Former Prime Minister’s one-of-a-kind Buick back home at Canada’s Auto Museum

At first glance, this iconic made-in-Oshawa vehicle doesn’t look like much. It’s impressively big – as sedans made in 1963 tended to be – but it seems unassuming, much like its owner, former Canadian Prime Minister Lester ‘Mike’ Pearson.

But, just like Pearson – a statesman perhaps unparalleled in Canadian history – there’s a heckuva lot more than meets the eye under the hood.

The car was a 1963 Buick – no model name needed, as it was one-of-a-kind – and it was specially made for Pearson, who served as Prime Minister from 1963-68. Pearson liked the car so much he bought it when he handed the reins of power to Pierre Trudeau in 1968.

And now it’s back home after the vehicle was rescued and brought back to life by Fawcett Motors and a $100,000 donation from General Motors of Canada, the largest donation in the Canadian Automotive Museum’s history.

Pearson, among many other accomplishments, was in the big chair when the Auto Pact was signed in 1965 and museum board member Greg Johnston believes the car – designed and assembled at the General Motors Oshawa Assembly plant – stands as a “striking symbol” of Canada’s intertwined automotive and political heritage.

“No other Buick exists like this one because it has the frame of a Buick LeSabre sedan with the engine of a Buick Wildcat, exterior components from the Buick Electra and interior elements from Cadillac. It is truly a one-of-a-kind car and restoration.”

“Its arrival here marks a meaningful homecoming.”

The car was delivered to Pearson in May 1963 and restored locally by Fawcett Motors, with the uniqueness of the vehicle leading to a lengthy process of restoration before it was unveiled at the annual Curator’s Reception last week, which was also an opportunity for the museum to welcome new executive director Alex Miller-Gerrard.

“This week’s exhibition launch was an unforgettable celebration of community, history, and heritage,” Johnston said.

Pearson’s wheels suffered a great deal of rust damage over the years and required substantial body work. The custom interior, which includes a decorative Canadian coat of arms, was also in need of some TLC to be properly preserved.

The vehicle also needed to be brought up to current road safety standards so it can be driven and displayed at public events.

The donation from GM will also help to interpret the story of both the unique Oshawa-built car as well as Pearson’s legacy as Canada’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner.

“We are proud to support the restoration of Mr. Pearson’s one-of-a-kind Buick and our ongoing partnership with the Canadian Automotive Museum,” said GM Canada President Kristian Aquilina. “This limousine was hand-built in our Oshawa Assembly Plant, holding an important place in both GM and Canadian history, and we appreciate the museum’s efforts to ensure that story will be told for years to come.”

Then museum executive director Alex Gates was “thrilled” to receive the financial support from the auto giant.

“Our world-class collection of Canadian automobiles allows us to tell a wide range of stories from the origins of the Canadian automobile to that of Nobel Peace Prize winner and Canadian Prime Minister Lestor B. Pearson.”

Pearson, who was Toronto-born, Hamilton-schooled (he graduated from Hamilton Collegiate Institute in 1913) and represented the northern Ontario riding of Algoma East, is considered to be Canada’s greatest-ever statesman and one of its greatest Prime Ministers.

Pearson brought in universal health care, the Canada Pension Plan, the country’s student loan program and was the official signee of the Auto Pact. He also introduced official bilingualism, the Order of Canada and Canada’s now internationally iconic Maple Leaf Flag.

But his most famous contribution happened not in Canada but on the world stage and years before his election as Prime Minister.

As a lifelong international diplomat – Pearson chaired the United Nation’s Special Committee on Palestine in 1947 that laid the groundwork for the creation of Israel, chaired the UN General Assembly in 1952-53 and is known as the ‘Father of the UN’ – Pearson and his diplomacy skills were called into action in 1956 when Britain, France and Israel launched an attack on Egypt, aimed at removing President Gamal Nasser.

The U.S. were upset they were not invited and the Soviets had threatened a nuclear response to what became known as the ‘Suez Crisis.’ Pearson, who as External Affairs Minister for Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent at the time, came up with the solution: send in a UN peacekeeping force to the region to separate the warring parties and allow the invading nations to withdraw without losing too much face.

And the UN’s role as the world’s peacekeeper was born.

Pearson was subsequently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his efforts in ending the conflict and potentially preventing a nuclear world war.

Pearson was known for his diplomacy but he also had a competitive fire and was an exceptional all-round athlete who played rugby, basketball, hockey (he played on the Oxford University team that won the first Spengler Cup in 1923), baseball (he played semi-pro with Guelph and is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame), lacrosse and football.

Despite his athletic prowess his flight instructor in World War 1 didn’t believe ‘Lester’ was a suitable name for a rough and tough flyboy and gave him the nickname ‘Mike.’ Pearson went by his given name of Lester in all official documents but was called ‘Mike’ by his family and friends thereafter.

His government also unified the armed forces, kept Canada out of the Vietnam War and brought in a points-based immigration system – the first country to do so.

All while running back-to-back minority governments.

Three politicians he recruited – Trudeau, Jean Chretien and John Turner – all went on to hold Canada’s top political position as well.

His car, a big black Buick with room for a small apartment in the trunk, is now on display at the downtown Oshawa museum.

Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson and U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signing the Auto Pact in 1965