Figure 1.--Here we see a young William Mackenzie King at 2 years if age in 1876. His hair has been cut short, but he has not yet been breeched, Note the huge sash. I don't think I have ever seen one so large. |
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William Lyon Mackenzie King was Canada's longest serving primeminister and considered by most historians as Canada's greatest primeminister. The King name was well know to Canadians before he etered politics. His grandfather, William Lyon Mackenzie, led the Upper Canada Rebellion (1837). He was born in Berlin, Ontario (renamed Kitchener). He had a younger sibling named Jennie. King was a gifted scholar and earned five university degrees, including a Ph.D. from Harvard in political economy (1909). King was first elected to Parliament as a Liberal in a 1908 by-election. He was appointed Canada's first Minister of Labour (1909), but lost his seat in the next general election (1911 ). He worked in the United States for the Rockefeller family to help them improve labor relations. He returned to Canada during World War I to run in the 1917 general election. The principal issue was conscription issue. He lost the election, primarily because English-speaking Canadians strongly supported Britain and conscription while King opposed conscription. The Liberal Party chose his as their leader after World War I (1919). Public opinion hd begun to chage about the War and King's position on conscription was seen as principled. He became primemiister 2 years later (1921). He was Canada's primeminister for much of the following three decade thriugh 1948 (except for 1926 and 1930-35). He was primeminister during World War II. He loyally followed Britain into the War and oversaw Canada's participation. He developed a solid working relationship with President Roosevelt and negotiated important defense agreements with the United States.
The King name was well know to Canadians before he etered politics. His grandfather, William Lyon Mackenzie, led the Upper Canada Rebellion (1837). His grandfather was exiled and his mother Isabel Mackenzie was born abroad. His father was John King.
William was born in Berlin, Ontario (renamed Kitchener). He had a younger sibling named Jennie. The two had staid Presbyterian childhoods. His mother resented how her father was treated and drilled into her son that his destiny was to vindicate his grandfather's reputation.
We do not have much information about William's clothes. We have one photograph of William as a very young boy. We see William at 2 years if age in 1876 (figure). His hair has been cut short, but he has not yet been breeched, Note the huge sash. I don't think I have ever seen one so large. He seems to be wearing a petticoat with the dress and unusual patterened stockings. His shoes seem to have been colored, perhaps matching his dress.
King was a gifted scholar and earned five university degrees, including a Ph.D. from Harvard in political economy (1909). His education was broadened by travel in Europe, including Britain and Germany. He visited Hull House in Chicago and in Britain did social settlement work. These experiences had a major impact on his social and political attitudes. He came to the cinclusion that the Government should play a role in dealing with the problems faced by ruban workers.
King joined the civil service (1900). He worked in a newly formed government office on labor problems. He became the editor of the Labour Gazette and proved to be a gifted meiator in industrial disputes. King was first elected to Parliament as a Liberal in a 1908 by-election. He was appointed Canada's first Minister of Labour (1909), but lost his seat in the next general election (1911 ). He worked in the United States for the Rockefeller family to help them improve labor relations. He returned to Canada during World War I to run in the 1917 general election. The principal issue was conscription issue. He lost the election, primarily because English-speaking Canadians strongly supported Britain and conscription while King opposed conscription.
William Lyon Mackenzie King was Canada's longest serving primeminister and considered by most historians as Canada's greatest primeminister. The Liberal Party chose his as their leader after World War I (1919). Public opinion hd begun to chage about the War and King's position on conscription was seen as principled. He became primemiister 2 years later (1921). He was Canada's primeminister for much of the following three decade through 1948 (except for 1926 and 1930-35).
Canada like other countries was affected by the American Wall Street Crash (1929) and resulting Depression. Canada in fact was more affected than many other countries because its economy was so tied into the American economy. Canadian voters voted out the Liverals and a Conservative Government was left to deal with Depression in Canada (1930-35). Apparently Canadian voters were not happy with the Conservative efforts t deal with the Depression. The Liberals won in the general election and King returned as primeminister (1935). Canada at te time was already recovering from the Depression, but America was not which limited the Canadian recovery. The King Government passed a variety of relief programs. The programs included the National Housing Act and National Employment Commission. Other actions included the establishment of government agencies like the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation following the precedent of the BBC in Britain (1936), the Trans-Canada Airlines (now known as Air Canada) (1937), and the National Film Board of Canada (1939).
King like other democratic politicans was apauled as Europe moved toward war. Unlike President Roosevelt, King failed to appreciate the danger posed by the NAZIs. He supported British Primeminister Chamberlin's attempt at appeasement. King had traveled to Europe and met with both Hermann Göring and Adolf Hitler, who impressed him. KIng said at the time that Hitler was a reasonable man who cared for people. He was particularly impressed with how Hitler had led Germany out of the Depression. He wrote in his diary that Hitler "might come to be thought of as one of the saviours of the world". Anti-Semitism seems to have been a factor here. He told a group of Jews that "Kristallnacht might turn out to be a blessing." His Government made no effort to open immigration laws to offer a have to European Jews.
King was primeminister during World War II. After Munich, he revised his opinion of Hitler. He loyally followed Britain into the War and oversaw Canada's participation. Unlike World War I, Canadian participation in the War was not automatic. The House of Commons approved a declaration of war (September 10, 1939). Canada like America was deeply divided by participation in another European War. Canadian public opinionhad, however, shifted decisively after Munich (September 1938). Canada did not have a Pearl Harbor event like America and thus there was some disension. French Canadians in particular were much less committed to the War, even after the fall of France. Ironically while King had built his political career around opposing conscription during World War I, it was King who had to try to sell conscription to Canadians during World War II.
He developed a solid working relationship with President Roosevelt and negotiated important defense agreements with the United States.
King had the demeanor of rather a staid, stern headmaster. Actually he was a bit of an ecentric and patronized spiritulists. This was unknown at the time, but has been substantiated by his biographers. He never married.
He had a close lady friend, Joan Patteson, but she was married. The two spent a great deal of time together in private. He had a country retreat at Kingsmere in Gatineau Park which is near Ottawa.
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