Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker, 1957-1963 / Premier ministre John George Diefenbaker, 1957-1963 | Flickr Back to albums list Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker, 1957-1963 / Premier ministre John George Diefenbaker, 1957-1963 John George Diefenbaker was born in Neustadt, Ontario in 1895. He won a House of Commons seat in 1940 and the Conservative Party leadership in 1956. He became Prime Minister of Canada after the 1957 election. As Prime Minister, Diefenbaker introduced legislation that improved social and agricultural programs. He also stood up for and promoted the principle of human rights, both inside and outside the country. The Conservative Party lost the 1963 election, but Diefenbaker continued to represent his riding until his death in 1979.

See also: The Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker 1957-1963 Progressive Conservative "I am the first prime minister of this country of neither altogether English or French origin. So I determined to bring about a Canadian citizenship that knew no hyphenated consideration.... I'm very happy to be able to say that in the House of Commons today in my party we have members of Italian, Dutch, German, Scandinavian, Chinese and Ukrainian origin - and they are all Canadians." John Diefenbaker, March 29, 1958 Private Life Did You Know? In order to help pay his way through the University of Saskatchewan law courses, young John Diefenbaker peddled his bicycle for miles from farm to farm selling books. Born: September 18, 1895, Neustadt, Ontario. Education: University of Saskatchewan, B.A., 1915, M.A. in Political Science and Economics, 1916, and LL.B. 1919. Enlisted in the army, 1916. Served for one year in Britain before being invalidated and returning home.

(Returned to university to study law and graduated in 1919.) Marriage: Edna Bower (1901-1951) in 1929. Re-Married: Olive Palmer (1902-1976) in 1953. One step-daughter. Died: August 16, 1979 in Ottawa, Ontario, of heart failure. Buried beside the Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker Centre, University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Political Career Did You Know? Over his 20-year career as a successful criminal lawyer, John Diefenbaker defended 18 men seeking to avoid the death penalty. Constituencies: Lake Centre, Saskatchewan, 1940-1953; Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, 1953-1979. Failed attempts to get a seat in the House of Commons, 1925 and 1926. Failed attempts to get into Saskatchewan legislature, 1929 and 1938. Failed attempt to be elected mayor of Prince Albert, 1933.

Elected Conservative Party Leader, 1936. Won a Commons seat in the Opposition, 1940. Began his campaign for the rights of average Canadians and ethnic minorities. Criticized the Liberals' treatment of Japanese-Canadians in World War II, 1942. Blocked a Conservative campaign to outlaw the Communist Party. Lost attempts at Conservative Party Leadership, 1942 and 1948. Succeeded in 1956. Leader of the Opposition, 1956-1957. Somewhere between a circus barker and vaudevillian, Diefenbaker's theatrics grated on the Liberals during the Pipeline Debate (see St. Laurent ) and discredited them in the eyes of Canadians. Diefenbaker became known as 'Dief, the Chief'. Progressive Conservative Party Leader, 1956-1967. Won a minority government, 1957. Diefenbaker's politics were radical and often contrary to Conservative values. None-the-less, 'the Chief' introduced legislation improving Canada's social programs. Minister of External Affairs, 1957.

Appointed Ellen Fairclough as Canada's first female Cabinet Minister, 1957. Won a majority government with, until this time, the greatest number of seats in Canadian history, 1958. Established the Canadian Bill of Rights, 1958. Appointed James Gladstone as Canada's first Aboriginal senator, 1958. Previous prime ministers had attempted to reconcile the French and English cultures in Canada. Diefenbaker attempted to include other ethnics in the 'national identity'. Diefenbaker also drew attention to the rights of Canada's indigenous population. For the first time, People of the First Nations were allowed to vote in federal elections. Did You Know? In September 1960, Diefenbaker addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations condemning communism years before the fall of communism and the Berlin Wall. Diefenbaker called for nuclear disarmament years before it became an international issue. In 1961, Diefenbaker denounced aparthied in South Africa, calling for racial equality years before other nations joined the cause. Acting Minister of External Affairs, 1959.

Franchise extended to all Aboriginals, 1960. Established the Royal Commission on Health Services, 1961. Created the Agricultural Rehabilitation and Development Act, 1961, helping Canadian farmers. He also found a new market for Canadian wheat in China. Fought for human rights outside Canada by supporting non-white Commonwealth countries in gaining independence. Diefenbaker's anti-apartheid statement, 1961, contributed to South Africa withdrawing from the Commonwealth. Raised the ire of the United States by refusing to support actions against Cuba. Reduced to a minority government, 1962, a direct result of high unemployment, a devalued dollar, and the cancellation of the Avro Arrow project. ( The Maverick Homepage - Excellent personal website with emphasis on the Avro Arrow.) President of the Privy Council, 1962-1963. Created the National Productivity Council (Economic Council of Canada), 1963. Leader of the Opposition, 1963-1967. The Chief's radical politics eventually alienated the Conservative Party.

