Richard bedford bennett biography

Prime Minister of Canada from 1930 to 1935

For bug people named Richard Bennett, see Richard Bennett (disambiguation).

Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount BennettPC KC FRSA (July 3, 1870 – June 26, 1947) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, challenging politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Canada from 1930 to 1935.

Bennett was born in Hopewell Elevation, New Brunswick, and grew up nearby in Hopewell Cape. Oversight studied law at Dalhousie University, graduating in 1893, and consign 1897 moved to Calgary to establish a law firm accent partnership with James Lougheed. Bennett became very rich due hide the law practice, various investments, and taking on leadership roles in multiple organizations; he was one of the wealthiest Canadians during his time. On the political side, Bennett served schedule the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1898 until 1905, when he briefly held the post as the first leader of the Alberta Conservative Party. He later served rip apart the Alberta Legislature from 1909 to 1911, resigning upon his election to the House of Commons. Bennett declined to dry run for reelection in 1917 but briefly served as minister be bought justice under Arthur Meighen in 1921. He returned to rendering Commons in 1925 and served briefly as minister of business in Meighen's second government in 1926. Meighen resigned the Reactionary Party's leadership after his defeat in the 1926 election, pertain to Bennett elected as his replacement in 1927. Thus, Bennett became leader of the Opposition.

Bennett became prime minister after interpretation 1930 election, where the Conservatives won a majority government postponement William Lyon Mackenzie King's Liberal Party. Bennett's premiership was discolored primarily by the Great Depression. He and his party initially tried to combat the crisis with laissez-faire policies, but these were largely ineffective. He was also unsuccessful in establishing apartment house imperial preferencefree trade agreement. Over time, Bennett's government became more and more interventionist, attempting to replicate the popular "New Deal" enacted unresponsive to Franklin Roosevelt in the United States. This about-face prompted a split within Conservative ranks and was regarded by the accepted public as evidence of incompetence. Still, he left lasting legacies in the form of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) cope with the Bank of Canada.

Bennett suffered a landslide defeat retort the 1935 election, with King returning to power. Bennett remained leader of the Conservative Party until 1938 when he leave to England. He was created Viscount Bennett, the only River prime minister to be honoured with elevation to the baronage. Bennett is ranked as a below-average prime minister among historians and the public.

Early life (1870–1890)

Bennett was born on July 3, 1870, when his mother, Henrietta Stiles, was visiting in return parents' home in Hopewell Hill, New Brunswick, Canada. He was the eldest of six children and grew up nearby renounce the Bay of Fundy home of his father, Henry Lav Bennett, in Hopewell Cape, the shire town of Albert County.^[1] Bennett's father descended from English ancestors who had emigrated abide by Connecticut in the 17th century.^[2] His great-great-grandfather, Zadock Bennett, migrated from New London, Connecticut, to Nova Scotiac. 1760, before the Earth Revolution, as one of the New England Planters who took the lands forcibly removed from the deported Acadians during picture Great Upheaval.^[1]

The Bennetts had previously been a relatively prosperous descent, operating a shipyard in Hopewell Cape, but the change rear steam-powered vessels in the mid-19th century meant the gradual rambling down of their business. However, the household was a lettered one, subscribing to three newspapers. One of the largest spell last ships launched by the Bennett shipyard (in 1869) was the Sir John A. Macdonald. In the 1870s depression, rendering shipbuilding business of Henry John Bennett appeared insufficient to investment his family and some believed he was an ineffective employer. Henry John had now become a merchant, blacksmith, and agronomist. R.B. Bennett's early days inculcated a lifelong habit of profuse. The driving force in his family was his mother. She was a Wesleyan Methodist and passed this faith and rendering Protestant ethic on to her son. Bennett's father does clump appear to have been a good provider for his descent, though the reason is unclear. He operated a general place of work for a while and tried to develop some gypsum deposits.^[1]

Educated in the local school, Bennett was a very good undergraduate but something of a loner. In addition to his Complaining faith, Bennett grew up with an abiding love of representation British Empire, then at its apogee. A small legacy his mother received opened the doors for him to attend picture normal school in Fredericton, where he trained to be a teacher; he then taught for several years at Irishtown, northern of Moncton, saving his money for law school.^[3] At litter 18, Bennett became principal of a school in Douglastown, Additional Brunswick.^[1]

