| William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who was the 10th prime minister of Canada for 3 non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A Liberal, he was the dominant politician in Canada from the early 1920s to the late 1940s. King is best known for his leadership of Canada throughout the Great Depression and World War II. King oversaw Canada’s transition into a major military power. Her Air Force, Navy, and Army all underwent massive expansions. The Royal Canadian Armed Forces were conscripted at King’s order in 1944 after heavy losses in Normandy. All of this was done while Canada was providing substantial amounts of food for the Allies. King oversaw the internment of 27,000 Japanese-Canadians. King dismantled much of the wartime restrictions on rationing and the press immediately after the war. King’s government introduced the Canadian Citizenship Act. King was citizen number 001. Lacking charisma or oratory skills, King’s diaries that he kept most of his life were revelatory for many Canadians when they were revealed after his death. He never married and had few friends, but had many political alliances. He can be credited with forming the idea of a Canadian national identity. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0370.jpg |
| Image Size | 156.67 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1234 x 1611 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 1, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Ottawa |
| State or Province | Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Archive | Library and Archives of Canada |
| Record Number | 3191968 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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