A leadership review was called and Diefenbaker lost to Robert Stanfield, 1967. Continued to represent his riding in the Commons and won his last election, 1979, only 3 months before his death. A special train returned Diefenbaker's body back to Saskatoon where he was buried.

*(Progressive) Conservative *Liberal *Unionist/Conservative CanadaInfo: Government: Federal: Prime Minister: Former Prime Ministers: Diefenbaker Leader of the Opposition 1956-1957 Appointed Ellen Fairclough first woman Cabinet Minister 1957 Canadian Bill of Rights 1958 Appointed James Gladstone Canada's first Aboriginal senator 1958 Franchise extended to all Aboriginals 1960 Royal Commission on Health Services 1961 Agricultural Rehabilitation and Development Act 1961 Created the National Productivity Council (Economic Council of Canada) 1963 Leader of the Opposition 1963-1967 Descriptive Biography While previous prime ministers had concerned themselves with the reconciliation of French and English culture in Canada, John Diefenbaker aspired to include those of other ethnic extractions in the national identity. Furthermore, he drew attention to the rights of Canada's indigenous population, who had also been left out of the "two founding nations" equation.

Under his prime ministership, Canada's Aboriginal peoples were allowed to vote federally for the first time, and James Gladstone, a member of the Blood tribe was the first native person appointed to the Senate. Diefenbaker's political career is a lesson in determination and tenacity. He met with failure and opposition many times in his life, but never let it prevent him from pursuing his goals. John George Diefenbaker was born in Neustadt, Ontario in 1895; his parents were of German and Scottish decent. His family moved to Fort Carlton, north of Saskatoon in 1903 where the Diefenbakers homesteaded. John's father taught school and encouraged his sons to read. At a young age Diefenbaker read a book about Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier and decided that someday he too would lead Canada. Diefenbaker attended the University of Saskatchewan, graduating with a general B.A. in 1915 and an M.A. in political science and economics in 1916. He enlisted in the army in 1916 and served briefly in Britain, before being invalided home the following year.

Returning to the university to study law, he graduated with an LL.B. in 1919. He set up a law practice in Wakaw, near Prince Albert. Diefenbaker quickly established himself as a sucessful criminal lawyer. Over his 20-year career, he defended 18 men of the death penalty. Diefenbaker had not forgotten his political ambitions. However his attemps to enter politics at any level initially met with failure. He ran for a seat in the House of Commons in 1925 and 1926, but lost. He tried the provincial legislature in 1929 and 1938, with no luck. His attempt to run for mayor of Prince Albert in 1933 also failed. Diefenbaker was elected leader of the Conservative party of Saskatchewan in 1936, but the party won no seats in the 1938 election. Finally in the 1940 election, he won a Commons seat in the Opposition. The Conservatives remained in opposition throughout the King and St. Laurent governments. It was here that Diefenbaker began his campaign for the average Canadian and ethnic minorities.

In 1942, he criticized the government's treatment of Japanese-Canadians. He even opposed his own parties in his crusades; in 1948 he blocked a Conservative campaign to outlaw the Communist party. Diefenbaker stood as a candidate for leadership of the party in 1942 and in 1948, but lost both times. He finally succeeded in 1956. As Opposition leader, he harried the Liberals throughout the Pipeline Debate and discredited them in the eyes of electorate. In the 1957 election, Canadians saw for the first time Diefenbaker's remarkable campaign style. Part circus barker, part vaudeville actor, Diefenbakers theatrical delivery entertained Canadians, and his appeal to the farmer, store-owner and factory-worker won their hearts and their votes. He became "Dief, the Chief." The Conservatives won a minority government in 1957 and the following year were returned with, at that time the greatest majority of seats in Canadian history. But Diefenbaker's policies were radical and often contrary to traditional Conservative values. The fact that the party had been out of office for twenty-two years added to their problems.