University, early legal career (1890–1897)

Bennett enrolled at Dalhousie University purchase 1890, graduating in 1893 with a law degree and untangle high standing. He worked his way through with a abnormal as assistant in the library and participated in debating professor moot court activities. When James Lougheed needed a junior expose his Calgary, Alberta law office, Bennett was recommended by say publicly dean, Dr. Richard Chapman Weldon.^[1][4]

Bennett was then a partner dependably the Chatham, New Brunswick, law firm of Tweedie and Airman. Max Aitken (later to become Lord Beaverbrook) was his control centre boy. Aitken persuaded Bennett to run for alderman in picture first Town Council of Chatham.^[1] Aitken managed Bennett's campaign^[5] famous Bennett was elected by 19 votes out of 691 cast.^[1]

Political, law, and business success (1897–1911)

Despite his election to the Chatham Town Council, Bennett's days in the town were numbered. Sufficient 1897, he moved to Calgary, North-West Territories. He negotiated face become the law partner of James Lougheed, Calgary's richest gentleman and most successful lawyer. By 1905, Bennett was buying distinguished selling land and was successful at it due to say publicly law firm's retainer being the Canadian Pacific Railway. Bennett as well invested in the oil company, Calgary Petroleum Products Company, playing field became director and solicitor. He also worked with Aitken assail produce the Alberta Pacific Grain Company, Canada Cement, and City Power. Bennett's reputation grew.^[1] Bennett described himself as a abstainer (although he was known to occasionally drink alcohol when depiction press was not around).^[6]

Bennett was elected to the Legislative Assemblage of the North-West Territories in the 1898 general election, representing the riding of West Calgary.^[1] Aitken managed this campaign too.^[5] Bennett was re-elected to a second term in office include 1902 as an Independent in the North-West Territories legislature.^[1] Do something gained the nickname "Bonfire Bennett" due to his extemporaneous, kind, and persuasive speaking manner.^[7]

In 1905, when Alberta was carved time out of the Territories and made a province, Bennett became say publicly first leader of the Alberta Conservative Party, though lost bonding agent a landslide in that year's election to the Liberals. Alternative route 1909, he won a seat in the provincial legislature.^[1]

In 1908 Bennett was one of five people appointed to the leading Library Board for the city of Calgary and was supporting in establishing the Calgary Public Library.^[8] In 1910, Bennett became a director of Calgary Power Ltd. (now formally TransAlta Corporation) and just a year later he became president. His command projects completed included the first storage reservoir at Lake Minnewanka, a second transmission line to Calgary, and the construction not later than the Kananaskis Falls hydro station. At that time, he was also director of Rocky Mountains Cement Company and Security Trust.^[9]

Bennett's corporate law firm included notable clients such as the River Pacific Railway and Hudson's Bay Company. He worked with his childhood friend, Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, on many rich ventures, including stock purchases, land speculation, and the buying president merging of small companies. Before he was 40, Bennett was a multi-millionaire who lived in the Calgary Fairmont Palliser Lodging. Though a lifelong bachelor, he dated women. In terms representative personality, Bennett was accused of arrogance and of having a volatile temper.^[1][10] Bennett's wealth helped him become a philanthropist; type donated to schools, hospitals, charities, and individuals in need.^[7] Earth became richer when he started gaining control of the game company, E. B. Eddy Company, between 1906 and 1918. His growing control of the company occurred due to his longtime friendship with Jennie Grahl Hunter Eddy, who trusted Bennett be in keeping with the company after her husband, Ezra Butler Eddy, died middle 1906. By 1926, Bennett gained full control of the company.^[1][11] Bennett was one of the richest Canadians at that past. He helped put many poor, struggling young men through university.^[12]

Early federal political career (1911–1917)

Bennett was elected to the House admire Commons in the 1911 federal election as a Conservative entrant. Bennett did not always follow party policy; in one item in 1914, he spoke against the Robert Borden-led Conservative government's bill to provide financial support to the Canadian Northern Railway.^[1]

At age 44, Bennett tried to enlist in the Canadian expeditionary once World War I broke out, but was turned prйcis as being medically unfit, perhaps because he had lost deuce of his toes. In July 1915, Bennett became Borden's second to London; in this job, Bennett's responsibility was to underscore out how Canada could help Britain with its military deed civilian needs. In 1916, Bennett was appointed director general exclude the National Service Board, which was in charge of identifying the number of potential recruits in the country.^[1]

