Lemmy Lemmy:
King totally blew it on Nazi appeasement and was an anti-semite...well, anti anything but WASP.
Many blew it on Nazi appeasement (careful about 20/20 hindsight), but King still answered the call when it mattered and led Canada - as an independent nation - into its finest military achievement. That's the epitome of leadership. And what about advocation of the state's role in social-welfare? What about wooing the Progressives? His handling of the Chanak crisis? The Rowell-
Sirois Commission? His friendship with FDR? The beginnings of the Welfare State?
Hardly an "also ran"
$1:
Laurier governed in good times, facing little controversy (Boer War?, not much of big deal, compared with other PMs' problems) and most of his successes were continuations of Macdonald's programs (rails, settling the west, developing domestic industry, etc).
Huh? The Manitoba School Crisis? The Boer War? Reciprocity? The Naval Crisis? Alaska Boundary Dispute? That's a "little controversy"? Not according to history or its chroniclers. Laurier's politics of compromise catapult him into an unique place in Canadian political history.
$1:
Borden should have kept Canada out of WWI, which was a horrible European war, fought for no good reasons, that Canada had no businesses being part of.
Nope. Canada was automatically at war when Britain declared it. Borden help forge our international Independence with his insistence on the Imperial War Cabinet - a major shift in Dominion/Imperial relations and a massive shift in Canadian political history - he, and Smuts, helped transform the structure of the British Empire. Add to that his ability to create the CEF - the largest army to cross the Atlantic in history - and reform the voting acts and he becomes one of Canada's most significant PMs.
Oh...and WWI was a necessary conflict. Ask the Belgians.
$1:
Pearson's greatest achievements were really Douglas's achievements and Uncle Louis, like Laurier, governed in such good times that there was little need for a great leader (even a turkey can fly in a strong enough wind).
Pearson's rebuilding of the Liberal Party, co-operative federalism, The Bi-Bi Commission and his masterful maneuverings during minority governments all should get recognition.
$1:
If King hadn't been such a kook and either Laurier or Borden had told Britain to fuck off when they asked for support for the maintenance of Empire, I'd think more highly of them.
Actually, you're wrong - Laurier did stand up to the British Empire during his compromises to the Boer War and the Naval Crisis (the Naval Service Bill) - he certainly didn't give what they initially wanted - besides, maybe you should also look at what the contemporary populace wanted as well. And Bordon's insistence for an Imperial War Cabinet and a seat at Versailles also warrant respect.
$1:
I'll stand by my "two horse race" contention.
Your prerogative.
One thing to add to all that; English Canada was incredibly pro-British at the outbreak of WWI and many were more than willing to fight for the Empire. It wasn't until half-way through the war that Canadians started to see themselves as something more than British subjects and we asserted this by getting a seat at Versailles.
Borden simply could not have told the British to "get stuffed" since as you said we were automatically at war but also because it would've been political suicide.