international conflicts, Canada was ready to reestablish their economy. During this time, Canada had started working on ways to become stronger and reputable. It is evident that Canada had matured through the post-war era. Canada’s economic progress left a positive impact on the growth of the country as consumerism became popular, and economic ties with America became stronger. Moreover, the removal of racial and ethical barriers contributed to Canadian social affairs such as the huge wave of immigration and the baby boom. The Canadian government also had become more aware and involved in issues impacting Canadian citizens. Canada as a whole started identifying itself as an independent nation and participating in events that brought a positive reputation amongst them. These economical, social, and legal changes helped Canada mature into the country it is today.
The Conservative Party’s Weakness As a Consequence Of Weak Leadership After the resignation of Peel in 1846 the Conservative Party split into three main groupings. The Peelites: loyal supporters of Peel who were unsatisfied with the current Conservative Party, the Ultra Tories who were the immovable, reactionary classical Tories who regarded the party’s sole purpose as being the support and promotion of its backers; the landowners, and finally the Liberal Conservatives who argues that lately the party had lost support and that unless the Tories started to rule in a more liberal fashion they would lose power, the liberals believed that they must retain an aristocratic approach whilst appealing to all sectors of the population. Peel’s resignation meant that there was no real viable candidate to stand in his place as party leader. Bentinck was definitely not ideal, outspoken and often rude he was part of the rapidly disappearing breed of MPs who regarded politics as a hobby that they indulged in for fun, probably the most memorable moment of his career was probably his leading, with Disraeli, of the protectionist opposition to Peel’s repeal of the Corn Laws; compromise was utterly alien to Bentinck’s nature. To no great surprise Bentinck soon resigned (over the “Jewish question”) .The
On February 20th, 1959, the event that caused this day to be known in Canada as “Black Friday” took place: the cancellation of the Avro Arrow project. This incident stung the pride of Canadians and was a major turning point in Canadian history. But the question that remains today is: Why did Prime Minister Diefenbaker scrap the Arrow project? John Diefenbaker: An Appointment with Destiny by Arthur Slade, CF105 Avro C- 105 Arrow: Cabinet Decisions, and The Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow programme : decisions and determinants by Russell Steven Paul Isinger, are three different sources that show how Prime Minister Diefenbaker and his government approached the decision to cancel the Avro Arrow. The book, Fall of An Arrow by
Pearson, Lester B. Mike; the Memoirs of the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson. Vol. 1. Toronto:
Desperate times call for desperate measures. This advice has been used as a way to justify questionable actions in times of despair for many years. Following the advice, the Donner Party did whatever they could to survive. Stuck in a snowstorm, the group is believed to have reverted back to animalistic ways, and devoured each other to survive. While no one knows the truth of that fateful winter, many agree that cannibalism was their main form of survival. Though the Donner Party’s travels were not well documented and many details remain controversial, it is evident that they resorted to cannibalism to survive.
Thompson, John Herd, and Mark Paul Richard. "Canadian History in North American Context." In Canadian studies in the new millennium. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. 37-64.
Chong, M. R. (2002). Canadian History Since WWI. Retrieved May 19, 2014, from Markville: http://www.markville.ss.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/history/history/fivecent.html
Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, making it the most recent province to became part of the country. Some historians argue that the delay is diffcult to understand, since Newfoundland had the chance to enter into Canada in 1867. This paper explores why Newfoundland did not join Confederation in 1867 and remained an independent political entitiy. In was not in their best interest given the overarching political debacle which unfolded between the colony’s Conservatives and Liberals. The decision to remain an independent political entitiy or join the federal govenrment was hindered by opposing poltical views. Despite having two men, known today as the Fathers of Confederation, at the Quebec Conference who supported the idea of union, Newfoundland itself did not. A general election to decide the fate of the colony resulted in ongoing dissatisfaction with the idea of joining the new dominion. The question of higher taxation and terrifies that would hinder the success of the colony was a risk people were not yet ready to take. Most of Newfoundland’s core industries began to suffer and fall apart, while the colonies government continued to disagree, despite a concerted effort made by Canadian officials to have them join the larger nation.
Canada experienced the revolution of changing politics and new ideologies, it was a necessary wave
From the first Great War, to the Great Depression, and after the Second World War, you could say that Canada had been transformed significantly. Since the day the British North American Act was enacted in 1867, Canada was a small and developing country. The Second World War had been one of its biggest challenges yet and the countries future prospects tremendous benefits especially in the fields of political development, social development, and economical development. It was a great struggle to get where she is today and WW2 was a major contributing factor to why Canada is such a strong and unified nation
Canada’s parliamentary system is designed to preclude the formation of absolute power. Critics and followers of Canadian politics argue that the Prime Minister of Canada stands alone from the rest of the government. The powers vested in the prime minister, along with the persistent media attention given to the position, reinforce the Prime Minister of Canada’s superior role both in the House of Commons and in the public. The result has led to concerns regarding the power of the prime minister. Hugh Mellon argues that the prime minister of Canada is indeed too powerful. Mellon refers to the prime minister’s control over Canada a prime-ministerial government, where the prime minister encounters few constraints on the usage of his powers. Contrary to Mellon’s view, Paul Barker disagrees with the idea of a prime-ministerial government in Canada. Both perspectives bring up solid points, but the idea of a prime-ministerial government leading to too much power in the hands of the prime minister is an exaggeration. Canada is a country that is too large and complex to be dominated by a single individual. The reality is, the Prime Minister of Canada has limitations from several venues. The Canadian Prime Minister is restricted internally by his other ministers, externally by the other levels of government, the media and globalization.