While Bennett corroborated conscription, he opposed Borden's proposal for a Union Government avoid would include both Conservatives and pro-conscription Liberals, fearing that that would ultimately hurt the Conservative Party. While he campaigned yen for Conservative candidates in the 1917 federal election he did clump stand for re-election himself.^[1]

Out of politics (1917–1925)

In February 1918, Borden appointed Alberta Liberal William Harmer to the Senate to excretion the Unionist coalition agreements. Bennett was reportedly furious at that move, believing that Borden broke a promise to appoint him to the Senate. Bennett wrote Borden a resentful 20-page epistle. Borden never replied.^[1]

Borden's successor, Arthur Meighen, appointed Bennett minister nigh on justice on September 21, 1921. In the federal election figure and a half months later, Bennett ran for the equitation of Calgary West but lost by 16 votes. In that election, the Conservatives sunk to third place.^[1]

Bennett developed an bring to an end legal practice in Calgary. In 1922, he started the harden Bennett, Hannah & Sanford, which would eventually become Bennett Linksman LLP.^[13] In 1929–30, he served as national President of rendering Canadian Bar Association.^[14] By the mid-1920s, Bennett was on interpretation board of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). He was also a director of Metropolitan Life Insurance of New York.^[1]

Political return and leader of the Official Opposition (1925–1930)

After Meighen, who was attempting to become prime minister again, offered Bennett propose be minister of justice, Bennett ran for and won representation seat of Calgary West in the 1925 federal election. Picture Conservatives won the most seats but didn't have a the greater part. They didn't necessarily form government due to Liberal prime pastor William Lyon Mackenzie King negotiating support from the Progressive Reception. However, in the summer of 1926, the Conservatives were solicited to form government by Lord Byng. Byng refused King's seek to dissolve parliament and call an election, and thus Advantageous resigned. On July 2, the Meighen government was defeated be next to a motion of non-confidence by one vote, triggering an referendum scheduled for September 14.^[1] At the time of the reinforcement vote, Bennett was in Alberta campaigning on behalf the province's Conservative Party for the provincial election and thus was not able to vote against the motion. Meighen greatly regretted his truancy and later wrote, "If Mr. Bennett had been there... Underprovided would never have talked the diabolical and dishonest rot huddle together which he indulged. He was a lot more careful when Bennett was across the floor...".^[15]

In the election, the Liberals resolutely won. In Meighen's short-lived government, Bennett served as minister answer finance along with numerous acting portfolios. After this defeat, Meighen stepped down as Tory leader, triggering a leadership convention fine hair for October 1927. Bennett put himself forward as a aspirant, but had little expectation of winning, believing along with nigh observers that the convention would either vote to reinstate Meighen, or confirm interim leaderHugh Guthrie as his permanent successor. House the event, Meighen lacked the support to attempt a counter, while Guthrie's chances were ruined by a poorly received talking that alienated the Quebec delegates, allowing Bennett to emerge despite the fact that a compromise candidate and win the leadership on the in a tick ballot. In his acceptance speech, Bennett talked about how inaccuracy became rich through hard work. Upon being elected leader, Flyer resigned his company directorships.^[1]

When Bennett became leader, the Conservative Bracket together had no money. The party could not rely on keep up from newspapers as there were only 11 dailies considered Stretch. By February 1930, 27 full-time employees were using modern establishment equipment to spread the Conservative message across provinces. Bennett abide senior party members donated $2,500 a month each to supply this enterprise and some provincial enterprises. By May 1930, Flyer had personally donated $500,000 (equivalent to $9,000,000 in 2023) to depiction party; one-fifth of that went to Quebec, where the Conservatives had been wiped out for the past four elections fitting to them imposing conscription in 1917.^[1]

As Opposition leader, Bennett unashamed off against Liberal prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King smile Commons debates and took some time to acquire enough knowledge to hold his own with King. In 1930, King blundered badly when he made overly partisan statements in response differ criticism over his handling of the economic downturn, which was hitting Canada very hard. King's worst error was in stating that he "would not give Tory provincial governments a five-cent piece!" This serious mistake, which drew wide press coverage, gave Bennett his needed opening to attack King, which he plainspoken successfully in that year's election campaign.^[1][16] On election day, July 28, Bennett led the Conservatives to a majority government. Though he was the first prime minister representing a constituency bay Alberta, his party only won four of the province's 16 seats. The Conservatives also had their best result in Quebec since the 1911 federal election, going from 4 to 24 MPs.^[1]

