Mackenzie King And Sir John A. Macdonald's Analysis

For a long time the debates had been going about how was the better prime minister of Canada. On the the top of most lists of best prime ministers are Mackenzie King and Sir John A. Macdonald. For example, according to the Expert Survey that was made in 2013 “Laurier came first, Macdonald second, and King third, but the difference in their overall scores was negligible”. Both prime ministers had a strong vision of the country that helped shaped Canada to become the country it is today(in 2015).

Thesis: Sir John A.Macdonald was one of the founding fathers, but William Lyon Mackenzie King had to lead the country through the part of Depression and WWII, and they both have made different positive contributions to Canada and are highly respected

He once said "A true man does not only stand up for himself, he stands up for those that do not have the ability to." and lived up to this words. King stood up for the Canadian by introducing number of important social programs.They include unemployment insurance, family allowance, old age pension, as well as proposing health insurance. By introducing family allowance King helped many families with children during the second world war by giving them the money that they needed, because of the inflation that was happening at the time. In present days Canadians with children still enjoy the benefits from the government. Another successful social program established by Mackenzie King was the Old Age Pension Security Act. It allowed people over the age of 70 to receive up to $20 a month for their hand work. The amount paid and the age had been changed over time, but the idea stayed the same. Aside from social welfare was his belief to keep French and English speaking Canadians united.The unity of the country was very important to King, he was a nation-builder and avoided making controversial decisions and tried to stay natural. For example, at the beginning of the second world war King promised that there would be no conscription, but as the war continued he understood that he could not keep

Macdonald often called the father of Confederation, he is the first and second longest serving prime minister in Canada for that many consider him the best leader in Canada. For example said Wilfrid Laurier, said in the House of Commons, June 8, 1891: "It may be said without any exaggeration whatever, that the life of Sir John Macdonald, from the time he entered Parliament, is the history of Canada." Conservative Senator Hugh Segal said “Macdonald 's legacy to the country is the country itself,” Macdonald shaped the modern Canada and wanted to see it united. He foresaw the expansion of Canada “from sea to sea” and during his leadership, aside for the four original province, Manitoba, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island joined Canada. Macdonald dream was creating the National Railway which would also unify the country, and the railway was built through hard work, sweat and blood in ten years. National Railway was very significant to expansion and growing of Canada. Historian George Stanley wrote in The Canadians, "Bonds of steel as well as of sentiment were needed to hold the new Confederation together. Without railways there would be and could be no Canada." While Macdonald was country leader he tried to allow women and Aboriginal people to vote in 1880’s. He attempted to pass the bill, but got nowhere with it . During his leadership in 1873, he established the North-West Mounted Police that was sent to Alberta and Saskatchewan. If it was not so successful