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181-556: Paul Edgar Philippe Martin (born August 28, 1938), also known as Paul Martin Jr. , is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 21st prime minister of Canada and the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2003 to 2006. The son of former senator and secretary of state for external affairs Paul Martin Sr. , Martin was a lawyer from Ontario before he became president and
362-527: A motion of non confidence against the Martin government. The motion passed on November 28 by a count of 171–133, defeating the government, after which the Governor General issued the election writs for a vote to be held on January 23, 2006. Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (French: premier ministre du Canada ) is the head of government of Canada . Under
543-541: A rump of 40; this was the largest majority government at the time. For the first time in his political career, King led an undisputed Liberal majority government. Upon his return to office in October 1935, he seemed to demonstrate a commitment (like Franklin Roosevelt ) to the underprivileged, speaking of a new era where "poverty and adversity, want and misery are the enemies which liberalism will seek to banish from
724-543: A caucus may trigger a party leadership review and, if necessary, chose an interim leader, thereby making a prime minister more accountable to the MPs in one's party. Caucuses may choose to follow these rules, though the decision would be made by recorded vote, thereby subjecting the party's choice to public scrutiny. The Senate may delay or impede legislation put forward by the Cabinet, such as when Brian Mulroney 's bill creating
905-473: A century of federal planning that repositioned Ottawa as a national space in the City Beautiful style. Confederation Square , for example, was initially planned to be a civic plaza to balance the nearby federal presence of Parliament Hill and was turned into a war memorial. The Great War monument was not installed until the 1939 royal visit, and King intended that the replanning of the capital would be
1086-608: A component of his broader program of social reform. He drew on four broad traditions in early North American planning: social planning, the Parks Movement, the City Scientific, and the City Beautiful . King's greatest impact was as the political champion for the planning and development of Ottawa, Canada's national capital. His plans, much of which were completed in the two decades after his death, were part of
1267-562: A diplomatic row with the United States administration after accusing, with Bill Clinton , the US of not listening to global environmental concerns . Martin rejected US Ambassador David Wilkins 's rebuke and said he was standing up for Canada's interests over softwood and other issues. Martin promoted the expansion of the G8 into a larger group of twenty nations, G20 , whose inaugural chairman
1448-589: A dominion with responsible government to an autonomous nation within the British Commonwealth . King asserted Canadian autonomy against the British government's attempts to turn the Commonwealth into an alliance. His biographer asserts that "in this struggle Mackenzie King was the constant aggressor". The Canadian High Commissioner to Britain, Vincent Massey , claimed that an "anti-British bias"
1629-561: A government the individual most likely to receive the support, or confidence, of a majority of the directly elected members of the House of Commons ; as a practical matter, this is often the leader of the party, or a coalition of parties, whose members form a majority , or a very large plurality , of seats in the House of Commons. No document is needed to begin the appointment; a party leader becomes prime minister-designate as soon as he accepts
1810-464: A halt, scaling down government to 1951 levels. In 1994–96, when these cuts were made, economic growth decreased by 3.5 percentage points, according to a study by CIBC-Wood Gundy. The resulting loss in tax revenue almost eliminated the savings made by the cuts and turned the economy away from the public sector toward the private sector. The cuts endangered the provinces' abilities to pay for social programs, health care, and public infrastructure. In response,
1991-570: A judicial inquiry called to investigate what came to be known as the Sponsorship Scandal , and nominated John Gomery to head it. During his term, Martin appeared as himself in a fictional, comedic context in several programs, including an episode of the CTV sitcom Corner Gas in 2006, and also in the CBC mockumentary series Jimmy MacDonald's Canada in 2005. The Liberals were facing
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#17328021952622172-714: A landslide majority government in the 1993 election . After the Liberals formed the government, Martin was chosen as minister of finance by Prime Minister Chrétien. At the time, Canada had one of the highest budgetary deficits of the G7 countries. Standard & Poor's had lowered its rating on Canada's foreign-denominated government debt from AAA to AA-plus in 1992, and in 1994, Moody's lowered its rating on Canada's foreign currency debt from Aaa to Aa1, partly due to Canada's growing public debt. In his debut as finance minister, Martin made huge budget cuts that almost ground economic growth to
2353-610: A majority of seats. Trudeau's Liberals subsequently won a plurality of seats in the 2019 and 2021 elections , leaving Trudeau with minority governments . The position of prime minister is not outlined in any Canadian constitutional document and is mentioned only in a few sections of the Constitution Act, 1982 , and the Letters Patent, 1947 , issued by King George VI . The office and its functions are instead governed by constitutional conventions and modelled on
2534-569: A majority), the prime minister can attempt to maintain the confidence of the House by forming a coalition with other minority parties, which was last entertained in 1925 or by entering into a confidence-and-supply agreement , or by winning support of other parties on a vote-by-vote basis. Because the prime minister is in practice the most politically powerful member of the Canadian government , they are sometimes erroneously referred to as Canada's head of state , when, in fact, that role belongs to
2715-476: A majority. After his loss, King stayed on as leader of the Liberals, becoming the leader of the Opposition for the second time. King began his years as Opposition leader convinced that his government did not deserve defeat and that his government's financial caution helped the economy prosper. He blamed the financial crisis on the speculative excesses of businessmen and on the weather cycle. King argued that
2896-460: A measure was introduced and passed "restoring the Crow's Nest Pass railways rates on grain and flour moving eastwards from the prairie provinces." A Farm Loan Board was set up to provide rural credit; advancing funds to farmers "at rates of interest and under terms not obtainable from the usual sources," while other measures were carried out such as preventative measures against foot and mouth disease and
3077-585: A minority situation, the first since Joe Clark 's tenure in 1979–80. The Martin government faced combined challenges from Quebec separatism and general hostility arising from the Sponsorship Scandal. The first test of the Liberal minority came following the Speech from the throne on October 5, 2004. The Conservatives announced plans to move an amendment to the speech. In this they were supported by
3258-601: A narrow majority of 118 out of 235 seats. The Conservatives won 50, the newly formed Progressive Party won 58 (but declined to form the official Opposition), and the remaining ten seats went to Labour MPs and Independents; most of these ten supported the Progressives. King became prime minister. As prime minister of Canada, King was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom on 20 June 1922 and
3439-470: A new precedent for the role of British Dominions . King expanded the Department of External Affairs , founded in 1909, to further promote Canadian autonomy from Britain. The new department took some time to develop, but over time it significantly increased the reach and projection of Canadian diplomacy. Prior to this, Canada had relied on British diplomats who owed their first loyalty to London. After
3620-467: A new united Conservative Party led by Stephen Harper , while the Bloc Québécois and NDP were also buoyed by the Sponsorship Scandal. Martin advised Governor General Adrienne Clarkson to call an election for June 28, 2004. The Liberals were also hampered by their inability to raise campaign money competitively after Chrétien passed a bill in 2003 that banned corporate donations, even though
3801-470: A pledge not to raise taxes, hurt the federal party's numbers in Ontario, as did a weak performance from Martin in the leaders' debates. The Conservatives soon took the lead, prompting some predictions of an imminent Harper government. The Liberals managed to narrow the gap and eventually regain momentum. Martin was successful in winning a plurality of seats to continue as the government, though they were now in
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#17328021952623982-522: A post-war election , in which the Liberals lost their majority government . In his final years in office, King and his government partnered Canada with other Western nations to take part in the deepening Cold War , introduced Canadian citizenship , and successfully negotiated Newfoundland 's entry into Confederation . After leading his party for 29 years, and leading the country for 21 + 1 ⁄ 2 years, King retired from politics in late 1948. He died of pneumonia in mid-1950. King's personality
4163-453: A proposal for overhauling the CPP, which was presented to Parliament and was approved soon after, averting a pension crisis. While Martin's record as finance minister was lauded in business and financial circles, there were undeniable costs. Some of these took the form of reduced government services, affecting the operations and achievement of the mandate of federal and provincial departments. This
