It was on this day in 1949 that one of our greatest Prime Ministers — the Rt. Hon. Louis St. Laurent — won the largest majority government (up until that time) in his first national electoral test as PM and party leader.Mr. St. Laurent and his party won a commanding 191 seats and received almost exactly 50 per cent of the popular vote — the latter a rare accomplishment in our national politics, then and now.I have two favourite stories from the great man's life as PM. One involves an assistant of his who met his PM boss outside of the office, at church in Ottawa one Sunday. The assistant took his young son over to meet his boss and PM. Upon being introduced to the young boy PM St. Laurent shook the boy's hand and said “I work in the same office as your father.”The second is in the same vein. On his very first day as Prime Minister, Mr. St. Laurent — no surprise! — worked late into the evening. On departing for home from the East Block, he reached the elevator to discover that the elevator attendant was still on duty, despite the lateness of the hour.