It is a great pleasure to usher in the new year with readers of Art’s History. We are now heading into year three of celebrating our nation’s rich political history together. In 2023 we will be highlighting the bicentennial of the birth of one of our lesser-known Prime Ministers, that pride of Belleville, the Right Honourable Sir Mackenzie Bowell.
On January 1, 1894, future Prime Minister Mackenzie King was 19 and an idealistic university student. To mark the coming of the new year, he put down in his diary what he saw were the 12 commandments for living a good life. Here they are as he listed them: 1. Fear God. 2. Honour they Father and they mother. 3. Love one another. 4. Guard your lips as they speak the truth and pure word. 5. Keep your mind pure. 6. Do all you can to help others, especially the poor and the sick. 7. Let your life bear witness for Christ. 8. Be honest and upright in all things. 9. Seek to live a better life every day. 10. Do not waste time. Be up and doing. 11. Learn ever the great lessons of Life. 12.
When I consider the meanness of so much of our politics today, and the lack of even basic respect demonstrated between partisans of all stripes, I think all of our party leaders in Ottawa might want to read up on Mr. King’s commandments and take them to heart.is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon.
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