4344-524: A report from Auditor General Sheila Fraser on February 9, 2004, indicating that sponsorship contracts designed to increase the federal government's status in Quebec resulted in little to no work done. Many of the agencies had Liberal ties, and roughly $ 100 million of the $ 250 million in program spending went missing. The scandal hurt Martin's popularity, especially in Quebec, where Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe even accused Martin of planning to widen
4525-612: A review vote in January 2003. During the fall, Chrétien announced that he would step down in the spring of 2004 after less than half of caucus agreed to sign a commitment supporting him. The Liberal party called a leadership convention for the fall of 2003, to be held in Toronto. Several other potential leadership contenders, such as Brian Tobin and Allan Rock , declined to enter the contest. John Manley's attacks on Martin's refusal to disclose his campaign contributors did little to dent
4706-524: A senator, and Bennett moved to the United Kingdom after being elevated to the House of Lords . A number were leaders of the Official Opposition : John A. Macdonald, Arthur Meighen , Mackenzie King, and Pierre Trudeau, all before being re-appointed as prime minister (Mackenzie King twice); Alexander Mackenzie and John Diefenbaker , both prior to sitting as regular Members of Parliament until their deaths; Wilfrid Laurier dying while still in
4887-598: A series of meetings between the finance ministers of all provinces to discuss the pending crisis in the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Consequently, Martin oversaw the creation of a general public consultation process in February 1996 that eventually led to major structural reform of the CPP. The results of this public consultation process were collected and analyzed by the Finance department. Eventually, it led to
5068-443: A serious challenge, but Martin began to gain support from those who began to disagree with Chrétien. Chrétien, however, resolved to stay on after the Liberals were reelected in 2000, having regained much of the ground lost in 1997. By this time, Martin had gained control of much of the party machinery. The conflict between the two men reached a peak in 2002. Martin left Cabinet, being replaced by John Manley as finance minister. There
5249-486: A skating party when a young woman fell through the ice of the partly frozen Ottawa River . Harper dove into the water to try to save her, and perished in the attempt. King led the effort to raise a memorial to Harper, which resulted in the erection of the Sir Galahad statue on Parliament Hill in 1905. In 1906, King published a memoir of Harper, entitled The Secret of Heroism . While deputy minister of labour, King
5430-478: A teaching position at the university but earned political credit with Mulock, the man who would invite him to Ottawa and make him a deputy minister only five years later. While studying at the University of Toronto, King also contributed to the campus newspaper, The Varsity , and served as president of the yearbook committee in 1896. King subsequently wrote for The Globe , The Mail and Empire , and
5611-545: A vote of no confidence, and they combined their votes to shut down the House of Commons early for two days in a row. The Speaker of the House of Commons later ruled in favour of the Liberal stance. On May 17, 2005, MP Belinda Stronach crossed the floor from the Conservative Party and joined the Liberal Party to become Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development . Martin claimed Stronach's move
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5792-428: A written promise that Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia under a Conservative government would receive 100 percent of the revenue generated from their natural resources without an equalization clawback, a promise he reneged upon when elected Prime Minister. NDP leader Jack Layton followed suit soon after with a similar guarantee, and later Martin promised that under a Liberal government both provinces would receive
5973-491: Is a leader of the opposition , the King must send for him." If the leader of the opposition is unable or unwilling to form a government, the governor general can consult whomever he wishes. While there is no legal requirement for the prime minister to be an MP, for practical and political reasons the prime minister is expected to win a seat very promptly. However, in rare circumstances individuals who are not sitting members of
6154-806: Is a prime minister and a government in place, and exercising the right 'to encourage, to advise, and to warn'[...] Without really revealing any secrets, I can tell you that I have done all three." Two official residences are provided to the prime minister— 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa and Harrington Lake , a country retreat in Gatineau Park —as well an office in the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council building (formerly known as Langevin Block), across from Parliament Hill . For transportation,
6335-451: Is appointed by the monarch 's representative, the governor general and the office exists per long-established convention . Constitutionally, executive authority is vested in the monarch (who is the head of state ), but, in practice, the powers of the monarch and governor general are nearly always exercised on the advice of the Cabinet, which is collectively responsible to the House of Commons. Canadian prime ministers are appointed to
6516-459: Is due, and that new leader is not a member of the legislature, they will normally await the upcoming election before running for a seat in Parliament. The prime minister serves at His Majesty's pleasure , meaning the post does not have a fixed term, and once appointed and sworn in by the governor general, the prime minister remains in office until they resign, are dismissed, or die. While
6697-465: Is some question about whether Martin resigned or Chrétien had him dismissed. Being out of Cabinet was likely a boost to Martin's campaign as he was no longer obligated to disclose his donors. Soon after, Martin declared his intention to run as leader of the Liberal Party at the next party convention. Over the summer of 2002, Martin toured the country campaigning to succeed Chrétien while his Liberal organizers prepared to challenge Chrétien's leadership during
6878-466: Is the case in the UK). There do exist checks on the prime minister's power: the House of Commons may revoke its confidence in an incumbent prime minister and Cabinet or caucus revolts can quickly bring down a serving premier and even mere threats of such action can persuade or compel a prime minister to resign their post, as happened with Jean Chrétien . The Reform Act, 2014 , codifies the process by which
7059-405: Is to ensure uniformity of public service provision across the nation. This was received well in "have-not" provinces, but Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador sought to retain income from natural resources on federal marine territory that would generally be taken, or 'clawed back', by the federal treasury in lieu of equalization payments. In the 2004 federal election campaign, Harper provided
7240-562: The Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 banning most forms of Chinese immigration to Canada. Immigration from most countries was controlled or restricted in some way, but only the Chinese were completely prohibited from immigrating. This was after various members of the federal and some provincial governments (especially British Columbia ) put pressure on the federal government to discourage Chinese immigration. Also in 1923,
7421-599: The 1911 general election , which saw the Conservatives defeat the Liberals and form government. After his defeat, King went on the lecture circuit on behalf of the Liberal Party. In June 1914 John D. Rockefeller Jr. hired him at the Rockefeller Foundation in New York City, to head its new Department of Industrial Research. It paid $ 12,000 per year, compared to the meagre $ 2,500 per year
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7602-679: The Armed Forces , the environment and a national child-care program. Public hearings of the Gomery Commission inquiry into the sponsorship scandal involving alleged kickbacks and "donations" from Quebec advertising agencies and corporations to Liberal Party operatives led to a drop in the Liberal Party's popularity. The security of the minority government came under fire as the Conservatives threatened to force an election by use of their "opposition day," when they get to set
7783-492: The Bank of Canada lowered interest rates to avoid contributing to a growing recession, causing a huge spurt of economic growth and resulting increase in government revenue. In 1998, Martin introduced a balanced budget, an event that had occurred only twice in 36 years before 1997. In 2002, Moody's and Standard and Poor's restored Canada's domestic and foreign currency debt ratings to AAA. During his tenure as finance minister, Martin
7964-592: The Canadian Armed Forces . Pierre Trudeau is often credited with, throughout his tenure as prime minister (1968–79, 1980–84), consolidating power in the PMO, which is itself filled by political and administrative staff selected at the prime minister's discretion and unaccountable to Parliament. At the end of the 20th century and into the 21st, analysts—such as Jeffrey Simpson , Donald Savoie , Andrew Coyne , and John Gomery —argued that both Parliament and
8145-712: The Chanak Crisis without Parliament 's consent and negotiating the Halibut Treaty with the United States without British interference. In the 1925 election , the Conservatives won a plurality of seats, but the Liberals negotiated support from the Progressive Party and stayed in office as a minority government . In 1926, facing a Commons vote that could force his government to resign, King asked Governor General Lord Byng to dissolve parliament and call an election. Byng refused and instead invited