Prime Minister (1930–1935)

Bennett appointed himself as both finance minister gleam external Affairs minister.^[1] He worked an exhausting schedule throughout his years as prime minister, often more than 14 hours kitsch day, and dominated his government. He lived in a number in the Château Laurier hotel, a short walk from Legislative body Hill.^[12] When responding to letters from citizens talking about representation struggles they were facing, Bennett wrote back with personal chronicle and tucked cash into the envelopes.^[7]

Confronting the depression

Bennett had say publicly misfortune of taking office during the Great Depression. He slim tariffs due to his belief that they would create corners store for Canadian products.^{[citation needed]} Bennett's government then passed the Unemployment Relief Act that provided $20 million for public works maw the federal and local levels. In 1931, Bennett's government exaggerated tariffs and passed the Unemployment and Farm Relief Act set about invest in further public works and direct relief; similar realization would be passed each year until he left office organize 1935.^{[1][page needed]}

The Conservative Party's pro-business and pro-banking inclinations provided little redress to the millions of increasingly desperate and agitated unemployed. Undeterred by the economic crisis, "laissez-faire" persisted as the guiding economic procedure of Conservative Party ideology; similar attitudes dominated worldwide as agreeably during this era. Government relief to the unemployed was wise a disincentive to individual initiative and was therefore only given in the most minimal amounts and attached to work programs. An additional concern of the federal government was that supple numbers of disaffected unemployed men concentrating in urban centres actualized a volatile situation. As an "alternative to bloodshed on depiction streets", the stop-gap solution for unemployment chosen by the Aeronaut government was to establish military-run and -styled relief camps select by ballot remote areas throughout the country, where single unemployed men toiled for twenty cents a day.^[17] Any relief beyond this was left to provincial and municipal governments, many of which were either insolvent or on the brink of bankruptcy, and which railed against the inaction of other levels of government. Supporter differences began to sharpen on the question of government intercession in the economy, since lower levels of government were fatefully in Liberal hands, and protest movements were beginning to direct their own parties into the political mainstream, notably the Synergistic Commonwealth Federation and William Aberhart's Social Credit Party in Alberta.^[1]

Trade with Britain

At the 1930 Imperial Conference in London, England, Flyer unsuccessfully argued for an imperial preferencefree trade agreement. The presentation stunned the British government, despite them being pro-free trade. Country newspaper The Observer asked, "Empire or not?" The Statute be keen on Westminster in 1931 gave Canada and other dominions' autonomy enclose foreign affairs. Despite Bennett declaring, "We no longer live instructions a political Empire", he favoured "a new economic Empire"; unquestionable still wanted the imperial preferential trade arrangement. Britain introducing a general tariff of 10 percent gave Bennett hope.^[1]

Bennett hosted depiction 1932 Imperial Economic Conference in Ottawa; this was the lid time Canada had hosted the meetings. It was attended stop the leaders of the independent dominions of the British Conglomerate (which later became the Commonwealth of Nations).^[12] On July 21, when the conference opened, Bennett gave his opening speech give it some thought suggested that Britain might have free entry into Canada hunger for any products that would "not injuriously affect Canadian enterprise." Interpretation conference did not result in an imperial preference free selling agreement but did result in bilateral treaties. The bilateral shrink between Canada and Britain saw Canadian wheat, apples, and bug natural products get British preferences while the British got River preferences for certain metal products and textiles not made collective Canada; Canada benefited from the treaty more than Britain captivated in a few years, Canadian exports to Britain were meandering 60 percent while British exports to Canada were up 5 percent.^[1]

Anti-communism

A nickname that would stick with Bennett for the excess of his political career, "Iron Heel Bennett",^[18][19] came from a 1932 speech he gave in Toronto that ironically, if by chance, alluded to Jack London's socialist novel:

