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About Being Prime Minister
Product Description Behind the politics, discover the lives of Canada's leaders. “What a life it is to be prime minister!” ― John Diefenbaker Canada has had twenty-three prime ministers, all with views and policies that have differed as widely as the ages in which they lived. But what were they like as people? Being Prime Minister takes you behind the scenes to tell the story of Canada’s leaders and the job they do as it has never been told before. From John A. Macdonald to Justin Trudeau, readers get a glimpse of the prime ministers as they travelled, dealt with invasions of privacy, met with celebrities, and managed the stress of the nation’s top job. Humorous and hard working, vain and vulnerable, Canada leaders are revealed as they truly were. Review Bursts with details and anecdotes on the daily lives of the very human men and woman who have led us. A trove of trivia treasures. ― John Ibbitson, Globe and Mail journalist and author of Stephen Harper A fun and fascinating book that reminds us that prime ministers are human; each with unique strengths, quirks, and foibles. Well researched, crisply written, and refreshingly non-partisan, it is immensely enjoyable, gossipy, heartwarming. ― John Boyko, author of Cold Fire Each of the remarkable people who have occupied Canada’s highest office are brought vividly to life on the pages of this immensely readable book. A super fun and worthwhile read. ― Senator Linda Frum A valuable and insightful look at the triumphs, trials, and tribulations of the people who have held the highest office in the land. A must read for anyone who wants a better understanding of what it takes to lead our country. ― Don Newman, retired senior parliamentary editor for CBC Television With lively anecdotes and thoughtful insights, Stewart reminds us that there are human beings behind the headlines. This absorbing and original book explores aspects of political life that are too often ignored. ― Charlotte Gray, author of The Promise of Canada There’s an increasing tendency these days to dehumanize political leaders of all stripes...Being Prime Minister gives us all a break from that brand of politics ― and isn’t that what we’re all looking for this summer? ― Toronto Star With books, as with all else, one of the keys to success is making hard things seem easy. Stewart’s seemingly effortless recitation of coordinated, well-told anecdotes is the result of his formidable research. ― Policy Magazine A teacher of Canadian history in Toronto, Stewart has written a book that is wonderfully gossipy and is built on anecdotes and stories ― “history by the ounce,” as historian Barbara Tuchman called it. ― Canada's History About the Author J.D.M. Stewart is a Canadian history teacher. His writing has appeared in newspapers across Canada for more than twenty-five years. He lives in Toronto. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. INTRODUCTION Who is the prime minister of Canada? Politically, he or she is a member of Parliament and leader of the Government of Canada. In the past, the occupant of this position has been described as “first among equals” in relation to the Cabinet he leads, but in practice the PM is, by far, the most powerful figure in Canadian politics. This is despite the fact that the prime minister has no formal constitutional power. As the late political scientist and McGill University professor J.R. Mallory noted in his 1984 book, The Structure of Canadian Government: “The office of prime minister, the most important single office in the government, is, while not unknown to the law, entirely lacking in a legal definition of its powers.” Unlike the president of the United States, whose powers are specifically spelled out in that country’s Constitution, the prime minister has no clearly defined constitutional authority; and yet the PM has enormous control over the government in Canada. He appoints and directs the Cabinet, which is at the heart of the execu
