O.D. Skelton: The Work of the World, 1923-1941 is a lively and compelling trip through the letters, diary entries, and official memoranda of O.D. Skelton, one of the most important and influential civil servants in twentieth-century Canada. Skelton was a towering foreign policy advisor to Canada's prime ministers and a lonely advocate for the country's independence from Great Britain. His accounts detail his work as he co-operated and clashed with William Lyon Mackenzie King and R.B. Bennett over Canada's participation in the international arena. Norman Hillmer's selection and assessment of...
O.D. Skelton: The Work of the World, 1923-1941 is a lively and compelling trip through the letters, diary entries, and official memoranda of O.D. Skel...
When O.D. Skelton became Prime Minister Mackenzie King s foreign policy advisor in 1923, he was already a celebrated critic of the status quo in international and domestic affairs, a loyal Liberal Party man, and a fervent nationalist who believed Canada needed to steer a path independent of Britain. Two years later, he became the permanent head of Canada s Department of External Affairs. Between then and his tragic death in 1941, Skelton created Canada s professional diplomatic service, staffing it with sharp young men such as Lester B. Pearson.
Skelton s importance in Ottawa was...
When O.D. Skelton became Prime Minister Mackenzie King s foreign policy advisor in 1923, he was already a celebrated critic of the status quo in in...