8326-560: The Federation of Canadian Municipalities a GST rebate and was about to supply to them a portion of the federal gasoline tax ; the programme was called "New Deal for Cities and Communities". This was a left-over of his time as Minister of Finance, spurred by continued carping by academics, some of whom did not hesitate to note in 2004 that "[u]nlike the federal and provincial governments, municipalities cannot borrow for operating purposes; they can only do so for capital expenditures." At
8507-735: The First Ministers' Meeting of September 13–15, 2004, Martin and the provincial premiers reached an agreement on increased funding for healthcare. This 10-year plan outlined $ 18 billion in increased transfers to the provinces over 6 years, notably through increases in the CHT: Martin also introduced changes to the equalization program, under which the Federal Government is constitutionally obligated to redistribute federal revenue to provinces having less ability to raise revenues through taxation than wealthier provinces. The goal
8688-557: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) came before the Senate, and given Canada's federal nature , the jurisdiction of the federal government is limited to areas prescribed by the constitution. Further, as executive power is constitutionally vested in the monarch, meaning the royal prerogative belongs to the Crown and not to any of its ministers, the sovereign's supremacy over the prime minister in
8869-701: The Great Depression led to a defeat at the polls in 1930 . The Conservative government's response to the depression was unpopular and King returned to power in a landslide victory in the 1935 election . Soon after, the economy was on an upswing. King negotiated the 1935 Reciprocal Trade Agreement with the United States, passed the 1938 National Housing Act to improve housing affordability, introduced unemployment insurance in 1940, and in 1944, introduced family allowances – Canada's first universal welfare program . The government also established Trans-Canada Air Lines (the precursor to Air Canada ) and
9050-584: The Health Impact Fund , where he serves as a member of the advisory board. He also sits as an advisor to Canada's Ecofiscal Commission . Martin was born at Hôtel-Dieu of St. Joseph Hospital in Windsor, Ontario , and grew up in Windsor and Ottawa. His father, Paul Martin Sr. , a Franco-Ontarian of Irish and French descent, served 33 years as a member of the House of Commons of Canada , and
9231-607: The Irish Free State , while still autonomous communities within the British Empire , ceased to be subordinate to the United Kingdom. Thus, the governor general ceased to represent the British government and was solely the personal representative of the sovereign while becoming a representative of The Crown . This ultimately was formalized in the Statute of Westminster 1931 . On September 14, King and his party won
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#17328021952629412-658: The National Film Board . King's government deployed Canadian troops days after the Second World War broke out . The Liberals' overwhelming triumph in the 1940 election allowed King to continue leading Canada through the war. He mobilized Canadian money, supplies, and volunteers to support Britain while boosting the economy and maintaining morale on the home front. To satisfy French Canadians , King delayed introducing overseas conscription until late 1944. The Allies ' victory in 1945 allowed King to call
9593-557: The November 2003 leadership election . Martin easily won the leadership and in the following month, became prime minister. In the 2004 federal election , the Liberal Party retained power, although only as a minority government due to the Liberal Party's sponsorship scandal that began in the late 1990s. Martin's government signed the Kelowna Accord to improve living conditions for indigenous peoples , reached an agreement with
9774-604: The Privy Council and styled as the Right Honourable (French: le très honorable ), a privilege maintained for life. The prime minister is supported by the Prime Minister's Office and heads the Privy Council Office . The prime minister also selects individuals for appointment as governor general (in the federal jurisdiction) and lieutenant governor (in the provinces ), as well as to
9955-657: The Senate passed it in July 2005, and it received Royal Assent on July 20 of the same year. This made Canada the fourth country in the world to allow same-sex marriages. In November 2005, the Martin government reached a historic consensus with Canada's provinces, territories, First Nations, Métis and Inuit. Known as the Kelowna Accord , it aimed to eliminate the gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians in health, education, housing and economic opportunity. On February 24, 2005, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew told
10136-459: The Senate of Canada , Supreme Court of Canada , other federal courts , and the chairs and boards of various Crown corporations . Since Confederation in 1867, 23 prime ministers (twenty-two men and one woman) have formed 29 ministries . Justin Trudeau is the current prime minister, who took office on November 4, 2015, following the 2015 federal election , wherein his Liberal Party won
10317-602: The Toronto News . Fellow journalist W. A. Hewitt recalled that, the city editor of the Toronto News left him in charge one afternoon with instructions to fire King if he showed up. When Hewitt sat at the editor's desk, King showed up a few minutes later and resigned before Hewitt could tell him he was fired. After studying at the University of Chicago and working with Jane Addams at her settlement house, Hull House , King proceeded to Harvard University . While at
10498-403: The Westminster system , the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority of the elected House of Commons ; as such, the prime minister typically sits as a member of Parliament (MP) and leads the largest party or a coalition of parties. As first minister , the prime minister selects ministers to form the Cabinet . Not outlined in any constitutional document, the prime minister
10679-500: The displacement of Japanese Canadians out of the British Columbia Interior, mandating that they either resettle east of the Rocky Mountains or face deportation to Japan after the war. He played a major role in laying the foundations of the Canadian welfare state and establishing Canada's international position as a middle power . With a total of 21 years and 154 days in office, he remains the longest-serving prime minister in Canadian history . King studied law and political economy in
10860-409: The peerage of the United Kingdom by King George VI as Viscount Bennett, of Mickleham in the County of Surrey and of Calgary and Hopewell in Canada. No prime minister has since been titled. The Canadian Heraldic Authority (CHA) grants former prime ministers an augmentation of honour on the coat of arms of those who apply for them. The heraldic badge, referred to by the CHA as the mark of
11041-429: The same office in the United Kingdom . In 2008, a public opinion survey showed that 51% of Canadians believed they voted to directly elect the prime minister. In fact, the prime minister, along with the other ministers in Cabinet, is appointed by the governor general on behalf of the monarch. By the conventions of responsible government , the foundation of parliamentary democracy, the governor general will call to form
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#173280219526211222-410: The writs of election prior to the date mandated by the constitution or Canada Elections Act ; the King–Byng Affair was the only time since Confederation that the governor general refused the prime minister's request for a general vote. Following parliamentary dissolution, should the prime minister's party subsequently win a majority of seats in the House of Commons, it is unnecessary to re-appoint
11403-478: The 1890s and later obtained a PhD – the only Canadian prime minister to have done so. In 1900, he became deputy minister of the Canadian government's new Department of Labour. He entered the House of Commons in 1908 before becoming the federal minister of labour in 1909 under Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier . After losing his seat in the 1911 federal election , King worked for the Rockefeller Foundation before briefly working as an industrial consultant. Following
11584-463: The 32-year-old executive assistant to Power Corporation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maurice Strong , was appointed to the CSL board of directors. In 1971, CSL minority shareholders sold outstanding shares to Power Corporation, making CSL a Power Corporation subsidiary. CSL suffered losses in 1972 when forced to cover unexpected cost overruns in the construction of three 80,000-ton ocean-going tankers at Davie Shipbuilding. On November 22, 1973, Martin
11765-403: The Bennett government's budget deficits as irresponsible, though didn't suggest his own idea of how budgets could be balanced . King also denounced the "blank cheques" parliament was asked to approve for relief and delayed the passage of these bills despite the objections of some Liberals who feared the public might conclude that the Liberals had no sympathy for those struggling. Each year, after
11946-587: The Cabinet had become eclipsed by prime ministerial power; Savoie wrote: "The Canadian prime minister has little in the way of institutional check, at least inside government, to inhibit his ability to have his way." Indeed, the position has been described as undergoing a "presidentialization", to the point that its incumbents publicly outshine the actual head of state (and prime minister's spouses are sometimes referred to as First Lady of Canada ). Former governor general Adrienne Clarkson alluded to what she saw as "an unspoken rivalry" that had developed between
12127-407: The Canadian monarch, represented by the governor general. The prime minister is, instead, the head of government and is responsible for advising the Crown on how to exercise much of the royal prerogative and its executive powers, which are governed by the written constitution and constitutional conventions. However, the function of the prime minister has evolved with increasing power. Today, per
