Changes

==Career==

==Career==

He was born on Dec. 17, 1874, at Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario, the eldest son of John King and Isabel Grace Mackenzie, daughter of [[William Lyon Mackenzie]], Scotch-Canadian political reformer and one of the leaders of the failed [[Rebellion of 1837]]. The 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 they could scarcely afford. The son became a life-long practising Presbyterian with a dedication to applying Christian virtues to social issues in the style of the [[Social Gospel]].  He never favoured socialism.

He was born on Dec. 17, 1874, at Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario, the eldest son of John King and Isabel Grace Mackenzie, daughter of [[William Lyon Mackenzie]], Scotch-Canadian political reformer and one of the leaders of the failed [[Rebellion of 1837]]. The 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 they could scarcely afford. The son became a lifelong practising Presbyterian with a dedication to applying Christian virtues to social issues in the style of the [[Social Gospel]].  He never favoured socialism.

Mackenzie King graduated college with honours in political science, and then finished law school in one year at the [[University of Toronto]] (B.A. 1895, LL. B. 1896). 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 Blake and President Loudon. King failed to gain his immediate objective, a teaching position at the University, but earned political credit with the man who would invite him to Ottawa and make him a deputy minister only five years later.<ref>Robert H. Blackburn, "Mackenzie King, William Mulock, James Mavor, and the University of Toronto Students' Revolt of 1895." ''Canadian Historical Review'' 1988 69(4): 490-503. Issn: 0008-3755</ref>  

Mackenzie King graduated college with honours in political science, and then finished law school in one year at the [[University of Toronto]] (B.A. 1895, LL. B. 1896). 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 Blake and President Loudon. King failed to gain his immediate objective, a teaching position at the University, but earned political credit with the man who would invite him to Ottawa and make him a deputy minister only five years later.<ref>Robert H. Blackburn, "Mackenzie King, William Mulock, James Mavor, and the University of Toronto Students' Revolt of 1895." ''Canadian Historical Review'' 1988 69(4): 490-503. Issn: 0008-3755</ref>  

He now took the name "Mackenzie King" to replace his childhood nickname of Willie, and to boast his self-image in terms of his famous grandfather. He never practiced law. Instead of attending Oxbridge, he took advanced degrees in the United States at the [[University of Chicago]] (M.A. 1897), and [[Harvard University]] (M.A. 1897). For a few months he lived at [[Hull House]] in Chicago, coming under the spell of [[Jane Addams]].  His unfinished Harvard PhD thesis compared sweatshop conditions in the clothing industry in the U.S., Britain and Germany. In 1900 became deputy minister of the new formed Department of Labour; he edited the government's ''Labour Gazette.'' The only close friend he ever had died in a a drowning accident in 1901.  As a civil servant Mackenzie King was a well-regarded impartial negotiator who helped settle strikes and lockouts. He designed new labour legislation, especially the "Industrial Disputes Investigation Act" of 1907, creating a plan of a cooling off period and a method of government-supervised voluntary conciliation in labour disputes.

He now took the name "Mackenzie King" to replace his childhood nickname of Willie, and to boast his self-image in terms of his famous grandfather. He never practiced law. Instead of attending Oxbridge, he took advanced degrees in the United States at the [[University of Chicago]] (M.A. 1897), and [[Harvard University]] (M.A. 1897). For a few months he lived at [[Hull House]] in Chicago, coming under the spell of [[Jane Addams]].  His unfinished Harvard PhD thesis compared sweatshop conditions in the clothing industry in the U.S., Britain and Germany. In 1900 became deputy minister of the new formed Department of Labour; he edited the government's ''Labour Gazette.'' The only close friend he ever had died in a drowning accident in 1901.  As a civil servant Mackenzie King was a well-regarded impartial negotiator who helped settle strikes and lockouts. He designed new labour legislation, especially the "Industrial Disputes Investigation Act" of 1907, creating a plan of a cooling off period and a method of government-supervised voluntary conciliation in labour disputes.

In 1909 he began a political career, winning election from the Berlin district to the House of Commons as a Liberal.  Prime Minister Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]] appointed him minister of labour, with cabinet rank. During his term of office he initiated legislation empowering the government to investigate combines, trusts, and cartels. In the election campaign of 1911 he enthusiastically supported the Laurier's policy of commercial reciprocity between Canada and the United States; the Conservatives rode anti-Americanism to victory nationwide, and Mackenzie King lost his seat.  

