The tenth prime minister of Canada, William Lyon Mackenzie King, loved luxury and comfort but most of all power, a fact reflected by him holding office longer than any other politician in the English-speaking world. (1) During the 21 years that he served as Prime Minister, Mackenzie faced many hard decisions. Although Mackenzie had limited fans and acted in political longevity, he proved himself as an effective leader socially, nationally, and through the dark times of war. Mackenzie made many important allies during the war, and quite possibly prevented Canada from breaking out into a civil war. (2) "It is what we prevent, rather than what we do that counts most in Government." (3) William Lyon Mackenzie King was born on December 17, 1874 in Berlin Ontario and from the time Mackenzie was young he was concerned about the world around him. He used to find prostitutes and persuade them to give in their trade and turn to God as he volunteered once a week at the children's hospital. Mackenzie was aware that the conditions of life had to improve and perhaps this is why he chose a career in politics. King was inspired by two people in his life, his mother, Isabel Mackenzie, and his grandfather, William Lyon Mackenzie. His "mission" was to complete what his grandfather had started, the task of the reform. (5) .
Kings main goal as a Prime minister was national unity, he recognized that this did not mean forcing all Canadians to have the same beliefs priorities and visions, but that Canada's many different and conflicting views be accommodated. The conscription crises of World War One had left a huge division between English and French Canada, and had almost driven Canada to a civil war. With this in mind, Mackenzie made a promise that national unity would be put first throughout the Second World War, and that Canada would not use conscription.
Not only did King focus on the unity of his country, but of the unity of North America as a whole.