12308-434: The Conservative government have its way. Though he gave the impression of sympathy with progressive and liberal causes, he had no enthusiasm for the New Deal of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt (which Bennett eventually tried to emulate, after floundering without solutions for several years), and he never advocated massive government action to alleviate the Depression in Canada. As Opposition leader, King denounced
12489-426: The Conservative rivals. When Laurier died in 1919, King was elected leader in the first Liberal leadership convention , defeating his three rivals on the fourth ballot. He won thanks to the support of the Quebec bloc, organized by Ernest Lapointe (1876–1941), later King's long-time lieutenant in Quebec. King could not speak French, but in election after election for the next 20 years (save for 1930), Lapointe produced
12670-411: The Conservatives held more seats in the House than any other party, they did not control a majority. They were soon themselves defeated on a motion of non-confidence on July 2. Meighen himself then requested a dissolution of Parliament, which Byng now granted. King ran the 1926 Liberal election campaign largely on the issue of the right of Canadians to govern themselves and against the interference of
12851-502: The Conservatives to form government, who briefly held office but lost a motion of no confidence . This sequence of events triggered a major constitutional crisis , the King–Byng affair . King and the Liberals decisively won the resulting election . After, King sought to make Canada's foreign policy more independent by expanding the Department of External Affairs while recruiting more Canadian diplomats. His government also introduced old-age pensions based on need. King's slow reaction to
13032-540: The Crown in right of the United Kingdom, which has periodically bestowed such Imperial honours on such citizens) has since adopted this policy generally, such that the last prime minister to be knighted near appointment was Robert Borden , who was the prime minister at the time the Nickle Resolution was debated in the House of Commons (and was knighted before the resolution). Still, Bennett was, in 1941, six years after he stepped down as prime minister, elevated to
13213-487: The Crown. The Liberal Party was returned to power with a minority government , which bolstered King's position on the issue and the position of the Prime Minister generally. King later pushed for greater Canadian autonomy at the 1926 Imperial Conference which elicited the Balfour Declaration stating that upon the granting of dominion status, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland , South Africa, and
13394-557: The Gomery findings, NDP leader Jack Layton notified the Liberals of conditions for the NDP's continued support; the terms of these conditions are unclear, but the two parties were unable to come to an agreement. An opposition proposal schedule an election for February 2006 in return for passing several pieces of legislation was also unrealized. The Conservatives, supported by the other two opposition parties (the NDP and Bloc Québécois), introduced
13575-431: The House of Commons as soon as possible. For example, William Lyon Mackenzie King , after losing his seat in the 1925 federal election and again in the 1945 Canadian federal election (despite his party being elected government both times), briefly governed without a seat in the House of Commons on both occasions before winning a by-election a few weeks later. Similarly, John Turner replaced Pierre Trudeau as leader of
13756-646: The House of Commons during Question Period , other members of parliament may address the prime minister as the Right Honourable Member for [prime minister's riding ] or simply the Right Honourable Prime Minister . Former prime ministers retain the prefix the Right Honourable for the remainder of their lives; should they remain sitting MPs, they may be referred as the Right Honourable Member for [member's riding] , by their portfolio title (if appointed to one), as in
13937-530: The House of Commons have been appointed to the position of prime minister. Two former prime ministers— John Joseph Caldwell Abbott and Mackenzie Bowell —served in the 1890s while members of the Senate . Both, in their roles as government leader in the Senate , succeeded prime ministers who had died in office— John A. Macdonald in 1891 and John Sparrow David Thompson in 1894. Prime ministers who are not MPs upon their appointment (or who lose their seats while in office) have since been expected to seek election to
14118-637: The House of Commons that Canada would not participate in the American National Missile Defense Program , and that he expected to be consulted in the case of a missile being launched over Canadian airspace. Martin's decision met with much praise, but others saw that the government was distancing itself from the U.S. His government continued to cooperate with the United States on border control, refugee claimants, and defense, and he appointed seasoned Liberal politician Frank McKenna as Canada's ambassador to Washington. Martin
14299-499: The King–Byng episode, King recruited many high-calibre people for the new venture, including future prime minister Lester Pearson and influential career administrators Norman Robertson and Hume Wrong . This project was a key element of his overall strategy, setting Canada on a course independent of Britain, of former colonizer France , as well as of the neighbouring powerful United States. Throughout his tenure, King led Canada from
14480-439: The Liberal Party in 1984 and subsequently was appointed prime minister while not holding a seat in the House of Commons; Turner won a riding in the next election but the Liberal Party was swept from power. When a prime minister loses their seat in the legislature, or should a new prime minister be appointed without holding a seat, the typical process that follows is that a member in the governing political party will resign to allow
14661-666: The Liberal Party was paying. He worked for the Foundation until 1918, forming a close working association and friendship with Rockefeller, advising him through the turbulent period of the 1913–1914 Strike and Ludlow Massacre –in what is known as the Colorado Coalfield War –at a family-owned coal company in Colorado , which subsequently set the stage for a new era in labour management in America. King became one of
14842-416: The Liberal leadership convention, capturing 3,242 of 3,455 votes. He had won the leadership almost unopposed, due to his hold on the party machinery, and because Chrétien supporters did not rally around either of the leadership opponents. Simon Fraser University professor Doug McArthur has noted that Martin's leadership campaign used aggressive tactics for the 2003 leadership convention, in attempting to end
15023-593: The Liberal victory in the 1993 federal election . Martin oversaw many changes in the financial structure of the Canadian government, and his policies had a direct effect on eliminating the country's chronic fiscal deficit by drastically cutting spending and reforming various programs including social services. In 2002, Martin resigned as finance minister when the tension with Chrétien reached its peak. Martin initially prepared to challenge Chrétien's leadership, though Chrétien announced his intention of retiring, triggering
15204-463: The Liberals had enjoyed by far the lion's share of this funding due to the then-divided opposition parties. It has been suggested that Chrétien, who had done nothing about election financing for his 10 years in office, could be seen as the idealist as he retired, while his rival and successor Martin would have the burden of having to fight an election under the strict new rules. An unpopular provincial budget by Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty , who broke
15385-525: The Meech Lake Accord and, as a result, Chrétien was generally unpopular in his home province for the next decade. Even before the Liberals' second electoral victory in the 1997 election , there was much speculation in the media and in Ottawa that Martin was after Chrétien's job and wanted to force him to retire. As the Liberals emerged with a smaller majority government after the 1997 election, it seemed unlikely that any opposition party could pose
15566-564: The North Pacific Ocean . In 1923, King's government negotiated the Halibut Treaty with the United States. The treaty annually prohibited commercial fishing from November 16 to February 15; violation would result in seizure. The agreement was notable in which Canada negotiated it without a British delegate at the table and without ratification from the British Parliament ; though not official, convention stated that
15747-400: The Parliament's agenda. The Conservatives would use this time to hold a vote of no confidence in order to topple Martin's government. To avoid this, Martin removed all opposition days from the schedule and made a televised appearance on April 21, 2005, to attempt to gain support from the Canadian people to let the inquiry run its course before an election was called. In the rebuttal speeches by
15928-483: The Prime Ministership of Canada , consists of four red maple leaves joined at the stem on a white field ( Argent four maple leaves conjoined in cross at the stem Gules ); the augmentation is usually a canton or centred in the chief . Joe Clark , Pierre Trudeau, John Turner, Brian Mulroney, Kim Campbell , Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin were granted arms with the augmentation. Canada continues
16109-476: The Progressive caucus lacked the party discipline that was traditionally enforced by the Liberals and Conservatives. The Progressives had campaigned on a promise that their MP's would represent their constituents first. King used this to his advantage, as he could always count on at least a handful of Progressive MPs to shore up his near-majority position for any crucial vote. In 1923, King's government passed