In 1909 he began a political career, winning election from the Berlin district to the House of Commons as a Liberal.  Prime Minister Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]] appointed him minister of labour, with cabinet rank. During his term of office he initiated legislation empowering the government to investigate combines, trusts, and cartels. In the election campaign of 1911 he enthusiastically supported the Laurier's policy of commercial reciprocity between Canada and the United States; the Conservatives rode anti-Americanism to victory nationwide, and Mackenzie King lost his seat.  

===Second World War===

===Second World War===

Mackenzie King's last 12 years in office were about the preparation for, the fighting of, and the aftermath of [[World War II, Homefront|the Second World War]]. Not alarmed by the rise of Hitler, Mackenzie King supported the policies of British Prime Minister [[Neville Chamberlain]] with concessions to appease [[Adolf Hitler]] in the hope he would stop threatening his neighbours.  Hitler met with Mackenzie King in Berlin in 1937, with mesmerizing effect as the prime minister's spiritualism affected his views of Hitler. Possessing a religious yearning for direct insight into the hidden mysteries of life and the universe, and strongly influenced by the operas of [[Richard Wagner]], Mackenzie King decided Hitler was a akin to mythical Wagnerian heroes within whom good and evil were struggling. He thought that good would eventually triumph and Hitler would redeem his people and lead them to a harmonious, uplifting future. These spiritual attitudes not only guided Canada's relations with Hitler but gave the prime minister the comforting sense of a higher mission, that of helping to lead Hitler to peace.<ref>Robert H. Keyserlingk, "Mackenzie King's Spiritualism and His View of Hitler in 1939." ''Journal of Canadian Studies'' 1985-1986 20(4): 26-44. Issn: 0021-9495; also C. P. Stacey, "The Divine Mission: Mackenzie King and Hitler." ''Canadian Historical Review'' 1980 61(4): 502-512. Issn: 0008-3755</ref>   

Mackenzie King's last 12 years in office were about the preparation for, the fighting of, and the aftermath of [[World War II, Homefront|the Second World War]]. Not alarmed by the rise of Hitler, Mackenzie King supported the policies of British Prime Minister [[Neville Chamberlain]] with concessions to appease [[Adolf Hitler]] in the hope he would stop threatening his neighbours.  Hitler met with Mackenzie King in Berlin in 1937, with mesmerizing effect as the prime minister's spiritualism affected his views of Hitler. Possessing a religious yearning for direct insight into the hidden mysteries of life and the universe, and strongly influenced by the operas of [[Richard Wagner]], Mackenzie King decided Hitler was akin to mythical Wagnerian heroes within whom good and evil were struggling. He thought that good would eventually triumph and Hitler would redeem his people and lead them to a harmonious, uplifting future. These spiritual attitudes not only guided Canada's relations with Hitler but gave the prime minister the comforting sense of a higher mission, that of helping to lead Hitler to peace.<ref>Robert H. Keyserlingk, "Mackenzie King's Spiritualism and His View of Hitler in 1939." ''Journal of Canadian Studies'' 1985-1986 20(4): 26-44. Issn: 0021-9495; also C. P. Stacey, "The Divine Mission: Mackenzie King and Hitler." ''Canadian Historical Review'' 1980 61(4): 502-512. Issn: 0008-3755</ref>   

To rearm Canada he built the Royal Canadian Air Force as a viable military power, while at the same time keeping it separate from Britain's Royal Air Force.  He was instrumental in obtaining the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Agreement, which was signed in Ottawa in December, 1939, binding Canada, Britain, New Zealand, and Australia to a program that eventually trained half their airmen in the Second World War.

To rearm Canada he built the Royal Canadian Air Force as a viable military power, while at the same time keeping it separate from Britain's Royal Air Force.  He was instrumental in obtaining the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Agreement, which was signed in Ottawa in December, 1939, binding Canada, Britain, New Zealand, and Australia to a program that eventually trained half their airmen in the Second World War.

