In Search of R.B. Bennett

In Search of R.B. Bennett
Author: Peter B. Waite
Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
Total Pages: 388
Release: 2012
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0773539085

No Canadian prime minister has a reputation as uncertain as that of R.B. Bennett (1870-1947). The Conservative party leader of the country during the worst years of the Great Depression, Bennett's fortune and ascension to the British House of Lords alienated him from the Canadian people during his lifetime, while his burial in England has kept him aloof from his country even in death. Writing a life of Bennett, who reportedly destroyed his correspondence every seven years, presents challenges for the biographer. Yet P.B. Waite shows that, while many details of Bennett's life may be unknown or disputed, his contributions to Canada are beyond doubt. Waite describes Bennett's bold initiatives, including his attempt to introduce unemployment insurance and the minimum wage, and the foundation of the Bank of Canada and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - achieved in the face of staunch opposition from banking and media magnates. He also studies Bennett's personal relationships and his lifelong bachelorhood, sifting through rumours and weighing conflicting opinions to shed new light on his life and personality. A remarkable study of a polarizing figure, In Search of R.B. Bennett uncovers the best and worst of the life and times of a pivotal Canadian leader.

Statesmen, Strategists, and Diplomats

Statesmen, Strategists, and Diplomats
Author: Patrice Dutil
Publisher: UBC Press
Total Pages: 409
Release: 2023-06-15
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0774868589

Foreign policy is a tricky business. Typically, challenges and proposed solutions are perceived as disparate unless a leader can amass enough support for an idea that creates alignment. And because the prime minister is typically the one proposing that idea, Canadian foreign policy can be analyzed through the actions of these leaders. Statesmen, Strategists, and Diplomats explores how prime ministers from Sir John A. Macdonald to Justin Trudeau have shaped foreign policy by manipulating government structures, adopting and rejecting options, and imprinting their personalities on the process. Contributors consider the impact of a wide range of policy decisions – increasing or decreasing department budgets, forming or ending alliances, and pursuing trade relationships – particularly as these choices affected the bureaucracies that deliver foreign policy diplomatically and militarily. This innovative focus is destined to trigger a new appreciation for the formidable personal attention and acuity involved in a successful approach to external affairs.

The Great Depression

The Great Depression
Author: Pierre Berton
Publisher: Anchor Canada
Total Pages: 562
Release: 2012-02-21
Genre: History
ISBN: 0307374866

Over 1.5 million Canadians were on relief, one in five was a public dependant, and 70,000 young men travelled like hoboes. Ordinary citizens were rioting in the streets, but their demonstrations met with indifference, and dissidents were jailed. Canada emerged from the Great Depression a different nation. The most searing decade in Canada's history began with the stock market crash of 1929 and ended with the Second World War. With formidable story-telling powers, Berton reconstructs its engrossing events vividly: the Regina Riot, the Great Birth Control Trial, the black blizzards of the dust bowl and the rise of Social Credit. The extraordinary cast of characters includes Prime Minister Mackenzie King, who praised Hitler and Mussolini but thought Winston Churchill "one of the most dangerous men I have ever known"; Maurice Duplessis, who padlocked the homes of private citizens for their political opinions; and Tim Buck, the Communist leader who narrowly escaped murder in Kingston Penitentiary. In this #1 best-selling book, Berton proves that Canada's political leaders failed to take the bold steps necessary to deal with the mass unemployment, drought and despair. A child of the era, he writes passionately of people starving in the midst of plenty.

History for the IB Diploma: The Great Depression and the Americas 1929-39

History for the IB Diploma: The Great Depression and the Americas 1929-39
Author: Nick Fellows
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2013
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1107656427

An exciting series that covers selected topics from the Higher Level options in the IB History syllabus. This coursebook covers Higher Level option 3, Topic 7, The Great Depression and the Americas 1929-39. The text is divided into clear sections following the IB syllabus structure and content specifications. It offers a sound historical account along with detailed explanations and analysis, and an emphasis on historical debate to prepare students for the in-depth, extended essay required in the Paper 3 examination. It also provides plenty of exam practice including student answers with examiner's comments, simplified mark schemes and practical advice on approaching the Paper 3 examination.

King and Chaos

King and Chaos
Author: David MacKenzie
Publisher: UBC Press
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2023-06-15
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0774868821

In 1935, Canadians went to the polls against a backdrop of the Great Depression and deteriorating international conditions. This election was like no other. As the Conservative government splintered under the weight of outdated policies, the opposition Liberals watched the destruction. Meanwhile, the newly minted Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and Social Credit Party transformed the electoral base, bringing working-class Canadians – and working-class issues – more directly into the political process. Although the Liberals ultimately swept back to power under William Lyon Mackenzie King’s leadership, King and Chaos demonstrates that the 1935 election marked a true turning point, ending the dominance of the two-party system and making room for additional parties to win seats and influence government policy.

Fulbright

Fulbright
Author: Randall Bennett Woods
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 734
Release: 1995-06-30
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780521482622

A full-scale biography, including the civil rights movement and the major international events of the Cold War.

The Order of Canada

The Order of Canada
Author: Christopher P. McCreery
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Total Pages: 533
Release: 2018-05-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 1487512139

In 1966, a project to create a national honour for Canadians was begun. The order recognizes individuals for their outstanding achievements, dedication, and service to the country. It is a product of national identity, politics, and history, and includes such individuals as Atom Egoyan, Joseph Boyden, and Louise Arbour. The second edition of The Order of Canada continues the celebration of the order. Christopher McCreery sheds new light on the development of Canadian honours in the early 1930s, the imposed prohibition on honours from 1946 to 1967, and new details on those who have been removed or resigned from the Order. Extensively illustrated, The Order of Canada pays tribute to the individuals who felt the need for a system of recognition for Canadians. Indeed, the order’s history is as fascinating as the more than four thousand Canadians who have received it.