Nevertheless, Diefenbaker introduced legislation that improved social programs. His Agricultural Rehabilitation and Development Act helped many farmers across Canada and he found a new market in China for their wheat. Diefenbaker initiated projects to revive the Maritimes. The first woman federal Cabinet minister, Ellen Fairclough, was appointed by Diefenbaker. He championed human rights outside of Canada by supporting the independence of many non-white Commonwealth countries. His anti-apartheid statement in 1961 contributed to the withdrawl of South Africa from the Commonwealth. Diefenbaker antagonized the Americans by refusing to support their hostilities against Cuba. But high unemployment, the devaluation of the dollar and the cancellation of the Avro Arrow project eroded the Tories' popularity. They were reduced to a minority government in 1962 and lost to the Liberals in the election the following year. Diefenbaker's radical policies eventually alienated his party. A leadership review was called and he lost to Robert Stanfield in 1967. Neverless, he continued to represent his riding in the Commons. He won his last election in 1979, three months before his death on August 16.

Sir John A. Macdonald was Diefenbaker's hero, and he was determined to have a state funeral as grand as that which had honoured Canada's first prime minister. A special train bore the Chief's body back to Sasktoon where he was buried. SOURCE: Library and Archives Canada. See also John George Diefenbaker [dE' fen bAk ur] Prime Minister of Canada, 1957-1963 Early Life and Education John George Diefenbaker was born in Neustadt, Ontario, on September 18, 1895, the first child of William and Mary Florence (Bannerman) Diefenbaker. One brother, Elmer, was born in 1897. His father was a teacher who moved the family often in search of better pay, from Neustadt to Greenwood and then to Todmorden. The family was finally able to settle down in 1903, when William Diefenbaker accepted a teaching position at a rural school near Fort Carlton, Northwest Territories (now in Saskatchewan).

John and his brother attended their father's school until 1910, when the family moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, so John could attend high school. After graduating from high school in 1912, Diefenbaker entered the University of Saskatchewan, where he studied arts and law and was active in campus politics. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1915 and his Master of Arts in 1916. Diefenbaker was commissioned a Lieutenant in the 196th Battalion of the Canadian Army in May 1916 and sent to England for pre-deployment training in September. He was sent home in 1917 after being deemed medically unfit for service at the front. Legal Career Diefenbaker received his law degree from the University of Saskatchewan in May 1919. He was called to the Saskatchewan Bar on June 30, 1919, and opened a small office in Wakaw, Saskatchewan, the next day. He almost immediately established himself as an eloquent and successful defense lawyer, winning almost half of the 62 jury trials he tried in his first year of practice.

His first court case involved the defense of a client accused of careless wounding with a rifle. The assailant had immediately offered first aid and turned himself in to the police. Diefenbaker argued successfully in October 1919 that the shooting was an error committed in the fading evening light. In 1924 Diefenbaker took on a partner, Alexander Ehman, in his Wakaw office and moved his own practice to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Two other partners succeeded Ehman before Diefenbaker closed the Wakaw branch in 1929. As a major city, Prince Albert had far more serious crime than Wakaw, and Diefenbaker became well known for his defense of clients accused of murder. In The King v. Bourdon (1927), he initially appeared as junior counsel but became the lead. The defendant was found not guilty. In The King v. Olson (1928), Diefenbaker requested on appeal that a conviction for murder be quashed on the ground that the trial judge had improperly directed the jury.

The judgement was sustained, but on the court's recommendation Diefenbaker petitioned for mercy, claiming that the defendant had been mentally incapable of standing trial, and the federal Cabinet commuted the sentence to life imprisonment. He was similarly successful in The King v. Pasowesty in having a death sentence commuted to life imprisonment. He was unsuccessful in The King v. Wysochan when he defended his client by arguing that the murder had been committed by the victim's husband. In The King v. Bajer his client, a destitute young woman with two children, was found not guilty of suffocating her newborn child. He was unsuccessful in The King v. Bohun, his client being found guilty of murdering a storekeeper. In The King v. Fouquette, the crown stayed charges through lack of evidence and the murder remained unsolved. In The King v. Harms Diefenbaker called for a verdict of manslaughter in an unwitnessed alcoholic killing. John Harms was convicted of murder, but Diefenbaker successfully appealed on the ground of an improper charge to the jury. At the second trial he presented meticulous evidence of Harms's intoxication and won conviction on the reduced charge.

