Lester B. Pearson

Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson PC OM CC OBE (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was the eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the first peacekeeping force.

The Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson PC OM CC OBE
18th Prime Minister of Canada
In office 22 April 1963 (1963-04-22) – 20 April 1968 (1968-04-20)
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Georges Vanier Roland Michener
Preceded by	John Diefenbaker
Succeeded by	Pierre Trudeau
Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
In office 16 January 1958 (1958-01-16) – 6 April 1968 (1968-04-06)
Preceded by	Louis St. Laurent
Succeeded by	Pierre Trudeau
Leader of the Opposition
In office 16 January 1958 (1958-01-16) – 22 April 1963 (1963-04-22)
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	John Diefenbaker
Preceded by	Louis St. Laurent
Succeeded by	John Diefenbaker
8th Secretary of State for External Affairs
In office 10 September 1948 (1948-09-10) – 20 June 1957 (1957-06-20)
Prime Minister	W. L. Mackenzie King Louis St. Laurent
Preceded by	Louis St. Laurent
Succeeded by	John Diefenbaker
2nd Canadian Ambassador to the United States
In office 1944–1946
Prime Minister	W. L. Mackenzie King
Preceded by	Leighton McCarthy
Succeeded by	H. H. Wrong
8th President of the United Nations General Assembly
In office 1952
Preceded by	Luis Padilla Nervo
Succeeded by	Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
Member of Parliament for Algoma East
In office 25 October 1948 (1948-10-25) – 23 April 1968 (1968-04-23)
Preceded by	Thomas Farquhar
Succeeded by	None (district abolished)
Personal details
Born	Lester Bowles Pearson (1897-04-23)23 April 1897 Newtonbrook, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died	27 December 1972(1972-12-27) (aged 75) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Resting place	MacLaren Cemetery, Wakefield, Quebec
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Maryon Moody ​ (m. 1925)​
Children	2, including Geoffrey Pearson
Education	Victoria College, Toronto (B.A.) St John's College, Oxford (B.A., M.A.)
Profession	Diplomat, historian, soldier
Awards	Nobel Prize for Peace (1957)
Signature
Military service
Nickname(s)	"Mike"
Allegiance	Canada
Branch/service	Canadian Army Permanent Active Militia Royal Flying Corps
Years of service	1915–18
Rank	Lieutenant Flying Officer
Battles/wars	World War I

As Prime Minister, Pearson's government created universal health care and the Canada Pension Plan. They also created the Canada Student Loan Program, the Order of Canada, and changed the flag of Canada to the one with maple leaves. Pearson kept Canada from fighting in the Vietnam War and de facto stopped capital punishment from being used in Canada. Many people think he is one of the most important Canadians of the 20th century.^[1][2]

Early life

Pearson was born in Newtonbrook, Ontario, the son of Edwin Arthur Pearson, a Methodist minister and Anne Sarah Bowles. He went to the University of Toronto and Oxford University. Pearson was ambassador to the United States and the United Nations. He played for the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club while on a scholarship at Oxford University.

Political career

Pearson entered politics in 1948, as Minister of External Affairs in the Liberal government of Louis St. Laurent. He became leader of the Liberal Party in 1958. He lost two elections as leader, until winning a third to become Prime Minister in 1963. His government brought in social programs and new standards for workers. Pearson signed the Canada-United States Automotive Agreement, also called the Auto Pact. He retired in 1968. The next Prime Minister was Pierre Trudeau.

Death

Pearson died from liver cancer in Ottawa, Canada, aged 75.

References

1. MacDonald, L. Ian. "The Best Prime Minister of the Last 50 Years — Pearson, by a landslide", Policy Options, June–July 2003. Accessed 3 April 2014.
2. S. Azzi, N. Hillmer. "Ranking Canada's best and worst prime ministers",Maclean's, October 2016. Accessed 27 May 2017

Other websites

Media related to Lester B. Pearson at Wikimedia Commons