Lester B Pearson

Lester Bowles Pearson (1897-1972) was a Liberal politician best known as the 14th Prime Minister of Canada. He studied at the University of Toronto and Oxford, and worked as a history teacher before a career change in the Department of Foreign Affairs, which had just been established in 1928. Pearson was appointed Canadian Ambassador to the United States in 1945 and played a key role in the formation of the League of Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He has served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Mackenzie King and Louis St. Laurent, and Member of Parliament for Algoma East (1948-1968). Before becoming Prime Minister in 1963, Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his role in resolving the Suez crisis. During his tenure as Prime Minister, he is best known for working on the Canadian Pension Scheme, lifelong care and building a new Canadian flag. Pearson retired from politics in 1968 and became a lecturer in history at Carlton University while serving as the first chair of the International Development Research Center.