This article examines the lack of succession planning in Canadian politics and contrasts it with the corporate world. It highlights the historical examples of William Lyon Mackenzie King and Lester Pearson, who successfully facilitated orderly transitions of power, and explores the benefits of identifying and nurturing potential successors.
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.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.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 justic
CANADA POLITICS SUCCESSION PLANNING PRIME MINISTER LEADERSHIP
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