Harms was sentenced to a prison term of 15 years. Diefenbaker became a King's Counsel in 1929. In 1930 he served as junior counsel to the Bryant Charges Commission, which was investigating Conservative claims that the previous government had interfered with the operations of the provincial police force for partisan advantage. The commission ended its proceedings in early 1931 without coming to any conclusions. He served as vice-president of the Canadian Bar Association from 1939 to 1940. Member of Parliament Diefenbaker first entered politics in 1925, when he ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as the Conservative Party (Progressive Conservative Party as of 1942) candidate from Prince Albert. He finished third behind the Liberal and Progressive candidates. The winner of the 1925 election, Charles McDonald, soon gave up his seat in order to open a place for Prime Minister Mackenzie King, who had been defeated in Ontario. King won the February 15, 1926 by-election easily and managed to stay on as Prime Minister, but was forced to resign several months later.

Parliament was subsequently dissolved, and Diefenbaker stood against King in the elections held on September 14, 1926. Despite a vigorous campaign by Diefenbaker, King won easily and regained his position as Prime Minister. Having lost two bids for a seat in the House of Commons, Diefenbaker decided to try for a seat in the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1929. As did almost every other Conservative candidate across the country, he lost to a member of the Liberal Party. In 1933 he ran for Mayor of Prince Albert. He was defeated by 48 votes in an election in which over 2,000 votes were cast. Despite his string of election losses, he became leader of the Saskatchewan Conservative Party in 1936. He made another bid for the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1938, and once again lost to a Liberal candidate. Diefenbaker finally made it to the House of Commons when he defeated the Liberal Party incumbent from Lake Centre on March 25, 1940. He was re-elected by Lake Centre in 1949, and from Prince Albert in 1953.

He made his maiden speech as an MP on June 23, 1940, supporting wartime rules that allowed arrest and detention without trial. He vehemently opposed the government's forceful removal of Canadians of Japanese descent from the Pacific Coast, but his efforts were unsuccessful. Although he failed to win a 1941 election as Conservative Party leader in the House of Commons, Diefenbaker proved to be a very forceful and vocal member of the House. Always a strong advocate for individual rights, Difenbaker argued for adoption of a national bill of rights; he failed to get such a bill passed in 1946, but succeeded in getting one passed after he became Prime Minister (in 1960). The first legilation he introduced into the House of Commons was the Canadian Citizenship Act. Prior to the act's passage in 1946, individuals born in Canada and naturalized immigrants were classified as British subjects rather than Canadian citizens. In 1948, the Progressive Conservatve Party met to choose a leader to succeed John Bracken, who had defeated Diefenbaker in the 1941 leadership election.

Some members wanted Diefenbaker, but George Drew was ultimately elected. Diefenbaker remained a vocal member of the House of Commons, and in 1956 was chosen to succeed Drew, who had resigned due to ill health. Prime Minister Progressive Conservatives as a whole did not expect victory over the Liberals in 1957, but Diefenbaker waged a vigorous campaign in which he charged that the Liberals had become too powerful. The campaign worked, as the Progressive Conservatives won 112 seats in the House of Commons; the Liberals won 105, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation got 25, and the Social Credit Party won 19. Although it was not a decisive majority, the Progressive Conservatives had won the prime ministership, and Diefenbaker was sworn in on June 21, 1957, becoming the first Conservative Prime Minister since Richard R. Bennett (1930-1935). One of his first actions was to appoint Ellen Fairclough as Secretary of State, making her the first woman to hold a Cabinet post in Canada.

The 23rd Canadian Parliament did not open until October 14, but once in session it acted very quickly and passed several Diefenbaker-sponsored bills, including an increase in old-age pensions, loans to economically depressed areas, and financial aid to expand hydroelectric power in the Atlantic provinces. The wave of social legislation boosted the Progressive Conservatives' standings in the polls, so Diefenbaker decided to call for new elections in 1958, believing that his party would gain a far greater majority in the House of Commons. His belief was well founded, as the Progressive Conservatives won 208 of the 265 seats, the largest parliamentary majority in Canadian history. The Progressive Conservative majority allowed Diefenbaker to continue and expand his social reform, including increased pensions for the blind and disabled, a program of federal hospital insurance, and the building of roads into the minerally rich but undeveloped northern areas.In 1960 he succeeded in getting the Canadian Bill of Rights passed. In that same year, First Nations peoples were given the right to vote in federal elections without first having to give up their treaty rights.

Diefenbaker had already appointed the first First Nations member of the Senate, James Gladstone, in 1958. Quebec Diefenbaker's pursuit of equality for all Canadians made him unwilling to make special concessions to Quebec's French-Canadians. He did, however, recommend the appointment of the first French-Canadian Governor-General, Georges Vanier. Bank of Canada Diefenbaker's first major conflict as Prime Minister revolved around Bank of Canada Governor James Coyne, whose tight monetary policies clashed with Diefenbaker's economic policy. Appointed by former Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent to a term expiring in December 1961, Coyne could only be dismissed before then by the passing of an Act of Parliament. Diefenbaker was able to get the House of Commons to pass such an act, but the Liberal-controlled Senate refused to confirm the act. Coyne was, however, finally convinced to resign after facing questions about the Bank's pension plan. Economic Problems In the early 1960's, Canada was importing far more from the United States than it exported there.