Canada voluntarily entered the war, after waiting  a few days to display its independence, but Mackenzie  King—and Canada—were largely ignored by [[Winston Churchill]], despite Canada's major role in supplying food, raw materials, munitions and money to the hard-pressed British economy, training airmen for the Commonwealth, guarding the western half of the North Atlantic against German u-boats, and providing combat troops for the invasions of Italy, France and Germany in 1943-45.  Mackenzie King linked Canada more and more closely to the United States, signing a private agreement with Roosevelt at Ogdensburg, New York, in August 1940 that provided for the close cooperation of Canadian and American forces.  The Americans virtually took control of the Yukon and Newfoundland. Mackenzie  King proved high successful in mobilizing the economy for war, with impressive results in industrial and agricultural output. The depression ended and prosperity returned. On the political side, Mackenzie King rejected any notion of a government of national unity.   

Canada voluntarily entered the war, after waiting  a few days to display its independence, but Mackenzie  King—and Canada—were largely ignored by [[Winston Churchill]], despite Canada's major role in supplying food, raw materials, munitions and money to the hard-pressed British economy, training airmen for the Commonwealth, guarding the western half of the North Atlantic against German u-boats, and providing combat troops for the invasions of Italy, France and Germany in 1943-45.  Mackenzie King linked Canada more and more closely to the United States, signing a private agreement with Roosevelt at Ogdensburg, New York, in August 1940 that provided for the close cooperation of Canadian and American forces.  The Americans virtually took control of the Yukon and Newfoundland. Mackenzie  King proved high successful in mobilizing the economy for war, with impressive results in industrial and agricultural output. The depression ended and prosperity returned. On the political side, Mackenzie King rejected any notion of a government of national unity.   

He raised a million men (and some women) for the military but faced intense resistance in Quebec against conscription for service overseas. He stalled because he did not need conscripted troops until the fighting became heavy in late 1944. By the time he agreed to send a limited number of conscripted men overseas to fight beside the volunteers, the war was ending. He thus avoided the enormous political upheaval of the First World War on the same issue.  Meanwhile the army faced with the government's policy of conscripting manpower only for home defense and given their own need for overseas volunteers, used conscripts raised under the National Resources Mobilization Act to meet both purposes.<ref>Daniel Byers, "Mobilising Canada: the National Resources Mobilization Act, the Department of National Defence, and Compulsory Military Service in Canada, 1940-1945." ''Journal of the Canadian Historical Association'' 1996 7: 175-203. Issn: 0847-4478 [http://www.erudit.org/revue/jcha/1996/v7/n1/031107ar.pdf online edition]</ref>  

He raised a million men (and some women) for the military but faced intense resistance in Quebec against conscription for service overseas. He stalled because he did not need conscripted troops until the fighting became heavy in late 1944. By the time he agreed to send a limited number of conscripted men overseas to fight beside the volunteers, the war was ending. He thus avoided the enormous political upheaval of the First World War on the same issue.  Meanwhile, the army faced with the government's policy of conscripting manpower only for home defense and given their own need for overseas volunteers, used conscripts raised under the National Resources Mobilization Act to meet both purposes.<ref>Daniel Byers, "Mobilising Canada: the National Resources Mobilization Act, the Department of National Defence, and Compulsory Military Service in Canada, 1940-1945." ''Journal of the Canadian Historical Association'' 1996 7: 175-203. Issn: 0847-4478 [http://www.erudit.org/revue/jcha/1996/v7/n1/031107ar.pdf online edition]</ref>  

Canada accepted only 5,000 Jewish refugees from Nazism during 1933-48, while Britain took in 70,000, and the United States 200,000. Mackenzie King always sought compromise, and supported restrictive immigration policies. Opposition to immigration was strongest in Quebec, as was anti-Semitism, and King needed the Liberal Party support of that province.<ref>Irving Abella and Harold Troper, ''None Is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe, 1933-1948'' (1982)</ref>

Canada accepted only 5,000 Jewish refugees from Nazism during 1933-48, while Britain took in 70,000, and the United States 200,000. Mackenzie King always sought compromise, and supported restrictive immigration policies. Opposition to immigration was strongest in Quebec, as was anti-Semitism, and King needed the Liberal Party support of that province.<ref>Irving Abella and Harold Troper, ''None Is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe, 1933-1948'' (1982)</ref>