Home > William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King ( December 17, 1874 - July 22, 1950) was the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; September 25September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years). There are 97 days remaining. Events 275 M. Claudius Tacitus appointed Roman emperor by the senate. 303 On a voyage preaching the gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona was beheaded in Amiens, Fran, 1926 to August 7August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. There are 94 days in North Hemisphere summer, South Hemisphere winter. The Northern Hemisphere is considered to be halfway through the summer o, 19301930 is the common year starting on Wednesday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 6 The first diesel-engine automobile trip is completed ( Indianapolis, Indiana, to New York City). January 27 Miguel Primo de Rivera resigns January 30 G; and October 23October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. Events 4004 BC The universe was created, according to the Ussher-Lightfoot Calendar. 42 BC Roman Republican civil wars: Second Battle of Phili, 1935Events January January 1 Italian colonies of Tripoli and Kyrenaika are joined together as Libya January 7 World War II: Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French foreign minister Pierre Laval conclude agreement in which each power undertakes not to oppo to November 15November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. Events 600-1799 655 Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. 1777 American Revolutionary War: After 16 months of, 1948. He had the longest combined time in the Prime Minister position in British Commonwealth history.
1 Early Life
King was born in Berlin, Ontario (now Kitchener). A grandson of William Lyon Mackenzie, leader of the Upper Canada Rebellion in 1837, King held five university degrees. He obtained three from the University of Toronto: B.A. 1895, LL.B. 1896, and M.A. 1897. After studying at the University of Chicago, Mackenzie King proceeded to Harvard, receiving an M.A. in political economy 1898 and a Ph.D. 1909.
He was first elected to Parliament as a Liberal in a 1908 by-election and was re-elected in a 1909 by-election following his appointment as Canada's first Minister of Labour. He lost his seat in the 1911 general election, which saw his Conservatives defeat his Liberals.
Following his defeat he went to the United States to work for the Rockefeller family assisting them in labour relations. He returned to Canada to run in the 1917 election, which focussed almost entirely on the conscription issue, and lost again, due to his opposition thereto (conscription was widely supported by the majority of English Canadians).
In 1919 he was elected leader at the first Liberal leadership convention and soon returned to parliament in a by-election. King remained leader until 1948. In the 1921 election his party defeated Arthur Meighen and the Conservatives and he became Prime Minister.