16290-472: The Progressives gradually weakened. Their effective and passionate leader, Thomas Crerar , resigned to return to his grain business, and was replaced by the more placid Robert Forke , who joined King's cabinet in 1926 as Minister of Immigration and Colonization after becoming a Liberal-Progressive . Socialist reformer J. S. Woodsworth gradually gained influence and power, and King was able to reach an accommodation with him on policy matters. In any event,
16471-684: The Right Honourable Minister of National Defence , or should they become opposition leader, as the Right Honourable Leader of the Opposition . In the decades following Confederation, it was common practice to refer to the prime minister as Premier of Canada , a custom that continued during the First World War , around the time of Robert Borden's premiership. While contemporary sources will still speak of early prime ministers of Canada as premier ,
16652-467: The St. Lawrence seaway to benefit his own Canada Steamship Lines . The scandal also cast skepticism on Martin's recommendations for Cabinet appointments, prompting speculation Martin was simply ridding the government of Chrétien's supporters to distance the Liberals from the scandal. Martin acknowledged that there was political direction but denied involvement in, or knowledge of, the sponsorship contracts. He had
16833-491: The United Kingdom would have a seat at the table or be a signatory to any agreement Canada was part of. King argued the situation only concerned Canada and the United States. After, the British accepted King's intentions to send a separate Canadian diplomat to Washington D.C. (to represent Canada's interests) rather than a British one. At the 1923 Imperial Conference , Britain accepted the Halibut Treaty, arguing it set
17014-576: The United States on an as-needed basis, performing service to the war effort by helping to keep war-related industries running smoothly. In 1918, King, assisted by his friend F. A. McGregor, published Industry and Humanity: A Study in the Principles Underlying Industrial Reconstruction , a dense, abstract book he wrote in response to the Ludlow massacre . It went over the heads of most readers, but revealed
17195-512: The University of Chicago, he participated on their track team as a half-mile runner. He earned an MA in political economy from Harvard in 1898. In 1909, Harvard granted him a PhD degree for a dissertation titled "Publicity and Public Opinion as Factors in the Solution of Industrial Problems in Canada." He is the only Canadian Prime Minister to have earned a PhD. In 1900, King became editor of
17376-433: The University of Toronto. King became a lifelong practising Presbyterian with a dedication to social reform based on his Christian duty. He never favoured socialism . King enrolled at the University of Toronto in 1891. He obtained a BA degree in 1895, an LLB degree in 1896, and an MA in 1897, all from the university. While studying in Toronto he met a wide circle of friends, many of whom became prominent. He
17557-504: The Westminster tradition of using the title Prime Minister when one is speaking to the federal head of government directly; the Department of Canadian Heritage advises that the term Mr. Prime Minister should not be used in official contexts. The written form of address for the prime minister should use their full parliamentary title: The Right Honourable [name], [ post-nominal letters ], Prime Minister of Canada . However, while in
17738-527: The World War I memorial. However, the symbolic meaning of the World War I monument gradually expanded to become the place of remembrance for all Canadian war sacrifices and includes a war memorial. King called an election in 1925 , in which the Conservatives won the most seats, but not a majority in the House of Commons . King held onto power with the support of the Progressives. A corruption scandal discovered late in his first term involved misdeeds around
17919-422: The age of eight (like his father, who contracted the disease in 1907). To give him the opportunity to improve his French, his parents enrolled him in a private French-language middle school , École Garneau, in Ottawa. Martin then briefly attended the University of Ottawa before transferring and graduating from St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto with a B.A. in history and philosophy in 1961. He
18100-459: The chief executive officer of Canada Steamship Lines in 1973. He held that position until his election as a member of Parliament for the Montreal riding of LaSalle—Émard in 1988 . Martin ran for leader of the Liberal Party in 1990 , losing to Jean Chrétien . Martin would become Chrétien's longtime rival for the leadership of the party, though was appointed his minister of finance after
18281-594: The constituency of York North , which his grandfather had once represented. The Liberal Party was deeply divided by Quebec's opposition to conscription and the agrarian revolt in Ontario and the Prairies. Levin argues that when King returned to politics in 1919, he was a rusty outsider with a weak base facing a nation bitterly split by language, regionalism and class. He outmaneuvered more senior competitors by embracing Laurier's legacy, championing labour interests, calling for welfare reform, and offering solid opposition to
18462-486: The constitutional order is thus seen as a "rebuff to the pretensions of the elected: As it has been said, when the prime minister bows before the queen, he bows before us [the Canadian people]." Either the sovereign or the governor general may therefore oppose the prime minister's will in extreme, crisis situations. Near the end of her time as governor general, Adrienne Clarkson stated: "My constitutional role has lain in what are called 'reserve powers': making sure that there
18643-427: The contest before it could start by giving the impression that his bid was too strong. McArthur blamed Martin's tactics for the ongoing sag in Liberal fortunes, as it discouraged activists who were not on side. On December 12, 2003, Martin was appointed by then-Governor General Adrienne Clarkson as the 21st Prime Minister of Canada. When sworn in as prime minister, Martin held the flag that flew on Parliament Hill when
18824-465: The convention to protest Chrétien's victory. The Meech Lake accord was officially defeated just one day before the Liberal leadership was to be decided. In the House of Commons, Lapierre then crossed the floor to the newly formed Bloc Québécois . After the leadership convention, Martin co-authored the election platform Creating Opportunity , colloquially known as the Red Book . The Liberal Party won
19005-470: The country and Bowell the only whose funeral was not attended by politicians. John Thompson also died outside Canada, at Windsor Castle , where Queen Victoria permitted his lying-in-state before his body was returned to Canada for a state funeral in Halifax . Prior to 1919, it was traditional for the monarch to bestow a knighthood on newly appointed Canadian prime ministers. Accordingly, several carried
19186-493: The crisis. King coldly replied that the Canadian Parliament would decide what policy to follow, making clear it would not be bound by London's suggestions. King wrote in his diary of the British appeal: "I confess it annoyed me. It is drafted designedly to play the imperial game, to test out centralization versus autonomy as regards European wars...No [Canadian] contingent will go without parliament being summoned in
19367-687: The critical seats to give the Liberals control of the Commons. When campaigning in Quebec, King portrayed Lapointe as co-prime minister. Once King became the Liberal leader in 1919 he paid closer attention to the Prairies , a fast-developing region. Viewing a sunrise in Alberta in 1920, he wrote in his diary, "I thought of the New Day, the New Social Order. It seems like Heaven's prophecy of
19548-523: The customs scandal that could force his government to resign, advised the Governor General , Lord Byng , to dissolve Parliament and call another election. Byng, however, declined the Prime Minister's request – the first time in Canadian history that a request for dissolution was refused; and, to date, the only time the governor general of Canada has done so. Byng instead asked Leader of the Opposition , Arthur Meighen, to form government. Although
19729-423: The dawn of a new era, revealed to me." Pragmatism played a role as well, since his party depended for its survival on the votes of Progressive Party Members of Parliament, many of whom who represented farmers in Ontario and the Prairies. He convinced many Progressives to return to the Liberal fold. In the 1921 election , King's Liberals defeated the Conservatives led by Prime Minister Arthur Meighen , winning
19910-493: The deal and declare for or against it. When Chrétien refused to endorse the deal, young Liberal delegates crowding the hall began to chant "vendu" ("sellout" in French) and "Judas" at Chrétien. Chrétien was upset at the response from the floor and another similar outburst by Martin supporters at the convention when Chrétien accepted the party leadership. Jean Lapierre and his supporters, who supported Martin, wore black armbands at
20091-513: The death of Laurier in 1919, King acceded to the leadership of the Liberal Party. Taking the helm of a party torn apart by the Conscription Crisis of 1917 , he unified both the pro- conscription and anti-conscription factions of the party, leading it to victory in the 1921 federal election . King established a post-war agenda that lowered wartime taxes and tariffs. He strengthened Canadian autonomy by refusing to support Britain in
20272-407: The defeat, Martin stepped down as Liberal leader and declined to seek re-election in 2008 . Evaluations of Martin's prime ministership have been mixed, whereas his tenure as finance minister is viewed more favourably. Now seen as a global diplomat, Martin continues to contribute on the international arena through a variety of initiatives such as Incentives for Global Health, the not-for-profit behind
20453-411: The deficit in two years through economic growth alone, without the reduction in services. Chrétien and Martin frequently clashed while in office. It was reported that Chrétien privately often condemned Martin in bitter terms and had never forgiven Martin for running against him in the Liberal leadership convention of 1990. During that bitter contest, Martin had forced Chrétien to declare his opposition to
