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William Lyon Mackenzie King

Even though Canada and United states had endured many conflicts and struggles for political power, Mackenzie King knew that a close friendship with the U.S. president F.D. Roosevelt was a cornerstone of an Allied movement. Furthermore, on August 18, 1940, Roosevelt signed the Ogdensburg Agreement that committed the then "neutral" United States to come to the protection of Canada if attacked. Two countries that were once enemies in the war of 1812, were now steadfast allies in World War Two.
             Mackenzie King shaped Canadian identity throughout his years as Prime Minister by implementing many social programs. In 1926, after world war one Mackenzie set up the old age pension to help secure Canadians over the age of 65. Mackenzie shared a vision for women rights and in 1930 appointed the first female senator, Cairine Wilson. As Canada headed into the second world war Mackenzie further implemented unemployment insurance. In 1940 this social insurance program was built to insure specific groups of workers against temporary income loss arising from unemployment. Not only did this act benefit workers, but because employment was at its peak and demand for benefits was low, investments indirectly helped finance the war. Mackenzie also realized how many lives were lost in the Second World War and decided that in order to promote Canadian families to have children, he would implement the family allowance act of 1944. This act encouraged numerous amounts of babies to be born in what are now called the "baby boomer years." Mackenzie's progressive social efforts are still prevalent today and is one of the key factors distinguishing us from the United States. .
             As the Second World War started, Mackenzie was faced with many controversial issues. He had to balance the prevention of a civil war in Canada with the participation in the war starting in Europe. The conscription crises, which had caused uproar in Quebec during the First World War, was at the base of it all.


Essays Related to William Lyon Mackenzie King

1. Mackenzie King and Minorities

... conscription put a lot of strife between the French and English of Canada, so during World War II for obvious reasons, William Lyon Mackenzie King tries to prevent conscription at all costs. While working through that crisis though, he interned thousands of Japanese Canadians. William Lyon Mackenzie King had to deal with different minority groups during his term, and while attempting to keep them happy, creates the biggest ... wits with each other. From the strife conscription had put on French-English relations in Canada, it made sense for William Lyon Mackenzie King to try and prevent ...

  • Word Count: 871
  • Approx Pages: 3

2. Letter to mackenzie king

... , without doubt, what holds a country that has, especially, experienced a great Depression and war simultaneously. I, Alexander McFerren, am 47 years old farmer living in Regina. I strongly believe that the approach you, Mackenzie King, took throughout the Depression was, certainly, much more effective than that taken by Richard Bedford Bennett. I also consider and respect the way you dealt with the issue of conscription during ... course of actions that you took, definitely, contributed significantly to the war effort. Indeed, in the upcoming election, I will vote for the significant, r...

  • Word Count: 620
  • Approx Pages: 2

3. Canada

... Prime Ministers over the course of her lifetime. Pierre Elliot Trudeau brought the constitution home to Canada. Lester B. Pearson won the Nobel Peace prize. William Lyon MacKenzie King was the longest serving Prime Minister in Canadian history and our leader through the Second World War. Sir Wilfred Laurier, a liberal Prime Minister, ... whom their bright boys and their business would be sent, just as they had been sent a few years before to the great George Mackenzie himself." The trust of the Kingstonians for Macdonald was proved when he was named as the solicitor for both of the town...

  • Word Count: 2201
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. The Rebellion of 1837-38

... Revolution if too much power were vested in an assembly of common people. According to Read, "the new government, then, was to be a balanced one, blending the elements of King (the lieutenant governor), Lords (the two appointed councils), and Commons (the assembly) (Read, 1985, p. 6). It was believed that the interests of all would be served by this system and that ... Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan (Curtis 1983). The Lower Canada rebellion-argues (Curtis 1983)-in many ways inspired the much shorter rebellion that took place in Upper Canada, which was led by William Lyon Mackenzie and Charle...

  • Word Count: 1516
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Japanese Internment

... 's growing fear. They created a public outcry against those of Japanese ancestry across British Columbia. There was immense public support for the internment of all Japanese in Canada. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King had reliable evidence which stated there was no threat presented by those Japanese living in British Columbia. However, public opinion, mounting international concerns, and the threat to the safety of ... the Japanese themselves forced King's hand. Thousands of Japanese Canadians were interned during the war without one ever being charged with any crime. In fact, ...

  • Word Count: 2229
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. Struggle for Equity

... organize the national welfare system and these included old age pensions as well as unemployment insurance. (Newman 171) She helped enact the Old Age Pension Act by making a deal with William Lyon Mackenzie King, they agreed that if she had the Progressives vote for him, he would in return promise Old Age Pensions and they succeeded. She watched as he stated that individuals over ... ...

  • Word Count: 2902
  • Approx Pages: 12

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