>> Steve: IN MORE THAN 150 YEARS, CANADA HAS HAD 23 PRIME MINISTERS, ALL OF THEM UNIQUE
AND QUIRKY IN THEIR OWN WAYS.
JOINING US NOW FOR 10 QUESTIONS ON THOSE LEADERS: J.D.M.
STEWART.
HE IS A HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER AND AUTHOR OF "BEING PRIME MINISTER."
YOU'RE A TEACHER AT BISHOP STRAUGHAN SCHOOL, RIGHT?
>> I AM.
>> Steve: CONGRATULATIONS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE HISTORY THERE JUST BECAUSE OF YOU.
>> I HOPE SO.
>> Steve: CONGRATS.
HERE WE GO.
READY FOR TEN QUESTIONS?
QUESTION ONE, WHICH PRIME MINISTER ONCE CAUGHT A 30-POUND SHARK.
>> DIEFENBAKER, AND HE WAS OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA AND PULLED IT IN, AND THEN HAD A LITTLE BIT
OF A FRACAS WITH JOHN F.
KENNEDY WHO TEASED HIM ABOUT IT LATER ON AND GOT IT STUFFED AND PUT ON THE WALL AND WHEN KENNEDY
CAME TO OTTAWA IN 1961, DIEFENBAKER SHOWED HIM A COPY OF IT.
>> Steve: WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL NAME FOR THE PRIME MINISTER'S RESIDENCE 24 SUSSEX DRIVE?
>> ARE YOU THINKING OF THE WELSH NAME?
IT MEANS PLACE OF PEACE.
MANY PRIME MINISTERS, MULRONEY JOKES ABOUT IT, IT CERTAINLY WASN'T A PLACE OF PEACE A LOT OF
THE TIME, BUT THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF FAMILY TIME, ENTERTAINMENT, AND SUSSEX DRIVE IS IN A STATE
OF DISREPAIR AND THEY NEED TO FIX IT UP.
>> Steve: WHICH PRIME MINISTER ONCE POSTPONED A WAR CABINET MEETING UPON LEARNING THAT HIS
PET DOG HAD DIED.
>> SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE KING AND HIS PET DOG PAT.
HE HAD THREE DOGS, ALL OF THEM NAMED PAT, AND HE REFERRED TO THEM AS THE TRUEST FRIENDS HE
EVER HAD.
WHEN ONE OF HIS PETS DIED, HE WROTE 20 PAGES IN HIS DIARY ABOUT HOW BEREFT HE WAS ABOUT
LOSING PAT.
>> Steve: NEVER MARRIED, NO CHILDREN.
>> BACHELOR.
>> Steve: QUESTION FOUR: WHO WAS THE ONLY PRIME MINISTER TO HAVE OWNED A CHINCHILLA.
>> OKAY, THAT'S STEVEN HARPER.
AND THE FAMILY WAS KNOWN FOR ITS LOVE OF ANIMALS.
AS YOU KNOW, LAUREEN HARPER WAS IN CHARGE OF FOSTERING SOME CATS.
THEY ARE CAT PEOPLE, NOT DOG PEOPLE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE DOGS.
THEY HAD CHINCHILLAS.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY BATS ON SUSSEX DRIVE'S PROPERTY AS WELL TOWARDS THE END OF THE HARPER
TIME IN OFFICE.
THEY SET UP A BAT HOUSE IN THE BACKYARD.
SO THE CHINCHILLA, WHOSE NAME WAS -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS CHARLEY OR -- I DON'T REMEMBER,
BUT THEY DID HAVE A CHINCHILLA.
>> Steve: OKAY, QUESTION FIVE: WHICH PRIME MINISTER USED TO ENCLOSE $5 BILLS WHEN RETURNING
LETTERS FROM POORER PEOPLE.
>> RIGHT, SO THIS WAS PRIME MINISTER R.B. BENNETT, PRIME MINISTER FROM 1930 TO 1935,
WHICH IS DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
MANY CANADIANS WERE DESTITUTE.
THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE OR OTHER GOVERNMENT BENEFITS, SO
DESPERATE PEOPLE WOULD WRITE TO THE PRIME MINISTER, AND BENNETT WAS A WEALTHY MAN INDIVIDUALLY
ON HIS OWN, SO HE WOULD SLIP $5 BILLS INTO SOME OF HIS ANSWERS AND SAY I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU
WITH YOUR CERTAIN -- WITH YOUR SITUATION AND THERE WAS EVEN A BOY WHO WROTE TO HIM AND SAID I
WANT TO GET A RED WAGON, AND SO HE SLIPPED SOME MONEY INTO THAT ENVELOPE AS WELL.
>> Steve: QUESTION SIX: NOT VERY MANY OF THE 23 CANADIAN PRIME MINISTERS LIVED INTO THEIR 90S.
CAN YOU NAME THE ONES THAT DID?
