Editing William Lyon Mackenzie King (section)

== Opposition leader (1919–1921) ==
=== 1919 leadership election ===
The Liberal Party was deeply divided by Quebec's opposition to conscription and the agrarian revolt in Ontario and the Prairies. Levin argues that when King returned to politics in 1919, he was a rusty outsider with a weak base facing a nation bitterly split by language, regionalism and class. He outmaneuvered more senior competitors by embracing Laurier's legacy, championing labour interests, calling for welfare reform, and offering solid opposition to the Conservative rivals.<ref>{{cite book |last=Levine |first=Allan |date=2011 |title=King: William Lyon Mackenzie King, A Life Guided by the Hand of Destiny |url={{google books|EcrpcDlKTbEC|plainurl=yes}} |location=Vancouver |publisher=Douglas & MacIntyre |isbn=978-1-77100-068-0 |chapter=Ch. 4}}</ref> When Laurier died in 1919, King was elected leader in the first [[1919 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|Liberal leadership convention]], defeating his three rivals on the fourth ballot. He won thanks to the support of the Quebec bloc, organized by [[Ernest Lapointe]] (1876–1941), later King's long-time lieutenant in Quebec. King could not speak French, but in election after election for the next 20 years (save for 1930), Lapointe produced the critical seats to give the Liberals control of the Commons. When campaigning in Quebec, King portrayed Lapointe as co-prime minister.<ref name=Betcherman>{{cite book |last=Betcherman |first=Lita-Rose |date=2002 |title=Ernest Lapointe: Mackenzie King's Great Quebec Lieutenant |publisher=University of Toronto Press |page=175 |isbn=978-0-8020-3575-2}}</ref>
[[File:King1919HeadShot.jpg|150px|thumb|King, 1919]]

=== Idealizes the Prairies ===
Once King became the Liberal leader in 1919 he paid closer attention to the [[Canadian Prairies|Prairies]], a fast-developing region. Viewing a sunrise in [[Alberta]] in 1920, he wrote in his diary, "I thought of the New Day, the New Social Order. It seems like Heaven's prophecy of the dawn of a new era, revealed to me."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/politics-government/prime-ministers/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=7452& |title=Diaries of William Lyon Mackenzie King; Item #7452 |date=October 12, 1920 |publisher=[[Library and Archives Canada]] |access-date=November 27, 2014 |last1=Canada |first1=Library Archives }}</ref> Pragmatism played a role as well, since his party depended for its survival on the votes of [[Progressive Party of Canada|Progressive Party]] Members of Parliament, many of whom who represented farmers in Ontario and the Prairies. He convinced many Progressives to return to the Liberal fold.<ref name="Robert A. Wardhaugh 2000">{{cite book |last=Wardhaugh |first=Robert A. |date=2000 |title=Mackenzie King and the Prairie West |publisher=University of Toronto Press |isbn=0-8020-4733-5}}</ref>

=== 1921 federal election ===
In the [[1921 Canadian federal election|1921 election]], King's Liberals defeated the [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservatives]] led by Prime Minister [[Arthur Meighen]], winning a narrow majority of 118 out of 235 seats. The Conservatives won 50, the newly formed Progressive Party won 58 (but declined to form the official Opposition), and the remaining ten seats went to Labour MPs and Independents; most of these ten supported the Progressives. King became prime minister.<ref name="Neatby" />