BOOK REVIEW COMPTE RENDU R.B. Bennett reconsidered: A long-overdue “remarkable and head-turning portrait”

John Boyko. Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2010.

Review by Bob Plamondon

sign of a good book, especially political history have not bothered to what he said and what it has meant one that stretches to more study Bennett in any great detail. to Canada, then and now. With his A than 500 pages, is that you But along comes John Boyko, book going to press during a period don’t want it to end. John Boyko has dean of history and social sciences of economic peril and uncertainty, achieved that distinction in a long- and director of Northcote Campus at Boyko’s timing could not have been overdue book on R.B. Bennett. Lakefield College, to give us a better. The popular wisdom, to the extent remarkable and head-turning por- That Bennett had a lifelong addic- such a quality exists, suggests that trait of a man who turns out to be tion to work is not much of a surprise. Bennett was a prig: an aristocratic and one of the most important and influ- And there is nothing new on Bennett’s uncaring captain of industry who, ential prime ministers in Canadian widely acknowledged business acu- whenever he left his posh suite at the history. Boyko shows Bennett to be a men. We see Bennett as a man of few Château Laurier in top hat and tails, transformational prime minister who foibles, other than an obsession with spewed capitalist rhetoric at those who established many important national work and accomplishment, whose complained of such minor inconven- institutions that remain the corner- wealth was neither flaunted nor con- iences as hunger or a lack of a roof over stone of Canadian life today. We are sumed for selfish satisfaction. For their heads during the Great left to scratch our heads over why example, Bennett drove a car only Depression. If Bennett offered up a Professor John English claims, as he once in his life and bought his first reformist stance late in his mandate, does in the foreword, that Bennett house only after leaving office. He did say his critics, it was a des- perate and phony campaign When the promised economic turnaround was slow to to cling to office by mimick- materialize, Bennett’s political demise was easy to predict. The ing FDR’s compassion and most intelligent, the hardest-working and the most able, Bennett penchant for experimenta- became known as the leader of a one-man government, a tion. In other words, Bennett made a deathbed dictator. The label, combined with his dour demeanour and an conversion only when his economy in ruins, made Bennett a doomed political figure. ideological leanings left him in political ruin. Whatever the was not a great prime minister. Most not take vacations or consume alcohol origin of the expression “Tory times readers of this Bennett biography or tobacco. are hard times,” many portray “Iron will conclude otherwise. What Boyko convincingly reveals Heel Bennett” as its poster child. Boyko avoids the cheap dime- is Bennett’s generosity and his instinct Such sentiments about Bennett store psychology that entraps many to side with the interests of the com- have endured for generations, in large political biographers and delivers a mon man over the desires and inclina- part because the hundreds of tenured compelling and comprehensive tions of his wealthy friends. His university professors of Canadian review of what R.B. Bennett did, compassion was genuine and broad,

POLICY OPTIONS 83 SEPTEMBER 2010 Bob Plamondon COMPTE RENDU but reserved. As a man of the Gospel, Bennett would have thrived in any dissertations. It seems the academic he was inclined to keep anonymous environment. Lougheed predicted community has yet to catch on that a his acts of charity to make them sin- great things for his protegé: “Bennett book’s title is designed to attract cere and heartfelt, rather than self- can solve any problem he puts his interest and sales rather than meet serving or to be used for political mind to…Some day Bennett will be the staid standards of peer review. advantage. His instinct was to sup- called upon to solve the greatest prob- It was with Red Tory leanings that press his emotions, a trait that many lems in Canada. Some day Canada will Bennett first spoke about bringing would later characterize as uncaring turn to him to get the country out of monetary policy under government and heartless. This conflict was evi- its difficulties.” control in 1913, some 30 years before he would be in a position to What Boyko convincingly reveals is Bennett’s generosity and act upon his convictions: his instinct to side with the interests of the common man “The vital question is whether or not a few capi- over the desires and inclinations of his wealthy friends. His talists shall control the compassion was genuine and broad, but reserved. As a man action of this Parliament… of the Gospel, he was inclined to keep anonymous his acts of The Bank Act of 1913 is a charity to make them sincere and heartfelt, rather than self- Bank Act of twenty years ago without any change, serving or to be used for political advantage. without any single step for- ward or one motion dent during the First World War when Bennett had a prodigious memo- towards progress and reform.” At the he wrote to a friend, “The loss of these ry and the long-forgotten politi- time such a notion was likely rebel- men leaves me absolutely heartbro- cian’s skill of being able to quote lious, at least insofar as the well-heeled ken, in so far as it is possible for a man long passages from the classics with- banking community was concerned. on my type and temperament to be out pause or error. A skilled debater, From his earliest days in politics heartbroken about anything.” Bennett was loath to admit error and Bennett preferred principle over pop- Boyko also reveals that Bennett’s could always cleverly draw upon ulism. “Let us begin right…and not be views on government intervention in some fact or statistic to support his deterred from our duty because the the economy were not a response to position. action which that duty lays upon us troubled economic times or to the Upon entering the House of seems temporarily unpopular.” Tell prospect of political defeat, but were Commons in 1911, Bennett cast him- that to Prime Minister Harper. long-held. He was as comfortable in self in the mould of what today we union halls as he was in boardrooms. would call a Red Tory: “In my judg- ennett was certainly an able min- When addressing striking labourers in ment, in this complex civilization of B ister to Robert Borden, but his 1902 he said, “So long as I live I will ours, the greatest struggle of the future convictions and principles were sim- give my best efforts to any labour will be between human rights and ply irrepressible and he lacked the organization which endeavours to property interests; and it is the duty temperament to follow. hold upright causes.” and function of government to pro- He was a man of ego, hardly a dis- R.B. Bennett never had much of a vide that there shall be no undue tinction among politicians, claiming family life. His interest in women was regard for the latter that limits or he could not easily surrender to the limited; he preferred the company of lessens the other.” views of others. This led to inevitable his sister Mildred, who was 19 years The theme of Bennett as Red clashes with party leaders Robert his junior and who served as a regular Tory is one that Boyko returns to Borden and Arthur Meighen. It was a travelling companion throughout his throughout his tome. One reviewer, foregone conclusion that Bennett political career. Hints that Bennett suf- an academic, was irked by the appar- would use his immense wealth and tal- fered a medical condition that made ent contradiction between Red ent to lead the Liberal-Conservative intimacy uncomfortable are raised, as Toryism and the moniker given to Party. But the question remained they are in other less detailed portraits Bennett in the book’s title as a whether he had the political skills to of Bennett, but there is no evidence “rebel.” The professorial review sug- become prime minister. He had nei- presented one way or the other on this gests Boyko’s book would not have ther the charm nor the wit of account. passed muster as a doctoral disserta- Macdonald, but his intelligence and Plucked from New Brunswick at tion because it did not prove the the- will to win were second to none. the age of 26 to become the law part- sis that Bennett was a rebel. Bennett used his organizational ner of Senator James Lougheed, future Thankfully the book is far more rele- abilities to great advantage and grandfather of an Alberta premier, vant, useful and enjoyable than most became a key architect of the modern