>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE MCKENZIE BOWL, LOUIS ST. LAURENT, CHARLES TUPPER.
AM I MISSING A FOURTH ONE?
>> NO, NOT AS WE SIT HERE TODAY.
>> RIGHT.
>> Steve: JOHN TURNER IS 89, SO NEXT JUNE HE'LL TURN 90.
>> IT'S INTERESTING, SOME OF THE OLDER PRIME MINISTERS WERE THE ONES THAT -- PEOPLE BORN IN THE
1800S LIVED INTO THEIR 90S.
>> Steve: QUESTION SEVEN: ONLY TWO OF OUR 23 PRIME MINISTERS DIED IN OFFICE.
WHICH ONES?
>> JOHN A. MACDONALD AND JOHN THOMPSON FIVE YEARS LATER DIED IN OFFICE.
RIGHT WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF EACH OTHER.
IN MacDONALD'S CASE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY AN EXPECTED DEATH.
IT CAME AFTER THE RIGORS OF THE 1891 ELECTION WHERE HE TOOK ILL, AND THE NATION WAS IN MOURNING,
AND LAURIER SAID IT FEELS AS THOUGH PART OF THE NATION HAS GIVEN WAY WITH JOHN A. MACDONALD
DYING.
AND THE NEXT ONE DIED AT WINDSOR CASTLE OVER A HEART ATTACK AND WAS SENT BACK HOME ON A SHIP.
>> Steve: I THINK HE'S BURIED OVER THERE, ISN'T HE?
>> NO, ONLY BENNETT.
>> Steve: QUESTION EIGHT, AND THERE'S NO CORRECT ANSWER TO THIS.
WHATEVER YOUR -- >> THAT'S THE KIND OF QUIZ MY STUDENTS LIKE.
>> Steve: IT'S WHATEVER YOUR SUBJECTIVE OPINION TELLS YOU.
WHICH PRIME MINISTER OF OURS HAS THE BEST NICKNAME?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY ONE COMES OUT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I KNEW JOHN A. MACDONALD AND HIS
NICKNAME OLD TOMORROW BECAUSE IT'S NOT A DERIVATIVE OF HIS NAME, LIKE DIEF THE CHIEF, UNCLE
LOUIS FOR LOUIS ST. LAURENT, SO I'M GOING TO GO WITH OLD TOMORROW AS THE MOST CREATIVE
ONE.
>> Steve: QUESTION NINE: WHICH OF OUR PRIME MINISTERS WAS THE BEST GOLFER?
>> THAT WOULD BE -- WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE BETWEEN ROBERT BORDEN, WHO WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED
ON THE SHOW TODAY.
AND JEAN CHRETIEN.
BOTH INVETERATE GOLFERS.
BORDEN WOULD GOLF ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME.
IF IT SHOWED HE WOULD SET UP A COURSE SOMEHOW.
HE GOLFED ON-BOARD SHIP BY TAKING SWINGS IN A LITTLE GOLF CABIN.
SO IT WOULD BE CHRETIEN AND BORDEN WOULD HAVE TO VIE FOR THAT.
>> Steve: AND AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHRETIEN, LET'S FINISH THERE, WITH QUESTION 10:
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF A SHAWINIGAN HANDSHAKE.
>> NO, BUT FORTUNATELY ON THE REGULAR HANDSHAKE.
CHRETIEN WAS THE ONLY PRIME MINISTER I MET WHILE IN OFFICE, 1999, SO HE'S BEEN GRACIOUS WITH
HIS TIME TO MEET ME.
>> Steve: DO YOU WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHAT THE SHAWINIGAN HANDSHAKE IS?
>> IN 1995, THERE WAS A PROTEST NOT LONG AFTER -- IT WAS ON FLAG DAY OF 1995, AND SOMEONE WAS
GETTING IN HIS GRILL.
CHRETIEN, STRESS LEVELS RUNNING PRETTY HIGH, HE DOESN'T NEED SOMEONE IN HIS FACE, SO HE
GRABBED HIM BY THE NECK AND THREW HIM ASIDE AND INJURED HIS TEETH.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE SAID GOOD ON CHRETIEN FOR GETTING THAT GUY OUT OF HIS FACE.
>> HE HAD SUNGLASSES ON TOO, SO HE LOOKED A BIT LIKE A MONSTER.
>> HE LOOKED A BIT MENACING.
THE BEHIND THE SCENES STORY SAID THE ADVANCE PEOPLE SAID THE PRIME MINISTER IS GOING TO HAVE
TO WEAR SUNGLASSES.
YOU'VE KIND OF SCREWED THAT UP.
IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK GOOD.
IT WAS FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN POOR ADVANCE THAT DAY.
>> Steve: PERFECT THESE STORIES AND MORE IN JAMES' LATEST.
THANKS, JAMES.
>> THANK YOU.