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Man who hated politics becomes prime minister

Broadcast Date: May 8, 1982

Following the death of his better-known predecessor, Sir John A. Macdonald, another "Sir John" became prime minister of Canada on June 16, 1891. "Sir John Abbott might not be remembered as a great prime minister. Come to think of it, Sir John Abbott might not be remembered as prime minister at all," quips CBC radio's Allan Gould. In this 1982 clip from the children's program Anybody Home, Gould presents a light-hearted list of "true facts" about the sometimes forgotten Canadian leader.

Man who hated politics becomes prime minister

• John Joseph Caldwell Abbott was born on March 12, 1821, in Saint Andrews East, Lower Canada (Quebec).
• He was the first Canadian prime minister to be born in Canada. The previous two – Sir John A. Macdonald (1867 to 1873, and 1878 to 1891) and Alexander Mackenzie (1873 to 1878) – were both born in Scotland.
• Abbott studied law at Montreal's McGill College, and was admitted to the bar in 1847.

• He became a law professor at McGill in 1853, and was dean of the law faculty from 1855 to 1880.
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who was prime minister from 1896 to 1911, was actually one of Abbott's law students at McGill.
• Abbott was also successful as a businessman, particularly in the railway business. Most notably, he was president of the Canada Central Railway in the 1860s.

• Abbott played a central role in the Pacific Scandal, which led to John A. Macdonald's 1873 resignation. It was discovered that Macdonald's Conservatives were soliciting money from wealthy financier Hugh Allan in exchange for a lucrative railway contract. (See the clip Canada's first political scandal in the topic Scandals, Boondoggles and White Elephants.) Abbott was legal advisor to Allan, but was also an MP at the time. The incriminating documents, confirming the corruption, were stolen from Abbott's office and given to the Liberals.

• Because of the scandal Abbott lost his seat in Parliament. But he was re-elected as MP for Argenteuil (Quebec) in an 1881 by-election. In 1887, he was appointed to the Senate.
• Prime Minister John A. Macdonald died on June 6, 1891. The Conservative party chose Abbott to be Macdonald's replacement. Abbott accepted the position, but did so reluctantly.
• Abbott became prime minister on June 16, 1891. (In this clip, Gould mistakenly says it happened on June 13, 1891.)

• Just days before Macdonald's death, Abbott said: "I hate politics and what are considered their appropriate methods. I hate notoriety, public meetings, public speeches, caucuses and everything that I know of that is apparently the necessary incident of politics – except doing public work to the best of my ability."
• Due to deteriorating health, Abbott stepped down as Prime Minister on Nov. 24, 1892, less than 18 months after being sworn in. He was succeeded by Sir John Thompson.

• Abbott managed some notable achievements despite his short time in office. According to the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, "Abbott, a tireless worker, cleared away much of the government business, shuffled his cabinet…endorsed a reform of the civil service, piloted important revisions to the criminal code through a recalcitrant Senate, pressed the Colonial Office to appoint a Canadian attaché to the British legation in Washington, and sent (Sir John) Thompson to Washington to discuss a broad spectrum of issues including a reciprocity treaty with the United States."

• Such achievements aside, Abbott's legacy hasn't been especially memorable. In the 1999 book Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders by J.L. Granatstein and Norman Hillmer, Abbott is lumped into the same chapter with his three successors: Sir John S. Thompson, Sir Mackenzie Bowell and Sir Charles Tupper, all of whom were only prime minister for two years or less (between 1892 and 1896): "The Tory successors to Sir John A. Macdonald remain almost unknown and unsung, a gaggle of sectarians and senators without popular appeal."

• Sir John Abbott died in Montreal on Oct. 30, 1893. He was 72 years old. Abbott was buried in Montreal's Mount Royal Cemetery.
• Abbott's great-grandson is the renowned film and stage actor, Christopher Plummer.

Also on June 16:
• 1981: Ken Taylor, Canada's former ambassador to Iran, becomes the first non-American to be awarded the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal.

Man who hated politics becomes prime minister

Medium: Radio

Program: Anybody Home?

Broadcast Date: May 8, 1982

Host: Robert Hawkins
Reporter: Allan Gould

Duration: 4:09

Writer: Allan Gould

Photo: William James Topley / Library and Archives Canada / C-000697

Last updated:
April 1, 2008