PEACE: Lester Bowles Pearson 1957 - Ottawa, Ontario
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Former Canadian Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957. A statue was erected in his honour on the Grounds of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario.
Waymark Code: WMDG5X
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 01/12/2012
Views: 40
Lester Pearson (prime minister from 1963 to 1968) forged a unique identity for Canada as an active member of the world community. In 1957, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his leading role in
the creation of the United Nations peacekeeping forces. Those who knew Pearson remember him as a man of easy grace, and he is portrayed by Edmonton artist Derek Mozdenski leaning back comfortably in his office chair.
I visited the monument on January 10, 2010. It was a cloudy day with snow covering most of the base including the word "Pearson", carved in the granite pedestal. The monument has been given a pride of place. Of all the monuments to former Canadian Prime Ministers on Parliament Hill, this one appears as if you could be having a conversation with the person sitting in the arm chair. This may be due to the fact that the Nobel laureate is in a sitting position and appears to be looking straight at you contrary to most of the other statues on Parliament Hill that are raised high on pedestals.
"A peacemaker's peacemaker:
• Pearson had been considered for the Nobel four years previous but lost out to American George Marshall who won for his "Marshall Plan."
• The crisis in the Suez developed after Egypt took control of the Suez Canal, a vital shipping link between the Middle East and Europe, from combined British and French interests in October 1956.
• Britain and France secretly banded together with Israel to move to attack Egypt and reclaim the shipping route.
• With the Second World War still fresh in many people's memories, the simmering crisis threatened to boil over into full-fledged war.
• Pearson moved quickly to propose a solution: a United Nations-sponsored emergency force that would police the area and allow Britain, France and Israel to withdraw with little loss of face.
• Pearson's UN resolution called for the creation of "an emergency international United Nations force to secure and supervise the cessation of hostilities" within 48 hours.
• It passed with 57 votes in favour, zero against and 19 abstentions.
• The new force was called the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) and consisted of troops from six nations: Colombia, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Canada.
• Over the years UNEF would become known as the "Blue Berets" after the colour of their headgear.
• Pearson was adamant that such peacekeeping forces be made up of middle power countries, not superpowers, as a means of ensuring no perception of conflict of interest.
• In addition to international acclaim and celebrity, Pearson received a cheque for $40,000 and a medal from the Nobel Foundation.
• The announcement of his win came on the same day that John Diefenbaker and the Conservative Party were sworn into Parliament following a humiliating Liberal loss by Louis St. Laurent.
• A reporter called Pearson in his new opposition office in the basement of the Parliament Buildings to tell him he had won the Nobel Prize. Refusing to believe him, Pearson hung up several times.
• When the press gallery confirmed his Nobel win Pearson was reported to have said; "Gosh!"
Field of Accomplishment: Peace
Year of Award: 1957
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