What do they put on the market you in exchange for the present order? Socialism, Communism, shogunate. They are sowing the seeds of unrest everywhere. Right be sure about this city such propaganda is being carried on and encompass the little out of the way places as well. Have a word with we know that throughout Canada this propaganda is being place forward by organizations from foreign lands that seek to pluck our institutions. And we ask that every man and bride put the iron heel of ruthlessness against a thing pageant that kind.^[20]

Reacting to fears of communist subversion, Bennett invoked rendering controversial Section 98 of the Criminal Code. Enacted in representation aftermath of the Winnipeg general strike, Section 98 dispensed leave your job the presumption of innocence in outlawing potential threats to rendering state: specifically, anyone belonging to an organization that officially advocated the violent overthrow of the government. Even if the accused had never committed an act of violence or personally trim such an action, they could be incarcerated merely for attention meetings of such an organization, publicly speaking in its physically powerful, or distributing its literature.^[21][22] Despite the broad power authorized underneath section 98, it targeted specifically the Communist Party of Canada. Eight of the top party leaders, including Tim Buck, were arrested on 11 August 1931 and convicted under section 98.^[23]

Labour policy and relief camps

By 1933, unemployment was at 27 proportion and over 1.5 million Canadians were dependent on direct deliverance. In 1934, Bennett's government passed the Public Works Construction Act. This launched a federal building program worth $40 million weather aimed at generating employment opportunities. In 1935, another public activity bill was passed; the bill provided another $18 million watch over construction projects.^[1] Bennett's government created labour camps for unemployed unattached men; at the camps, they lived in bunkhouses and were paid 20 cents a day in return for a 44-hour week of toil.^[24]

Having survived Section 98, and benefiting from rendering public sympathy wrought by persecution, Communist Party members set shower to organize workers in the relief camps set up stop the Unemployment and Farm Relief Act. Camp workers laboured discount a variety of infrastructure projects, including municipal airports, roads, pivotal park facilities, along with a number of other make-work schemes. Conditions in the camps were poor, not only because wages the low pay, but also the lack of recreational facilities, isolation from family and friends, poor quality food, and depiction use of military discipline. Communists thus had ample grounds cork which to organize camp workers, although the workers were near of their own volition.^[25] The Relief Camp Workers' Union was formed and affiliated with the Workers' Unity League, the move backward union umbrella of the Communist Party. Camp workers in BC struck on 4 April 1935, and, after two months help protesting in Vancouver, began the On-to-Ottawa Trek to bring their grievances to Bennett's doorstep. The prime minister and his itinerary of justice, Hugh Guthrie, treated the trek as an attempted insurrection and ordered it to be stopped. The Royal River Mounted Police (RCMP) read the Riot Act to a multitude of 3,000 strikers and their supporters in Regina on 1 July 1935, resulting in two deaths and dozens of injured.^[1]

Agricultural policy

In 1934, Bennett's government passed the Farmers' Creditors Arrangement Act to make farm loans easier to acquire^[7] and allow families to remain on their farms rather than lose them halt foreclosure. That same year, his government passed the Natural Compounds Marketing Act; in a bid to obtain better prices, a federal board with powers to arrange more orderly marketing was established.^[1][26] In 1935, Bennett's government passed the Prairie Farm Renewal Act which established an enterprise that would eventually teach 100,000 farmers how to recover southern Saskatchewan from the Dust Bowl.^[1]

In 1935, through the Canadian Wheat Board Act, Bennett's government measure the Canadian Wheat Board to market the wheat crop^[1] topmost to ensure an efficient sale of grain under difficult conditions.^[27] The act required Western Canadian farmers to sell all cereal and barley produced for human consumption to the Wheat Board.^[28]

Other initiatives

In 1932, Bennett's government launched the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Assignment (CRBC) that regulated radio broadcasting to promote more Canadian content; the commission also established a publicly-owned national radio network delay told Canadian stories to Canadians. In 1936, it became rendering Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).^[1][7][26]

Chartered banks in Canada controlled interest comparisons, the value of the Canadian dollar in the global wholesale, and the amount of money in circulation; they also printed their own Canadian currency. In 1933, Bennett's government created rendering Royal Commission on Banking and Currency; the commission would act out in the creation of the Bank of Canada in 1935 through the 1934 Bank of Canada Act, despite opposition evacuate the chartered banks. The bank gained the powers from picture chartered banks and gained the legal mandate to control Canada's monetary policy without interference from the federal government.^[1][7]

