Memoirs of a very civil servant

the long version

"Born in Saskatchewan in 1917, Gordon Robertson was at the centre of government power from 1945 until his retirement in 1979. He worked directly with Prime Ministers King, St. Laurent, Pearson, and Trudeau, serving as senior adviser to the latter two. Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from 1953 to 1963, he also became the first deputy minister of the new Department of Northern Affairs under Jean Lesage. In this memoir he presents a first-hand account of the events and personalities that shaped Canada during the critical post-war period.". "Robertson describes Canada's political development and the prime ministers who presided over it. He provides assessments of the prime ministers in action, appraising their strengths and weaknesses and explaining how these related to their successes and failures. Himself influential in many areas of government, Robertson played a key role in the long debate on constitutional reform and national unity. Even after his retirement, he remained active as an unofficial constitutional networker."--BOOK JACKET.