Lester B pearson
...g injured in an airplane crash, Pearson returned to his studies at the University of Toronto, and then attended Oxford University. From 1924 to 1928 he taught history and coached football at the University of Toronto. In 1928, still unsettled, he joined the Foreign Service, which lead to his political career. “Entering the External Affairs Department in 1928, he rose rapidly in the service. He served in the High Commissioner’s Office in London and was there during the beginning of the Second World War.” By 1946, he was the Canadian ambassador in Washington where he attended the conference, which founded the UN. Pearson became the president of the United Nations General Assembly in 1952-53. This still did not satisfy him and decided on Politics. In 1948-57 Pearson became the Minister of External Affairs, where he handled the Suez Crisis. The 1956 Suez war, in which France, Britain and Israel attacked the key Suez Canal area, which Egypt had seized earlier, proved to be Pearson’s diplomatic test. “Faced with a situation that threatened to disrupt alliance of Western powers—or even lead to world war—Pearson proposed a United Nations Emergency Force to stabilize the danger zone and offered Canadian troops to serve in such a collective force.” Pearson suggested that the United Nations handled the crisis by setting up an international force, which was located between Egypt and Israel. The UN adopted his proposal and Egypt accepted the force along its border; the force served to keep peace for many years ahead. Lester B. Pearson had much to do with this peace settlement. For his tremendous efforts, Person received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957. This award had brought a lot of universal respect to Pearson—which gave Canada a good name. Pearson won a minority government in 1963 and tried to win a majority government in 1965. The attempt failed and Pearson continued with support from the New Democratic Party and the Social Credit Party. Another part of Lester B. Pearson’s expansive legacy to Canadians is his contribution to the development of Canada’s bilingualism and biculturalism. Under Trudeau’s leadership, and made possible by Pearson’s work to pave its path. “In 1971, Canada became the first country in the world to adopt a multiculturalism policy.” Canada’s stance on cultural diversity had evolved over many years. In its mature state it is embedded within a broad policy and legislative framework. Pearson though not leader in 1971, was instrumental in developing the social climate, which was necessary to accept such a tolerant multicultural policy. His major impact was seen in 1963, when he established a Royal Commission on bilingualism and biculturalism, setting the foundation for a bilingual civil service throughout Canada, whi...