84 OPTIONS POLITIQUES SEPTEMBRE 2010 R.B. Bennett reconsidered: A long-overdue “remarkable and head-turning portrait” BOOK REVIEW political machine. As a political than I had known Mr. King…He was tougher on law-breaking strategist and overt partisan he readi- also an easier man to get to know. He Communists who were intent on ly and ruthlessly exploited Mackenzie was more out-going, more straight for- overthrowing the duly elected gov- King’s unwillingness to admit to the ward...His storms were rough, but they ernment than Pierre Trudeau was on severity of the Depression or to do were usually of short duration and the FLQ. For this, Trudeau was much much about it. As the ravages of the often cleared the air.” admired and Bennett was given the Depression were taking hold, King’s Like his American counterpart, nickname “Iron Heel Bennett.” fate was sealed after he famously Franklin Roosevelt, Bennett was an Bennett looked into the complaints declared he would not give even five innovator and a man of action and that emanated from work camps and cents to any provincial government intervention. His decision to seize found that the otherwise desperate led by a Tory. government control of the airwaves men were well cared for. While Boyko ably takes us step by step and to establish and support a public Roosevelt was praised for setting up through Bennett’s Depression-era broadcaster was a policy that has the Civilian Conservation Corps, administration to reveal how policy endured to this day. Boyko reveals Bennett was vilified in Canada for a was developed and implemented. He that Bennett overruled his cabinet similar program. Boyko reveals that shows how Bennett’s inclina- a march to Ottawa by disgrun- tion to action and intervention Bennett was an innovator and a tled young men from the camps was often thwarted by constitu- was led by a group of hard-line tional limitations. The country man of action and intervention. Communists with criminal was in the throes of sorting out His decision to seize government records and intent. the limits on federal spending control of the airwaves and to One of Boyko’s reviewers power, especially at it related to establish and support a public was highly critical because of a social and economic policy. few errors in the text. In my Pierre Trudeau must have broadcaster was a policy that has view these errors are few and admired Bennett because of the endured to this day. Boyko reveals inconsequential, and do not in way he stood up to the that Bennett overruled his cabinet any way diminish what is a provinces in his attempts to when, in his absence, it approved powerful and complete portrait implement unemployment of Bennett. Such errors should insurance and in asserting fed- American programming on newly be the subject of a note to the eral control over broadcasting. created radio stations. He was publisher or author for correc- On becoming prime min- ahead of his time in advocating tion in a subsequent edition. ister, Bennett burdened him- for the St. Lawrence Seaway and But to cast the book as unwor- self with high expectations, thy because of these peccadil- saying he would fix the econ- for free trade with the Americans. loes makes me think that the omy and blast his way into He stood up to the big banks and reviewer was intent simply on foreign markets or perish in appropriated their gold to demonstrating a mastery of use- the attempt. When the prom- establish the Bank of Canada. less trivia. ised economic turnaround What is really of no conse- was slow to materialize, quence is that John Boyko is from Bennett’s political demise was easy when, in his absence, it approved Lakefield College rather than the to predict. The most intelligent, the American programming on newly University of Toronto; that he has a hardest-working and the most able, created radio stations. He was ahead masters’ degree rather than a PhD. Bennett became known as the leader of his time in advocating for the St. Don’t let the academic or snob- of a one-man government, a dictator. Lawrence Seaway and for free trade bish reviews mislead you: this is a mag- The label, combined with his dour with the Americans. He stood up to nificent book that deserves to be read demeanour and an economy in the big banks and appropriated their by anyone who takes seriously con- ruins, made Bennett a doomed polit- gold to establish the Bank of Canada. temporary politics or Canadian histo- ical figure. He established agricultural market- ry. Boyko offers a favourable but Boyko makes frequent reference to ing boards and instituted measures fair-minded review of Bennett’s life, the intersection of an able bureaucrat to protect those who could not pay and an enjoyable book as well. named Lester B. Pearson with R.B their debts. Bennett. The pair often travelled Bennett was a determined anti- Bob Plamondon is the author, most together to conferences, where communist and used the powers of recently, of Blue Thunder: The Truth Pearson got to know well his prime office to thwart those intent on about Conservatives from Macdonald minister: “I got to know Bennett better anarchy. He was certainly no to Harper.

POLICY OPTIONS 85 SEPTEMBER 2010