Statement made on 23 October 2007 by Senator Percy Downe
Hon. Percy Downe:
Honourable senators, 50 years ago, in October 1957, one of the greatest Canadians, Lester B. Pearson, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mr. Pearson, who had an outstanding career in foreign affairs prior to winning the Nobel Prize, is remembered with great affection by Canadians today for his work in creating peacekeeping units to protect unstable areas in the world.
On October 12, 1957, the CBC reported that a telegram was sent from Norway to inform Mr. Pearson that he had won the Nobel Prize. It was delivered to the wrong house. Hours later, a reporter called Mr. Pearson to interview him on winning this award and that was the first time Mr. Pearson heard that he had won the Nobel Prize. Indeed, 50 years ago, communications were much slower and Mr. Pearson was unaware that he had even been nominated. He was quoted in the media as being "thunderstruck and overwhelmed."
Mr. Pearson was the former President of the United Nations General Assembly and former Secretary of State for External Affairs of Canada. As all honourable senators are aware, his Nobel Prize was awarded for his outstanding work resolving the Suez Canal crisis in 1956. To reduce the increasing violence between Israel, France and the United Kingdom against Egypt, Mr. Pearson proposed that a UN emergency force be founded to act as a buffer between the two sides.
The Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson is remembered today by Canadians not only for his Nobel prize, but also as one of the best prime ministers in the history of Canada. His name lives on at our largest airport, at the national headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and at various schools, in permanent recognition of his service to Canada and to the world. Well done, Mr. Pearson. Well done.