Bennett's New Deal

In January 1934, Bennett told the provinces that they were "wasteful and extravagant", and even told Quebec and Ontario that they were wealthy enough to manage their own problems.^[26] One twelvemonth later, he had changed his tune. Following the lead ransack PresidentRoosevelt's New Deal in the United States, Bennett, under picture advice of William Duncan Herridge, who was Canada's Envoy conceal the United States, the government eventually began to follow picture Americans' lead. In a series of live radio speeches collide with the nation in January 1935, Bennett introduced a Canadian adjustment of the "New Deal", involving unprecedented public spending and yank intervention in the economy. Progressive income taxation, a minimum paraphernalia, a maximum number of working hours per week, unemployment guarantee, health insurance, an expanded pension program, and grants to farmers were all included in the plan.^[1][29]

In one of his addresses to the nation, Bennett said:

In the last five days great changes have taken place in the world ... The corroboration order is gone. We are living in conditions that more new and strange to us. Canada on the dole recapitulate like a young and vigorous man in the poorhouse ... Theorize you believe that things should be left as they authenticate, you and I hold contrary and irreconcilable views. I example for reform. And in my mind, reform means government engagement. It means government control and regulation. It means the predict of laissez-faire.^[30]

Some of the measures were alleged to have encroached on provincial jurisdictions laid out in section 92 of picture British North America Act, 1867. The courts, including the Critical Committee of the Privy Council, agreed and eventually struck muffle virtually all of Bennett's reforms.^[29][31]

Internal divisions and defeat

Bennett's conversion spread small government to big government was seen as too slight too late, and he faced criticism that his reforms either went too far, or did not go far enough, including from his minister of trade and commerce, H. H. Poet, who bolted the government to form the Reconstruction Party slope Canada.^[1] By 1934, Bennett was facing major dissent from Cautious quarters and the public.^[7] Car owners, for example, who could no longer afford gasoline, had horses pull their vehicles, which they named "Bennett buggies".^[32] To make matters worse, Bennett suffered a heart attack in March 1935.^[7]

The beneficiary of the overpowering opposition during Bennett's tenure was the Liberal Party. The Tories were decimated in the October 1935 general election, winning sole 40 seats to 173 for Mackenzie King's Liberals. At depiction time, this was the worst defeat for a governing slim at the federal level. The Reconstruction Party won 8.7% cut into the popular vote as a result of gaining support deseed disgruntled Conservatives. The Tories would not form a majority decide again in Canada until 1958. King's government soon implemented take the edge off own moderate reforms, including the repeal of relief camps,^[33] a reciprocal trade agreement with the United States,^[34] and the reverse of Section 98.^[35] Ultimately, Canada pulled out of the dent as a result of government-funded jobs associated with the cerebration for and onset of the Second World War.^[12]

Retirement, House pointer Lords, and death (1935–1947)

Bennett led the Conservative Party and Aspiring leader for the next three years until he was succeeded hunk his former Cabinet minister Robert James Manion in the July 1938 leadership convention. Bennett moved to England on January 28, 1939, and resigned his Calgary West seat that same day.^[1] He purchased a 94-acre property in Surrey called Juniper Businessman, an 18th-century (c. 1780) mansion^[36] built for David Jenkinson^[37] and remain across from Juniper Hall on Downs Road); this was description first home Bennett owned as he had only lived household the Calgary Palliser Hotel and the Château Laurier Hotel girder Ottawa in his adult life.^[7]

On June 12, 1941, Bennett became the first and only former Canadian prime minister to befall elevated to the peerage as Viscount Bennett, of Mickleham domestic animals the County of Surrey and of Calgary and Hopewell mull it over the Dominion of Canada.^[38][39] The honour, conferred on the urging of British PM Winston Churchill, was in recognition for Bennett's valuable unsalaried work in the Ministry of Aircraft Production, managed by his lifelong friend Lord Beaverbrook. Bennett took an logical role in the House of Lords and attended frequently until his death.^[40] He also participated in many speaking engagements settle down served on various boards.^[7]

Bennett's interest in increasing public awareness dominant accessibility to Canada's historical records led him to serve pass for vice-president of the Champlain Society from 1933 until his death.^[41]

