Memoirs of a Very Civil Servant : Mackenzie King to Pierre Trudeau

"Born in Saskatchewan in 1917, Gordon Robertson was at the centre of government power from 1945 until his retirement in 1979. He worked directly with Prime Ministers King, St. Laurent, Pearson, and Trudeau, serving as senior adviser to the latter two. Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from 1953 to 1963, he also became the first deputy minister of the new Department of Northern Affairs under Jean Lesage. In this memoir he presents a first-hand account of the events and personalities that shaped Canada during the critical post-war period." "Robertson describes Canada's political development and the prime ministers who presided over it. He provides assessments of the prime ministers in action, appraising their strengths and weaknesses and explaining how these related to their successes and failures. Himself influential in many areas of government, Robertson played a key role in the long debate on constitutional reform and national unity. Even after his retirement, he remained active as an unofficial constitutional networker."--Résumé de l'éditeur

Born in Saskatchewan in 1917, Gordon Robertson worked at the centre of government power from 1945 until his retirement in 1979. He worked directly with Prime Ministers King, St-Laurent, Pearson, and Trudeau, serving as senior advisor to the latter two. Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from 1953 to 1963, he also became the first Deputy Minister of the new Department of Northern Affairs under Jean Lesage. In this memoir he presents a first-hand account of the events and personalities that shaped Canada during the critical post-war period.

Robertson tells of Canada's development from colony to nation and the prime ministers who presided over the process. He provides an assessment of each prime minister in action: how they organized the cabinets, what their qualities were and how these related to their failures and successes. Himself influential in many areas of government, Robertson played a key role in the long debate on constitutional reform and national unity. Even after his retirement, he remained active as an unofficial contitutional networker.

Gordon Robertson has written no ordinary memoir. Along with the key events and personalities of his day he describes the development of his own ideas about the nature of Canada and its constitutional future. The result is a significant historical document, one that brings much insight to the history of post-war Canada.

Born in Saskatchewan in 1917, Gordon Robertson worked at the centre of government power from 1945 until his retirement in 1979. He worked directly with Prime Ministers King, St-Laurent, Pearson, and Trudeau, serving as senior advisor to the latter two. Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from 1953 to 1963, he also became the first Deputy Minister of the new Department of Northern Affairs under Jean Lesage. In this memoir he presents a first-hand account of the events and personalities that shaped Canada during the critical post-war period. Robertson tells of Canada's development from colony to nation and the prime ministers who presided over the process. He provides an assessment of each prime minister in action: how they organized the cabinets, what their qualities were and how these related to their failures and successes. Himself influential in many areas of government, Robertson played a key role in the long debate on constitutional reform and national unity. Even after his retirement, he remained active as an unofficial contitutional networker. Gordon Robertson has written no ordinary memoir. Along with the key events and personalities of his day he describes the development of his own ideas about the nature of Canada and its constitutional future. The result is a significant historical document, one that brings much insight to the history of post-war Canada Contents 7 Preface 9 Acknowledgments 15 PART ONE. From the Prairies to Ottawa, 1917-1941 19 1. From the Prairies to Oxford, 1917-1938 19 2. From Oxford to Ottawa, 1938-1941 34 PART TWO. External Affairs and Mackenzie King, 1941-1948 51 3. The Department of External Affairs, 1941-1945 51 4. Working for Mackenzie King, 1945-1948 63 PART THREE. Louis St Laurent and a New North, 1948-1963 91 5. Working with Louis St Laurent, 1948-1953 91 6. Canada Discovers the North, 1953-1957 123 7. Governing the Northwest Territories, 1953-1957 162 8. The Territories under the Vision, 1958-1963 181 9. The Emerging North 216 PART FOUR. 'Mike' Pearson and a Changing Canada, 1963-1968 227 10. Pearson and the Quiet Revolution 227 11. The Symbols and Structure of Canada 241 PART FIVE. Winds of Change with Pierre Trudeau, 1968-1980 267 12. Pierre Trudeau and a New Style of Governing, 1968-1970 267 13. Trudeau and the Constitution, 1968-1979 285 14. Transition and Change, 1978-1980 315 Part Six. Trudeau's 'Power Play,' Meech Lake, and the Charlottetown Accord, 1980-1992 337 15. The Trudeau Power Play, 1980-1982 337 16. Away from Government 344 17. Meech Lake: The Best Hope Lost 353 18. Meech Lake Dead: Where Next? 365 Epilogue 391 Notes 401 Index 411 "Born in Saskatchewan in 1917, Gordon Robertson was at the centre of government power from 1945 until his retirement in 1979. He worked directly with Prime Ministers King, St. Laurent, Pearson, and Trudeau, serving as senior adviser to the latter two. Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from 1953 to 1963, he also became the first deputy minister of the new Department of Northern Affairs under Jean Lesage. In this memoir he presents a first-hand account of the events and personalities that shaped Canada during the critical post-war period." "Robertson describes Canada's political development and the prime ministers who presided over it. He provides assessments of the prime ministers in action, appraising their strengths and weaknesses and explaining how these related to their successes and failures. Himself influential in many areas of government, Robertson played a key role in the long debate on constitutional reform and national unity. Even after his retirement, he remained active as an unofficial constitutional networker."--Résumé de l'éditeur