As the title says, I was wondering if there were any good books on Canada's developing/maturing national identity in the 20th Century. As someone in the States learning about our little brother up North, 3 main figures have caught my eye: Mackenzie King, Pearson, and Trudeau Sr.
The former two are more germane to my question though. Mackenzie king in particular, from what i've learned of him, appears to have really made a concerted effort to solidify an identity for a Canada independent of future British influence, i.e. Canada's future as a 'grown up country'. Pearson seems to have done a fair bit in his own right, but more-so with Canada's identity with regards to its place in the international community (which makes sense, given the man appears to have been a seasoned diplomat).
Typing all this out, I suppose something that is more along the lines of MK would be nice.
(However, recommendations about those other two periods are more than welcome, too!)
Books by Norman Hillmer, a prominent Canadian historian based in Ottawa, are a good place to start as he specializes in the evolution of Canadian history from its imperial roots to modern times. Much of his focus has also been on Canadian history and identity as it relates to the U.S. His favorite prime minister is Mackenzie King.
A few good ones:
Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders (Toronto: Harper Collins, 1999) [with J. L. Granatstein].
Empire to Umpire: Canada and the World to the 1990s (Toronto: Copp Clark Longman, 1994) [with J. L. Granatstein], ix, 373 pp. --Revised and expanded as Empire to Umpire: Canada and the World into the Twenty-First Century (Toronto: Thomson Nelson, 2007).
For Better or for Worse: Canada and the United States to the 1990s (Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman, 1991) [with J. L. Granatstein], xvi, 334 pp. --Revised and expanded as For Better or for Worse: Canada and the United States into the Twenty-First Century (Toronto: Thomson Nelson, 2007).
He often collaborated with another eminent historian, J.L. Granatstein, who specializes in Canadian military history.