Stephen Azzi is a professor of political management, history and political science at Carleton University. With Patrice Dutil, he is co-editor of the forthcoming book Statecraft: Canadian Prime Ministers and their Cabinets.
In Canadian history, it’s a rare occurrence: a prime minister steps down at a time of his choosing, handing the reins of government to a successor within the same party, who then leads the party to victory in the next general election. This has happened only twice – under prime ministers William Lyon Mackenzie King and Lester Pearson. Yet their examples of orderly succession have been largely ignored by subsequent prime ministers.
Few leaders, whether in business or in politics, are eager to plan their own exits. In the corporate world, independent boards often force CEOs to engage in succession planning to ensure the corporation’s long-term success. But in Canadian politics, no such external body exists to force prime ministers to reckon with their own political mortality.
As a result, most prime ministers are like heavyweight boxers. They keep fighting until they are knocked out or they realize a knockout is imminent. Then they step down, leaving their parties in disarray.
Succession planning does not mean that prime ministers should handpick their replacements. That’s not their prerogative. Instead, it requires them to identify and nurture a pool of potential successors, provide them with experience, and then step aside, leaving sufficient time for the successor to establish a government and present a fresh face to the electorate.
King offers a textbook example of this approach. His diary reveals that he was constantly thinking about succession years before he left office. He recruited talented individuals from outside Parliament to strengthen his government, even if it frustrated backbenchers who were hoping for a promotion.
In 1942, King recruited Louis St. Laurent – a prominent Quebec City lawyer with no political background – into his cabinet as minister of justice. Six years later, as King was leaving office and handing the reins over to St. Laurent, King persuaded Lester Pearson, Canada’s senior diplomat, to enter politics as minister of external affairs. King confided in his diary that he believed Pearson would one day become prime minister.
In these two moves, King ensured the Liberal Party’s succession for the next two decades.
Pearson followed a similar strategy. He promoted the careers of young, promising figures. He appointed Montreal lawyer John Turner to cabinet at 38 years of age, assigning him to work with Jack Pickersgill, the minister of transport who was a master of Ottawa’s inner workings.
Pearson also saw talent in Jean Chrétien, appointing him as parliamentary secretary to the finance minister, Mitchell Sharp, and telling the young backbencher that he would one day become Canada’s first francophone minister of finance – a prophecy that became true. When Mr. Chrétien considered leaving federal politics, Pearson convinced him to stay. He then appointed Mr. Chrétien to cabinet when he was still 33 years old. Finally, Pearson gave Pierre Trudeau an apprenticeship as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister before naming him minister of justice.
Pearson then stepped down more than two years before the end of his term. The next three Liberal leaders – Pierre Trudeau, John Turner and Jean Chrétien – would steer the party for the next 35 years, a direct result of Pearson’s foresight.
The lessons from King and Pearson are clear. At the highest level of Canadian politics, succession planning must begin on day one. Prime ministers need to identify, recruit and nurture young talent, giving them the breadth of experience necessary to step into the senior leadership role.
Equally important, prime ministers must recognize when their time is done, and step down long before the party is dragged into the doldrums.
This formula is the only way to avoid the turmoil that too often accompanies the end of a prime minister’s tenure. By planning for the future, leaders can ensure their party remains prepared for what lies ahead.