20634-457: The doctrines of constitutional monarchy , the advice given by the prime minister is ordinarily binding, meaning the prime minister effectively carries out those duties ascribed to the sovereign or governor general, leaving the latter to act in predominantly ceremonial fashions. As such, the prime minister, supported by the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO), controls the appointments of many key figures in Canada's system of governance, including
20815-524: The earliest expert practitioners in the emerging field of industrial relations . King was not a pacifist, but he showed little enthusiasm for the Great War ; he faced criticism for not serving in Canada's military and instead working for the Rockefellers. However, he was nearly 40 years old when the war began, and was not in good physical condition. He never gave up his Ottawa home, and travelled to
20996-407: The elder Martin died. Both father and son had served as Cabinet ministers and contested the Liberal leadership on multiple occasions; their attempts from 1948 to 1990 were unsuccessful. Martin's election as leader and becoming prime minister was described as fulfilling a family dream. Both also earned the honorific prefix The Right Honourable . One difference between them was that Paul Sr. was one of
21177-676: The election with a plurality of seats in the Commons: 116 seats to the Conservatives' 91 in a 245-member House. During the Chanak Crisis of 1922, King refused to support the British without first consulting Parliament , while the Conservative leader, Arthur Meighen, supported Britain. King sought a Canadian voice independent of London in foreign affairs. In September 1922 the British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George , appealed repeatedly to King for Canadian support in
21358-488: The establishment of grading standards "to assist in the marketing of agricultural products" both at home and overseas. In addition, the Combines Investigation Act of 1923 was aimed at safeguarding consumers and producers from exploitation. A Fair Wages and Eight Hours Day Act was introduced in 1930. King's government was in power at the beginning of the Great Depression , but was slow to respond to
21539-604: The expansion of the Beauharnois Canal in Quebec; this led to extensive inquiries and eventually a Royal Commission , which exposed the Beauharnois Scandal . The resulting press coverage damaged King's party in the election. Early in his second term, another corruption scandal, this time in the Department of Customs, was revealed, which led to more support for the Conservatives and Progressives, and
21720-414: The family. King's father was a lawyer with a struggling practice in a small city, and never enjoyed financial security. His parents lived a life of shabby gentility, employing servants and tutors they could scarcely afford, although their financial situation improved somewhat following a move to Toronto around 1890, where King lived with them for several years in a duplex on Beverley Street while studying at
21901-414: The federal government used the report to justify the first legislation outlawing narcotics in Canada. King was first elected to Parliament as a Liberal in the 1908 federal election , representing Waterloo North . In 1909, King was appointed as the first-ever minister of labour by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier . King's term as minister of labour was marked by two significant achievements. He led
22082-587: The federal government-owned Labour Gazette , a publication that explored complex labour issues. Later that year, he was appointed as deputy minister of the Canadian government's new Department of Labour, and became active in policy domains from Japanese immigration to railways, notably the Industrial Disputes Investigations Act (1907) which sought to avert labour strikes by prior conciliation. In 1901, King's roommate and best friend, Henry Albert Harper , died heroically during
22263-618: The financial sector; Lester B. Pearson , who was Chancellor of Carleton University ; Joe Clark and Kim Campbell, who were university lecturers, Clark also consultant and Campbell working in international diplomacy and as the director of private companies and chairperson of interest groups; while Pierre Trudeau and Jean Chrétien returned to legal practice. Former prime ministers also commonly penned autobiographies—Tupper, for example—or published their memoirs—such as Diefenbaker and Paul Martin . William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950)
22444-548: The first instance". The British were disappointed with King's response but the crisis was soon resolved, as King had anticipated. After Chanak, King was concerned about the possibility that Canada might go to war because of its connections with Britain, writing to Violet Markham : Anything like centralization in London, to say nothing of a direct or indirect attempt on the part of those in office in Downing Street to tell
22625-400: The future prime minister by the governor general , after either the individual's political party won a general election or proposed to form either a confidence-and-supply government or coalition government. The term does not apply to incumbent prime ministers. After exiting office, former prime ministers of Canada have engaged in various pursuits. Some remained in politics: Bowell continued as
22806-480: The government modified the Immigration Act to allow former subjects of Austria-Hungary to once again enter Canada. Ukrainian immigration resumed after restrictions were put in place during World War I. King had a long-standing concern with city planning and the development of the national capital, since he had been trained in the settlement house movement and envisioned town planning and garden cities as
22987-494: The government, following the tradition that the Speaker votes to continue debate, and that allowed the budget to pass through the House on May 19, 2005. Same-sex marriage proved to be a defining issue of Martin's mandate. Martin opposed same-sex marriage in a 1999 vote on the issue along with a majority of MPs, but changed his stance on the issue in 2004, citing recent court rulings and his personal belief that same-sex marriage
23168-415: The governor general's invitation to form a government . A prime minister who has given intention to resign may advise the governor general on whom to appoint as the next prime minister. However, if the prime minister is resigning because he has lost the confidence of the House of Commons, the viceroy is not obligated to follow that advice. Ivor Jennings wrote, "where the government is defeated and there
23349-518: The governor general, the Cabinet, justices of the Supreme Court , senators, heads of Crown corporations , ambassadors and high commissioners , the provincial lieutenant governors , and approximately 3,100 other positions. Further, the prime minister plays a prominent role in the legislative process—with the majority of bills put before Parliament originating in the Cabinet—and the leadership of
23530-517: The land". Once again, King appointed himself as secretary of state for external affairs ; he held that post until 1946. Promising a much-desired trade treaty with the U.S., the King government passed the 1935 Reciprocal Trade Agreement. It marked the turning point in Canadian-American economic relations, reversing the disastrous trade war of 1930–31, lowering tariffs, and yielding a dramatic increase in trade. More subtly, it revealed to
23711-507: The late 1930s. Historian Jack Granatstein notes, "the scholars expressed little admiration for King the man but offered unbounded admiration for his political skills and attention to Canadian unity." King is ranked among the top three of Canadian prime ministers. King was born in a frame house rented by his parents at 43 Benton Street in Berlin ( now Kitchener ), Ontario to John King and Isabel Grace Mackenzie. His maternal grandfather
23892-404: The latter's commanding lead and Manley eventually conceded the race. This left no strong candidate for Chrétien supporters to rally around, and some of them grudgingly voted for Martin. On September 21, 2003, Martin easily defeated his sole remaining opponent, former Deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps , securing 93 percent of the party delegates. On November 14, 2003, he was declared the winner at
24073-478: The lifespan of a parliament is constitutionally limited to five years, a 2007 amendment to the Canada Elections Act , Section 56.1(2) limited the term of a Parliament to four years, with election day being set as the third Monday in October of the fourth calendar year after the previous polling date. The governor general may still, on the advice of the prime minister, dissolve parliament and issue
24254-464: The modern practice is such that the federal head of government is known almost exclusively as the prime minister , while the provincial and territorial heads of government are termed premiers (in French, premiers are addressed as premier ministre du [province] , literally translated as prime minister of [province] ). The prime minister–designate of Canada is the person who has been designated as
24435-428: The most left-wing members of the party, while Paul Jr. is considered on the right-wing. When he was sworn in, Martin's new cabinet retained only half the ministers from Chrétien's government, a noteworthy break in tradition from previous instances where a retiring prime minister handed over power to his successor as party leader. Martin and his supporters exercised control over the riding nomination process, breaking with
24616-412: The mounting crisis. He felt that the crisis was a temporary swing of the business cycle and that the economy would soon recover without government intervention. Critics said he was out of touch. Just prior to the election, King carelessly remarked that he "would not give a five-cent piece" to Tory provincial governments for unemployment relief. The opposition made this remark a catch-phrase; the main issue
