Warlords

Two portraits flank the doors leading into Canada’s House of Commons: those of Sir Robert Borden and William Lyon Mackenzie King. But it is the plaques that are of particular interest. Borden’s caption reads: “World War I War Leader, 1914–1918,” and King’s caption is similar: “World War II War Leader, 1939–1945.” No other dates are given. Defining Borden by his wartime leadership makes sense, since he did little of note before the war, but the same does not ring true for King, Canada’s longest-serving prime minister. Yet for both, world wars shaped their careers and legacies. They ushered in massive government changes: income tax, health care, and conscription; changes to society through industrialization, enfranchisement, and patriotic unpaid labour; and they… Keep Reading