December 12, 2019

MINORITY GOVT, a Primer: the Pearson Top 20

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With the election of a minority government in Ottawa in October of last year, there is much talk about whether it can be productive or whether it will just be a series of events to maintain or defeat the government. The bar was set high for minority governments by the two minority governments let by Lester B. Pearson from 1963 to 1968. The ambitious agenda is not only remarkable for its range of major policy developments, but also for the fact that most of the policies introduced 50 years ago are still in place and in many cases being developed upon.

On the 50th anniversary of Pearson coming to office in 2013 we put together a list of the Top 20 accomplishments (and there were others). Check it out…

The Pearson “Top 20”

Lester B. Pearson came to office over 50 years ago on April 22, 1963. He is credited with a number of accomplishments that define modern Canada. He led two minority governments from 1963 to 1968. He had the help of the opposition parties, perhaps most notably the New Democratic Party of Canada and to some extent the Social Credit and Credistes parties (SC was one party in 1963 but split into Quebec and non-Quebec parties by the 1965 election). Pearson was short 5 seats for a majority in the 1963 election and 2 seats in 1965.

The Pearson Centre has put together this Top 20 list following an informal survey of historians and politicos to encourage dialogue on this record. These are not in order of popularity or important. What is remarkable is that most of the accomplishments are still important today and continue to evolve over time. We encourage researchers and students to explore the future of these policies for the next 50 years!

1. The new Canadian flag, the maple leaf
2. Medicare
3. Canada Pension Plan
4. The Order of Canada
5. Expo 67
6. Establishing the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism
7. Bringing Quebec francophones into senior positions in the federal government
8. Establishing the Royal Commission on the Status of Women
9. The Canada-US Autopact
10. Reforming the immigration system (dropping quotas)
11. Canada Student Loans
12. Canadian International Development Agency
13. International Development Research Council
14. Economic Council of Canada
15. Science Council of Canada
16. Canadian Development Corporation
17. A new labour code
18. Unification of the Armed Forces
19. Kept Canada out of Vietnam
20. Made minority government work!

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Le « Top 20 » de Pearson
Arrivé au poste de premier ministre il y a plus de 50 ans, soit le 22 avril 1963, Lester B. Pearson compte à son crédit un certain nombre de réalisations qui définissent le Canada moderne. Il a dirigé deux gouvernements minoritaires de 1963 à 1968.

Le Centre Pearson pour des politiques progressistes a préparé la liste – les 20 plus grands réalisations – qui suit à partir d’un sondage informel et ce, pour encourager un dialogue sur ces réalisations dont la plupart sont toujours de grande importance aujourd’hui et vont continuer d’évoluer au fil du temps. Nous invitons les chercheurs et étudiants à étudier à fond l’avenir de ces politiques durant les 50 prochaines années !

1. Le nouveau drapeau canadien – la feuille d’érable
2. Le Régime d’assurance-maladie
3. Le Régime de pensions du Canada
4. L’Ordre du Canada
5. Expo 67
6. La création de la Commission royale sur le bilinguisme et le biculturalisme
7. L’affectation de francophones du Québec à des postes de haute direction au gouvernement fédéral
8. La création de la Commission royale d’enquête sur la situation de la femme au Canada
9. Le Pacte de l’automobile canado-américain
10. La réforme du système d’immigration (abandon des quotas)
11. Les prêts aux étudiants
12. L’Agence canadienne de développement international
13. Le Centre de recherches pour le développement international
14. Le Conseil économique du Canada
15. Le Conseil des sciences du Canada
16. La Corporation de développement du Canada
17. Un nouveau Code du travail
18. L’unification des Forces armées
19. Pas de présence canadienne au Vietnam
20. Faire en sorte que le gouvernement minoritaire marche !