24797-474: The move, while accusations that her husband had both dined with former members of the terrorist organization FLQ and been supportive of Quebec separatism surprised others. Subsequent to her appointment, she reaffirmed her commitment to federalism and the issue died down. The first volume of the Gomery Report, released on November 1, 2005, cleared Martin of any wrongdoing while placing some blame for
24978-441: The opposition party leaders, Layton offered his party's support provided that they were given major concessions in the budget such as canceling the proposed corporate tax cuts. Days later, the Liberals took the NDP up on their offer and negotiated tax cut deferments and new spending initiatives. Among the new commitments was aid for Sudan , which Sudan's officials turned down as Martin did not consult them about it beforehand. This aid
25159-581: The passage of the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act and the Combines Investigation Act , which he had shaped during his civil and parliamentary service. The legislation significantly improved the financial situation for millions of Canadian workers. In 1910 Mackenzie King introduced a bill aimed at establishing an 8-hour day on public works but it was killed in the Senate. He lost his seat in
25340-747: The people of the Dominions what they should or should not do, and to dictate their duty in matters of foreign policy, is certain to prove just as injurious to the so-called 'imperial solidarity' as any attempt at interference in questions of purely domestic concern. If membership within the British Commonwealth means participation by the Dominions in any and every war in which Great Britain becomes involved, without consultation, conference, or agreement of any kind in advance, I can see no hope for an enduring relationship. For years, halibut stocks were depleting in Canadian and American fishing areas in
25521-575: The position open. Martin was a candidate at the 1990 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election , losing to Jean Chrétien in a bitter race that resulted in lasting animosity between the two men and their supporters. A key moment in that race took place at an all-candidates debate in Montreal, where the discussion quickly turned to the Meech Lake Accord . Martin, favouring Meech, attempted to force Chrétien to abandon his nuanced position on
25702-410: The possibility that King would be forced to resign, if he lost sufficient support in the Commons. King had no personal connection to this scandal, although one of his own appointees was at the heart of it. Opposition leader Meighen unleashed his fierce invective towards King, stating he was hanging onto power "like a lobster with lockjaw". ` In June 1926, King, facing a House of Commons vote connected to
25883-447: The post; and Charles Tupper , Louis St. Laurent , and John Turner, each before they returned to private business. Meighen was also appointed to the Senate following his second period as prime minister, but resigned his seat to seek re-election and moved to private enterprise after failing to win a riding. Also returning to civilian life were: Robert Borden, who was Chancellor of Queen's and McGill Universities , as well as working in
26064-432: The practical idealism behind King's political thinking. He argued that capital and labour were natural allies, not foes, and that the community at large (represented by the government) should be the third and decisive party in industrial disputes. He expressed derision for syndicates and trades unions, chastising them for aiming at the "destruction by force of existing organization, and the transfer of industrial capital from
26245-421: The precedent to automatically sign the nomination papers of backbenchers and former ministers who wanted to run for reelection. While these were signs of open party infighting, this had little impact on Martin's record popularity, with several pundits suggesting that the cabinet change was meant to present a new government different from Chrétien's ten-year tenure. Martin and the Liberals were adversely affected by
26426-641: The prefix Sir before their name; of the first eight prime ministers of Canada, only Alexander Mackenzie refused the honour of a knighthood from Queen Victoria. Following the 1919 Nickle Resolution , however, the House of Commons declared that it should be against the policy of the Canadian Sovereign (and the Canadian government advising the Monarch when such honours are not within the Monarch's personal gift) to bestow aristocratic or chivalric titles to Canadians. The Crown in right of Canada (but not
26607-510: The present possessors" to themselves. Quitting the Rockefeller Foundation in February 1918, King became an independent consultant on labour issues for the next two years, earning $ 1,000 per week from leading American corporations. Even so, he kept his official residence in Ottawa, hoping for a call to duty. In 1917, Canada was in crisis; King supported Liberal leader Wilfrid Laurier in his opposition to conscription , which
26788-431: The prime minister and the Crown. It has been theorized that such is the case in Canada as its Parliament is less influential on the executive than in other countries with Westminster parliamentary systems ; particularly, Canada has fewer MPs, a higher turnover rate of MPs after each election, and a US-style system for selecting political party leaders, leaving them accountable to the party membership rather than caucus (as
26969-431: The prime minister is afforded an armoured car (a car allowance of $ 2,000 per year) and shared use of two official aircraft —a CC-150 Polaris for international flights and a Challenger 601 for domestic trips. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also furnish constant personal security for the prime minister and their family. All of the aforementioned is provided through budgets approved by Parliament. As of April 2024,
27150-406: The prime minister or for the prime minister to retake the oath of office. If, however, an opposition party wins a majority of seats, the prime minister may resign or choose to meet Parliament to see if the incumbent government can win a confidence vote. Should the prime minister's party achieve a minority while an opposition party wins a plurality (i.e., more seats than any other party but less than
27331-498: The prime minister to run in the resulting by-election. A safe seat is usually chosen; while the Liberal and Conservative parties generally observed a practice of not running a candidate against another party's new leader in the by-election, the New Democratic Party and smaller political parties typically do not follow the same practice. However, if the governing party selects a new leader shortly before an election
27512-576: The prime minister's annual salary is $ 406,200 (consisting of an MP's salary of $ 203,100 and the prime minister's additional salary of $ 203,100). Serving or former prime ministers are accorded a state funeral , wherein their casket lies in state in the Centre Block of Parliament Hill. Only Bowell and the Viscount Bennett were given private funerals, Bennett also being the only former prime minister of Canada to die and be buried outside
27693-515: The provinces on increased funding for healthcare, and legalized same-sex marriage . In 2005, the opposition parties in the House of Commons passed a motion of no confidence contending that Martin's government was corrupt after the Gomery Commission released new details regarding the sponsorship scandal; this triggered the 2006 federal election , which saw the Liberals being defeated by the newly unified Conservative Party led by Stephen Harper , ending over 12 years of Liberal rule. Shortly after
27874-490: The provincial governments, he inaugurated a system of old-age pensions based on need. In February 1930, he appointed Cairine Wilson as the first female senator in Canadian history. Reductions in taxation were carried out such as exemptions under the sales tax on commodities and enlarged exemptions of income tax, while in 1929 taxes on cables, telegrams, and railway and steamship tickets were removed. Measures were also carried out to support farmers. In 1922, for instance,
28055-543: The same deal, except only for oil resources. Negotiations over the agreement were harsh, with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams at one point ordering all Canadian flags removed from provincial government buildings in December 2004. The dispute was resolved when the federal government agreed to Martin's original campaign promise. The 2005 federal budget was presented in the House of Commons on February 23, 2005. The budget included an array of new spending for
28236-505: The scandal on Chrétien for lack of oversight, although it acknowledged that Chrétien had no knowledge of the scandal. On June 26, 2008, Chrétien was cleared of all allegations of involvement in the scandal. A Canadian judge issued a gag order that barred Canadian media from covering the hearings of the Gomery Inquiry . Despite this, leaked information circulated after being published in an American blog Captain's Quarters . After
28417-526: The separatist Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party . The fall of the government was averted only after agreement on a watered-down version of the amendment. Martin invested heavily in Quebec, for example with the Bombardier Inc. C series project, which was later taken over by Airbus when the owner got into financial difficulties and called the Airbus A220 . By June 2005 Martin gave
28598-460: The throne speech and the budget, King introduced amendments that blamed the depression on Bennett's policy of high tariffs. By the time the 1935 election arrived, the Bennett government was heavily unpopular due to their handling of the depression. Using the slogan "King or Chaos", the Liberals won a landslide victory , winning 173 out of the Commons' 245 seats and reducing the Conservatives to
28779-503: The worst mistake Canada could react to the Depression was to raise tariffs and restrict international trade. He believed that over time, voters would learn that they had been deceived by Bennett and would come to appreciate the King government's policy of frugality and free trade . King's policy was to refrain from offering advice or alternative policies. Indeed, his policy preferences were not much different from Bennett's, and he let
