alternatehistory.com

He was a mixture of TR and FDR, or the UK Liberal PMs pre-WWI, in setting up the basic welfare state in Canada, such as UI (1940), CBC (1935), family allowances (1945) and the basis for federal-provincial fiscal agreements (1941). Most of that was done during the 1935-48 period, in particular when to paraphrase Norman Thomas: "He carried out the CCF program, in a coffin" during the 1945 campaign. Of course, he also broke Walpole's Record by 150 days. The other contender in 1919 was Daniel McKenzie, the interim leader, who had defected to the Unionist coalition (the only Canadian one) in 1917. Perhaps if the split is avoided by Laurier joining the coalition, Fielding (whom Mme Laurier thought ideal and defected IOTL) could become leader. None of them would have anywhere near MK's parliamentary genius or longevity, and it would likely be a very different Canada, almost like a US without the Roosevelts.
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