Today In Canadian History July 10: The Scholar in Politics: Arthur Meighen Becomes Prime Minister

On this day, July 10, 1920, the mantle of leadership passed to one of Canada’s most formidable intellects. Arthur Meighen, a brilliant lawyer and peerless parliamentary debater from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, became the ninth Prime Minister of Canada. He succeeded Sir Robert Borden, who was retiring after steering the country through the tumultuous years of the First World War. Meighen was not chosen by a popular vote, but by the Conservative caucus, who recognized his sharp mind and unwavering principles.

Meighen inherited a country grappling with deep divisions and post-war turmoil. As Borden’s key lieutenant, he had been the architect of some of the government's most controversial policies, including military conscription and the Wartime Elections Act. He was also the Justice Minister who had taken a hardline stance against the leaders of the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike. To his supporters, he was a man of principle and conviction; to his detractors, particularly in Quebec and among organized labour, he was a rigid and divisive figure.

His first term as Prime Minister was short but consequential. He oversaw the creation of the Canadian National Railway (CNR) by amalgamating several bankrupt private lines into one Crown corporation—a foundational piece of Canadian infrastructure. However, he was unable to heal the fractures in the country and his Conservative party was soundly defeated in the 1921 election. He would serve a second, even briefer, term as Prime Minister in 1926 amidst the controversial King-Byng Affair. Though his time at the top was limited, Arthur Meighen remains a pivotal figure, representing a brand of intellectual, principled, and uncompromising conservatism in a rapidly changing Canada.