Prime Minister’s Office

      East Block, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa

      June 29, 1926

      Part of King wanted to crumple the letter furiously. The Governor General had refused the advice of his prime minister. Despite King’s eloquent and well-reasoned request, Lord Byng refused to sign the Order-in-Council dissolving Parliament in order to call an election!

      The election of September 1925 had produced no clear majority. The Conservatives possessed 116 seats, the Liberals 101, and the Progressives the decisive 24. Although he had lost his seat, King, supported by some members of his party, decided to continue as prime minister on the condition that he could obtain a vote of confidence in Parliament. If the Progressives would support the Liberals’ bills, King would be able to govern.

      When a seat was found for him in a by-election in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and a positive vote secured in the House of Commons, King became the first Canadian prime minister to head a minority government. Daily he sweated a dainty step on the tightrope between presenting policy pleasing to the Progressives and policy acceptable to his own party. Yet, a bill to set in motion the federal/provincial machinery for an old age pension was not enough, and the tightrope snapped. A Customs scandal involving alcohol smuggling caused some of the Progressives, such as an agonized Agnes Macphail, to doubt the government s innocence and moral integrity. The Liberals’ crucial support was slipping away.

      The debate over four days and nights could not resolve the issue, and it was clear that King’s government was coming down. Before he was pushed too far, King snapped back up, eager to have Parliament dissolved in order to hold an election and gain a secure majority. He was refused! The Governor General had initiated a constitutional crisis unprecedented in the history of Canada!

      Since Byng would not adhere to the constitution and dissolve Parliament as his prime minister requested, the prime minister had taken another line of action. To everyone’s surprise he had resigned.

      King reread Governor General Byng’s letter accepting his resignation.

      Gov’t House

      Ottawa

      June 29th, 1926

      My dear Mr. King,

      I must acknowledge on paper, with many thanks, the receipt of your letter handed to me at our meeting yesterday.

      In trying to condense all that has passed between us during the last week, it seems to my mind that there is really only one point at issue.

      You advise me “that as, in your opinion, Mr. Meighen is unable to govern the country, there should be another Election with the present machinery to enable the people to decide.” My contention is that Mr. Meighen has not been given a chance of trying to govern, or saying that he cannot do so, and that all reasonable expedients should be tried before resorting to another Election.

      Permit me to say once more that, before deciding on my constitutional course on this matter, I gave the subject the most fair-minded and painstaking consideration which it was in my power to apply.

      I can only add how sincerely I regret the severance of our official companionship, and how gratefully I acknowledge the help of your counsel and cooperation.

      With Warmest Wishes,

       Yrs sincerely, Byng of Vimy

      King came to a realization. Let the Governor General give Meighen his chance to govern, he decided almost gleefully. Let Meighen inherit the problems of the West and more! King would sit back while keeping one eye open for an opportunity. When the chance came, he would seize it. The country needed an election to let the people show that they wanted to end autocracy. He would go forward with the strength of God and His Might and Right to battle as his forefathers battled for the rights of the people – and God’s will on earth. Already ideas were booming into his mind like thunderclaps. Grandfathers war for the rights of the many against the wishes of the powerful few in government, was not over – not yet.

      Liverpool, England

      October 17, 1926

      King descended the ship’s gangplank, his face set in a determined smile. Once again he was in England to attend an Imperial Conference in London as Canada’s prime minister and secretary of state.

      Meighen’s government had lasted three days. King had quickly swept it out of the way with a trap of technical questions that had led to a vote of confidence. Before Meighen could take office, he had to satisfy the curious dictates of the day, which said that ministers must be reelected before assuming office. While Meighen was out of the House seeking re-election, King descended on his unprotected ministers one by one. His relentless questioning ascertained that none had taken an oath as minister of the Crown but were merely acting ministers. These men, King revealed, were not “entitled to spend one five-cent piece of the public money.” The ensuing clamour in the House led to a federal election. Meighen lost, and the Conservatives slipped to 91 seats. The Progressives held 12, the United Farmers of Alberta (U.F.A.) 11, and several seats went to Labour and Independents. The Liberals garnered 116 seats, and an additional 10 seats were won by the Liberal-Progressives. King had a firmer mandate to rule. Chosen by the people. Chosen by God.

      Only two weeks after the fatiguing election he had boarded the ship for England. In some ways King had not been able to prepare for the conference, but in others he was more than ready. The conference of 1923 had seen a shift in attitudes. Now King firmly intended to steer the other delegates toward voting for recommendations of constitutional equality with a clearly defined role for the Governor General.

      Canada had grown up and was now more than capable of regulating her national affairs on her own. She also had her ideas about international issues, and these were sometimes different from those of the mother country. When the Balfour Report defined the dominions as autonomous and equal in status, it was clear that the Colonial Era, as it had been known, was over. An age of partners in a Commonwealth was beginning, and Canada and her sister nations considered themselves equal partners.

      When the endless meetings, official engagements, and necessary tea appearances were finished, King planned to do some private visiting. He had some questions of his own that he had to investigate. Questions about the past and the future, that only people like scientist and well-known British spiritualist Sir Oliver Lodge could answer.

      Laurier House, Ottawa

      July 3, 1927

      “At work already I see?” King asked, joining his guest.

      “Yes, I’m doing a map of my route” the tall, slim young man replied casually. Charles Lindbergh, the American aviation hero, had bravely completed the first nonstop transatlantic flight in May. Now he was the star of Canada’s Diamond Jubilee birthday celebrations. “I must say, that was some day yesterday! Landing here in Ottawa, then the ceremonies, the visits, the receptions, the champagne. You Canadians sure know how to celebrate! Oh! That reminds me, here are your studs. Thank you for the loan.”

      “Mrs. Patteson gave those to me. Perhaps she noticed you were wearing them at the party here yesterday evening. She would have been honoured. By the way, Mrs. Patteson told me that she has heard wonderful reports of the entire celebration. The newspapers said sixty thousand were at Parliament Hill on Friday to see the dedication of the Carillon. Did I tell you,” King confided, “that the first impression of the Carillon bells was almost ruined?

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