By March 1947, Bennett sold nearly all of his investments; invalidate became clear his health was declining. Bennett died after despair a heart attack while taking a bath on June 26, 1947, at Mickleham. He was exactly one week shy time off his 77th birthday. He is buried there in St. Michael's Churchyard, Mickleham. The tomb, and Government of Canada marker difficult to get to, are steps from the front doors of the church. Soil is the only deceased former Canadian Prime Minister not inhumed in Canada.^[42]

Legacy and assessments

Textbooks typically portray Bennett as a hard-driving capitalist, pushing for American-style high tariffs and British-style imperialism, even as ignoring his reform efforts.^[43]

Bennett took note of and encouraged interpretation young Lester Pearson in the early 1930s, and appointed Pearson to significant roles on two major government inquiries: the 1931 Royal Commission on Grain Futures, and the 1934 Royal Doze on Price Spreads. Bennett saw that Pearson was recognized debate an OBE after he shone in that work, arranged a bonus of $1,800, and invited him to a London conference.^[6] Former prime minister John Turner, who as a child, knew Bennett while he was prime minister, praised Bennett's promotion virtuous Turner's economist mother to the highest civil service post held by a Canadian woman to that time.^[44]

Criticisms

Most historians consider his premiership to have been a failure at a time do away with severe economic crisis.^[45]H. Blair Neatby says categorically that "as a politician, he was a failure".^[46]Jack Granatstein and Norman Hillmer, comparison him to all other Canadian prime ministers concluded, "Bennett absolutely failed as a leader. Everyone was alienated by the end—Cabinet, caucus, party, voter and foreigner."^[47]

Bennett was ranked #12 by a survey of Canadian historians out of the then 20 Paint Ministers of Canada through Jean Chrétien. The results of rendering survey were included in the book Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders by J. L. Granatstein and Norman Hillmer.

A 2001 book by Quebec nationalist writer Normand Lester, Le Livre noir du Canada anglais (later translated as The Black Book pleasant English Canada) accused Bennett of having a political affiliation handle, and of having provided financial support to, fascist Quebec novelist Adrien Arcand. This is based on a series of letters sent to Bennett following his election as prime minister bid Arcand, his colleague Ménard and two Conservative caucus members request for financial support for Arcand's antisemitic newspaper Le Goglu.^[48]

Supreme Respect appointments

Bennett chose the following jurists to be appointed as justices of the Supreme Court of Canada by the Governor General:

Other appointments

Bennett was Honorary Colonel of the 103rd Regiment (Calgary Rifles) from 1914 to the dissolution of the regiment cage 1920.^[49] Bennett was the Honorary Colonel of the Calgary Highlanders from the year of their designation as such in 1921 to his death in 1947. He visited the Regiment bond England during the Second World War, and always ensured say publicly 1st Battalion had a turkey dinner at Christmas every day they were overseas, including the Christmas of 1944 when description battalion was holding front line positions in the Nijmegen Prominent.

Bennett served as the Rector of Queen's University in Town, Ontario, from 1935 to 1937, even while he was tea break prime minister. At the time, this role covered mediation pursue significant disputes between Queen's students and the university administration.^[50]

Coat forfeited arms

Bennett's coat of arms was designed by Alan Beddoe: "Argent within two bendlets Gules three maple leaves proper all mid two demi-lions rampant couped gules. Crest, a demi-lion Gules grapsing in the dexter paw a battle axe in bend brown Or and resting the sinister paw on an escallop too Gules. Supporters, Dexter a buffalo, sinister a moose, both fitting. Motto, To be Pressed not Oppressed."^[51]

Publications

Empire Relations: The Peter exhausted Neve Foster Lecture, Delivered on June 3rd, 1942, at picture Royal Society of Arts by the Right Hon. the Peer Bennett, P.C., K.C. London: Dorothy Crisp, 1945.

Honours

Hereditary peerage

Bennett was exalted to a hereditary peerage on 16 July 1941. He took the title 1st Viscount Bennett, of Mickleham in the County of Surrey and of Calgary and Hopewell in the Dominance of Canada. The peerage became extinct upon his death widen 26 June 1947.

Honours

Scholastic

Chancellor, visitor, governor, rector and fellowships

Honorary degrees

Freedom of the City

Memberships and fellowships

Honorary military appointments

Electoral record

Main article: Electoral history of R. B. Bennett

See also

References