John English on writing about Canada’s prime ministers.

History Matters by Canadian Institute for Historical Education · Sep 10, 2026 · 40m

Allan welcomes historian John English, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo, to discuss his long career of teaching and writing about Canadian history, and his significant contributions to public service. English edited two volumes of essays about Mackenzie King, published 25 years apart, and wrote critically acclaimed, two-volume biographies of both Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau. He also sat in the House of Commons himself from 1993 to 1997, wrote a report on the state of Canada’s national archives for then Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, and continues to serve…