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After John A. Macdonald’s death, four Tory prime ministers — each remarkable but all little known — rose to power and fell in just five years.
From 1891 to 1896, between John A. Macdonald’s and Wilfrid Laurier’s tenures, four lesser-known men took on the mantle of leadership. Tory prime ministers John Abbott, John Thompson, Mackenzie Bowell, and Charles Tupper headed the government of Canada in rapid succession. Each came to the job with qualifications and limitations, and each left after unexpectedly short terms. Yet these reluctant prime ministers are an important part of our political legacy. Their roles were much more than caretakers between the administrations of two great leaders. Personal tragedy, terrible health issues, backstabbing, and political manipulation all led to their eventual downfalls. The Lost Prime Ministers is the dramatic saga of these overlooked Canadian leaders.
From 1891 to 1896, between John A. Macdonald’s and Wilfrid Laurier’s tenures, four lesser-known men took on the mantle of leadership. Tory prime ministers John Abbott, John Thompson, Mackenzie Bowell, and Charles Tupper headed the government of Canada in rapid succession. Each came to the job with qualifications and limitations, and each left after unexpectedly short terms. Yet these reluctant prime ministers are an important part of our political legacy. Their roles were much more than caretakers between the administrations of two great leaders. Personal tragedy, terrible health issues, backstabbing, and political manipulation all led to their eventual downfalls. The Lost Prime Ministers is the dramatic saga of these overlooked Canadian leaders.
Price: $21.99
Pages: 280
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Imprint: Dundurn Press
Publication Date:
22 March 2022
Trim Size: 9.00 X 6.00 in
ISBN: 9781459749320
Format: Paperback
BISACs:
HISTORY / Canada / Post-Confederation (1867-), History of the Americas, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Presidents & Heads of State, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Canadian, Biography: historical, political and military
Erudite and objective when describing the political strengths and character weaknesses of these four men... Hill makes a good case for recognizing the historical significance of their brief respective 15 minutes of fame.
Michael Hill is the author of The Mariposa Folk Festival: A History. A former history teacher, he was also Mariposa’s artistic director and has written for a number of newspapers and magazines, including a weekly column in the Toronto Star. He lives in Orillia, Ontario.
CONTENTS
- Author’s Note
- Introduction: A Deluge of Caretakers
- One. The Legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald
- Two. Sir John Abbott: The Reluctant Prime Minister
- Three. Sir John Thompson: “The Great Might-Have-Been” Prime Minister
- Four. Sir Mackenzie Bowell: The Accidental Prime Minister
- Five. Sir Charles Tupper: “Finally … It’s About Time You Were Prime Minister!”
- Six. After the Deluge: Laurier and Beyond
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
- Selected Bibliography
- Index
- About the Author