In this episode Allan talks with Patrice Dutil, professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University, about his edited volume The Enduring Riddle of Mackenzie King and what it reveals about one of Canada’s most puzzling political figures: how did someone with no obvious charm or charisma remain in office so long?

The conversation focuses on the issue of conscription as a way into understanding King’s leadership, especially during the Second World War, the tension King had to manage between English and French Canada, and how carefully he navigated that divide. Dutil argues that King made little effort to understand French Canada, instead relying on Quebec lieutenants, first Ernest Lapointe and later Louis St. Laurent, who became his successor as Prime Minister.

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In this episode Allan talks with Professor Duncan McDowall, University Historian Emeritus at Queen’s University, about the life and legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald. McDowall suggests that Macdonald’s early years in Kingston were critical in shaping his appreciation for the importance of building ties between Protestant and Catholic, English and French, and with the thousands of immigrants, particularly the Irish, who passed through Kingston en route to destinations beyond.

The conversation explores Macdonald’s political rise, his essential role in achieving Confederation, and his accomplishments as Canada’s first Prime Minister, including building the CPR and bringing Manitoba, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island into Confederation. It also looks at relations with Indigenous Peoples and provides context on how Macdonald operated within the realities of 19th-century society while shaping a nation.

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In this episode of History Matters, host Allan Williams speaks with historian and former U.S. Army officer Ty Seidule about how history is remembered, interpreted, and debated in the United States.

The conversation begins with recent controversies over the renaming of U.S. military bases previously associated with Confederate figures, including the work of the Naming Commission. From there, Seidule reflects on his upbringing in the American South and the beliefs that shaped his early understanding of the past—an experience he examines in Robert E. Lee and Me.

The discussion explores the origins and influence of the “Lost Cause” narrative, how it has been sustained through education and popular culture, and how historical evidence can challenge deeply held assumptions. Drawing on his time teaching at West Point, Seidule explains how institutions and commemorative practices reflect broader social and political dynamics.

The episode also considers how societies decide whom to honour, the differences between historical figures such as Robert E. Lee, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson, and why their legacies are evaluated differently. While focused on the United States, the conversation raises wider questions about public memory and the challenges of engaging with difficult histories.

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