A Canadian historian is on a mission to pull the nation's founding leaders back from the brink of obscurity. J.D.M. Stewart, a teacher with three decades of experience, has authored a new book designed to reignite public knowledge about the prime ministers who shaped Canada.
A Wake-Up Call in the Classroom
The inspiration for 'The Prime Ministers: Canada’s Leaders And The Nation They Shaped' came from a stark moment of realization. While speaking at a United Nations event for high school students a couple of years ago, Stewart pointed to a photo of Lester B. Pearson on a large screen behind him.
He asked the group to identify the Nobel Peace Prize-winning diplomat and future prime minister. Not a single student could name him. "They had never heard of Lester Pearson," Stewart recalls, the incredulity still evident in his voice when discussing the incident from his Toronto office. This encounter solidified his resolve to address a growing gap in historical knowledge.
"I’ve always been concerned about what Canadians actually know about their history, but this moment made me double down on the need for a book like this," he explains. A conversation with the students' teacher afterward revealed a telling trend: "No one really teaches about prime ministers any more."
From Sir John A. to Today: A Comprehensive Survey
Stewart's book, published by Sutherland House, offers a sweeping yet accessible survey of the country's leadership. It begins with a balanced reassessment of Sir John A. Macdonald, a figure Stewart believes has been unjustly maligned by modern perspectives.
From there, he guides readers through the lineage of power, ensuring even the briefest tenures, like those of Sir John S.D. Thompson and Sir Mackenzie Bowell, are noted. The narrative is brought right into the present political landscape, covering recent events including the decline of Justin Trudeau's government and the emergence of figures like Mark Carney.
A central theme woven throughout the analysis is the critical nature of Canada-U.S. relations. Stewart highlights former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's observation that the most important relationship for any Canadian leader is with the American president. "That’s been true for a very long time," Stewart notes. "You can see that the relationship goes up and down with the success of the personal relationship."
The Inspiration of Laurier and a National Legacy
For Stewart, the project is deeply personal, inspired by the words of one of his political heroes, Sir Wilfrid Laurier. He gives prominent place in the book to Laurier's 1911 declaration: "I am a Canadian. Canada has been the inspiration of my life."
"I tend to follow what Laurier said," Stewart shares. "Canada is the inspiration of my life as well and that’s a reason why I wrote this book. I’ve been a teacher for 30 years and it’s something we can all draw inspiration from as we think about where we’ve been as a nation and where we want to go."
He echoes the sentiment of journalist Peter C. Newman, who stated that "an hour in the office of the prime minister is an hour in the history of the country." Stewart firmly believes that understanding the decisions and leadership of these individuals is essential to understanding Canada itself. His book serves as both a corrective to historical forgetfulness and a compelling invitation to rediscover the figures who defined a nation.
