October 18, 2026

Prime ministers require the hide of a rhinoceros, the morals of St. Francis, the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the leadership of Napoleon, the magnetism of a Beatle, and the subtlety of Machiavelli.

Lester Pearson (1897 – 1972), Canadian politician and prime minister, quoted by J. D. M. Stewart, Toronto Star, November 1, 2025, Opinion Weekly, p. 6

MEDITATION: Would any Canadian out there like to nominate one Canadian prime minister who fits this job description? Or came close, even on just one or more scores?

COMMENTARY: Absenting the morals of St. Francis, I think Pearson is describing what the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche called an übermensch (best translated, I guess, as a superman) though I claim no great personal understanding of the concept.

And as no one, to my knowledge, every accused Pearson of arrogance, I suspect this is his subtle defence of his own shortcomings. He had them, but on the whole he did a good job: United Nations peacekeeping was his idea, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize. As prime minister, he introduced universal health care to Canada, and the Canada Pension Plan, and the Canada Student Loan Program, the Old Age Security Expansion, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, Unemployment Insurance Reform, and the Maple Leaf flag.

But what is truly amazing is that he did all this—and more—in five years, and always without a majority in Parliament. Go figure!