28960-635: Was William Lyon Mackenzie , first mayor of Toronto and leader of the Upper Canada Rebellion in 1837. His father was a lawyer and later a lecturer at Osgoode Hall Law School . King had three siblings: older sister Isabel "Bella" Christina Grace (1873–1915), younger sister Janet "Jennie" Lindsey (1876–1962) and younger brother Dougall Macdougall "Max" (1878–1922). Within his family, he was known as Willie; during his university years, he adopted W. L. Mackenzie King as his signature and began using Mackenzie as his preferred name with those outside
29141-480: Was "one of the most powerful factors in his make-up". In domestic affairs, King strengthened the Liberal policy of increasing the powers of the provincial governments by transferring to the governments of Manitoba , Alberta , and Saskatchewan the ownership of the crown lands within those provinces, as well as the subsoil rights; these in particular would become increasingly important, as petroleum and other natural resources proved very abundant. In collaboration with
29322-469: Was a Canadian statesman and politician who was the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A Liberal , he was the dominant politician in Canada from the early 1920s to the late 1940s. King is best known for his leadership of Canada throughout the Great Depression and the Second World War . In August 1944, he ordered
29503-407: Was a Cabinet minister in the Liberal governments of Prime Ministers W. L. Mackenzie King , Louis St. Laurent , Lester B. Pearson , and Pierre E. Trudeau . His mother, Eleanor "Nell" Alice (née Adams), was of Scottish and Irish descent. He had one sister, Mary-Anne Bellamy, who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at a young age. She died on July 20, 2011. Martin contracted polio in 1946 at
29684-531: Was a member of the U of T Young Liberals during his time at the University of Toronto. He then attended the University of Toronto Faculty of Law , where he received an LL.B. in 1964. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1966. On September 11, 1965, Martin married Sheila Ann Cowan , with whom he has three sons: Paul, Jamie and David. In 1969, Power Corporation took a controlling share in Canada Steamship Lines . On December 2, 1970, Paul Martin,
29865-552: Was an early member and officer of the Kappa Alpha Society , which included a number of these individuals (two future Ontario Supreme Court Justices and the future chairman of the university itself). It encouraged debate on political ideas. He also was simultaneously a part of the Literary Society with Arthur Meighen , a future political rival. King was especially concerned with issues of social welfare and
30046-621: Was appointed president and CEO of the CSL Group. In 1974, CSL earnings were further hurt by an eight-week strike on the Great Lakes. In 1976, Power Corporation reversed itself and took over the investment portfolio that had been sold to CSL five years earlier. CSL reverted to an operating division of Power Corporation. In 1988, Martin was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the southwestern Montreal riding of LaSalle-Émard . He
30227-469: Was appointed to investigate the causes of and claims for compensation resulting from the 1907 anti-Oriental riots in Vancouver's Chinatown and Japantown . One of the claims for damages came from Chinese opium dealers, which led King to investigate narcotics use in Vancouver , British Columbia. Following the investigation King reported that white women were also opium users, not just Chinese men, and
30408-465: Was attacked as a perceived attempt to win the vote of a single independent MP, former Liberal David Kilgour . Kilgour nevertheless voted against the government. In May, Parliament passed a motion asking one of its committees to express a lack of confidence in the government. The Liberals dismissed this as a procedural matter, causing some to accuse them of governing unlawfully by ignoring parliamentary tradition. The Conservatives and Bloc interpreted it as
30589-571: Was complex; biographers agree on the personal characteristics that made him distinctive. He lacked the charisma of such contemporaries as Franklin D. Roosevelt , Winston Churchill , or Charles de Gaulle . Cold and tactless in human relations, he lacked oratorical skill and his personality did not resonate with the electorate. He kept secret his beliefs in spiritualism and use of mediums to stay in contact with departed associates and particularly with his mother, and allowed his intense spirituality to distort his understanding of Adolf Hitler throughout
30770-432: Was criticized for failing to reach a foreign-aid target of 0.7 percent of GDP, most notably by Bono of Irish rock group U2 (who claimed that he was going to "kick [Martin's] butt" over the issue). Martin later responded that, in his view, many foreign leaders had made pledges that were too fanciful and that he would only commit to targets that he knew his government could be held accountable for. Martin became involved in
30951-423: Was due to concerns over the direction the Conservative Party was taking; others accused Stronach of political opportunism. The event changed the balance of power in the House of Commons in favour of the government. This, and the support of independent MP Chuck Cadman , caused a tie during a May 2005 confidence vote, meaning that Peter Milliken , Speaker of the House needed to cast the deciding vote. He voted with
31132-529: Was himself. He also forged a closer relationship with the People's Republic of China by announcing the strategic partnership initiative during PRC President Hu Jintao 's state visit to Canada in September 2005. On August 4, 2005, the government announced that Martin had advised Queen Elizabeth II to appoint Michaëlle Jean as governor general . The reception to the appointment was mixed: some applauded
31313-425: Was influenced by the settlement house movement pioneered by Toynbee Hall in London, England. He played a central role in fomenting a students' strike at the university in 1895. He was in close touch, behind the scenes, with Vice-Chancellor William Mulock , for whom the strike provided a chance to embarrass his rivals Chancellor Edward Blake and President James Loudon . King failed to gain his immediate objective,
31494-467: Was primarily a human rights issue. In the midst of various court rulings in 2003 and 2004 that allowed for the legalization of same-sex marriages in seven provinces and one territory, the government proposed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage across Canada . The House of Commons passed the Civil Marriage Act in late June 2005 in a late-night, last-minute vote before Parliament closed down,
31675-452: Was probably most noticeable in health care , as major reductions in federal funding to the provinces meant significant cuts in service delivery. Martin's tactics, including those of using contributor's funds from RCMP, Military and Civil Service pension plans and Employment Insurance , created further controversy. CAW economist Jim Stanford said that a combination of a spending freeze at 1994 levels and lower interest rates would have eliminated
31856-403: Was re-elected without much difficulty at every election until he retired from politics. In 1984, the Liberal Party was defeated under the leadership of John Turner , falling to just 40 seats. A group of young Liberals approached Martin as a possible candidate to replace Turner, and while he did not take part in an attempt to overthrow Turner, he did prepare to succeed him in the leadership should
32037-583: Was responsible for lowering Canada's debt-to-GDP ratio from a peak of 70 percent to about 50 percent in the mid-1990s. In December 2001, he was named a member of the World Economic Forum 's "dream cabinet." The global business and financial body listed Martin along with United States Secretary of State Colin Powell and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan as top world leaders. Also during his tenure as finance minister, Martin coordinated
32218-521: Was sworn at Buckingham Palace on October 11, 1923, during the 1923 Imperial Conference . During his first term of office, from 1921 to 1926, King sought to lower wartime taxes and, especially, wartime ethnic and labour tensions. "The War is over", he argued, "and for a long time to come it is going to take all that the energies of man can do to bridge the chasm and heal the wounds which the War has made in our social life." Despite prolonged negotiations, King
32399-432: Was the deterioration in the economy and whether the prime minister was out of touch with the hardships of ordinary people. The Liberals lost the election of 1930 to the Conservative Party, led by Richard Bedford Bennett . The popular vote was very close between the two parties, with the Liberals actually earning more votes than in 1926, but the Conservatives had a geographical advantage that turned into enough seats to give
32580-706: Was unable to attract the Progressives into his government, but once Parliament opened, he relied on their support to defeat non-confidence motions from the Conservatives. King was opposed in some policies by the Progressives, who opposed the high tariffs of the National Policy . King faced a delicate balancing act of reducing tariffs enough to please the Prairie-based Progressives, but not so much as to alienate his vital supporters in industrial Ontario and Quebec, who perceived tariffs were necessary to compete with American imports. Over time,
32761-420: Was violently opposed in the province of Quebec . The Liberal party became deeply split, with several Anglophones joining the pro-conscription Union government, a coalition controlled by the Conservatives under Prime Minister Robert Borden . King returned to Canada to run in the 1917 election , which focused almost entirely on the conscription issue. Unable to overcome a landslide against Laurier, King lost in
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