In order to improve the trade balance, Diefenbaker wanted Canadians to increase their trade with nations of the British Commonwealth, and the government set up restrictions designed to discourage investing abroad. The measures did not solve the problem, however. Canada also faced major unemployment, with up to 11 per cent of the work force unable to find employment in 1961 and 1962. In mid-1962 the government was forced to adopt austerity measures. Spending was reduced, tariffs on imports were increased, and loans totaling almost $1 billion were obtained from foreign banks. By the time Diefenbaker called an election for June 18, 1962, the combination of Diefenbaker's unwillingness to compromise with Quebec, his quarrel with the Bank of Canada, and the still lagging economy had seriously damaged the Progressive Conservatives' image. That image was further tarnished when the Bank of Canada had to devalue the Canadian Dollar to 92-1/2 cents (from 95 cents compared to the U.S. dollar).

In response, people across the country passed out satirical "Diefenbucks" prior to and during the 1962 campaign. The Progressive Conservatives managed to win the most seats in Parliament, but did not have an absolute majority. Diefenbaker was only able to maintain the prime ministership because the small Social Credit Party agreed to support him. Foreign Policy As Prime Minister, Diefenbaker was eager to make an impact on the international scene equalling that of his political rival, Lester B. Pearson . In the summer of 1958 he had welcomed both British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to Ottawa, and in the autumn of that year he toured Europe and the Asian Commonwealth. In Europe he gained the respect of President Charles de Gaulle of France, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer of the German Federal Republic, and Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani of Italy. In Asia he admired the anti-communism of Pakistani dictator General Mohammad Ayub Khan and the political realism of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of India, while warning against the neutralism of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike of Ceylon.

South Africa One of the major issues facing the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in London, England, in May 1960, was whether to exclude South Africa from membership in the Commonwealth as long as it continued its policy of apartheid. Although he vehemently opposed South Africa's policies, Diefenbaker disagreed with exclusion because he did not believe the Commonwealth had the right to interfere in the domestic affairs of its members. He and Macmillan were able to work out a deal in which the conference offered South Africa time to revise its policies by agreeing that in the event it chose to become a republic, it would have to request consent from other Commonwealth members for readmission to the association. When South Africa's whites voted in October 1960 in favour of a republic, Prime Minister Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd announced that he would seek continuing Commonwealth membership at the Prime Ministers' meeting in March 1961. At that conference, Diefenbaker advocated a declaration of principles to be adopted before a decision on South Africa's readmission. The effect would be to force a choice on South Africa rather than on the other members.

When Verwoerd called for additional wording which would exclude his country's practices from blame, Diefenbaker sided with the non-white leaders in rejecting the proposal. Verwoerd withdrew the South African application and left the meeting. The conference did not adopt any declaration of principles, Diefenbaker received wide praise at home and abroad for his defense of the principle of non-discrimination. United States U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower showed constant respect and consideration toward Diefenbaker, despite disagreements in joint defense policy and other matters. As his last official act before departing office, Eisenhower invited Diefenbaker to the White House for a ceremonial signing of the contentious Columbia River Treaty, on January 17, 1961. Nuclear Controversy Diefenbaker's relationship with Eisenhower's successor, John F. Kennedy , was strained from the very beginning, and only got worse. To Diefenbaker's intense annoyance, Kennedy called him "Diefenbawker" when he first became president.

To Kennedy's annoyance, Diefenbaker refused to accept any missiles armed with nuclear warheads in the country, despite Canada having signed an agreement with the United States to accept such missiles as part of a mutual defense and security treaty. Formal negotiations for an agreement on the warheads made no progress. Relations between the United States and Canada reached their lowest point on January 30, 1963, when the United States charged that Canada had failed to propose a practical plan for arming its forces against a possible Russian attack. Diefenbaker angrily responded by saying that the U.S. statement was "an unwarranted intrusion in Canadian affairs." Liberal leader Lester B. Pearson, meanwhile, declared that Canada should live up to its agreement and accept the nuclear warheads. The dispute over the nuclear warheads, combined with a still lagging economy and other issues, led the House of Commons to pass a a motion of no-confidence in the Diefenbaker government, on February 5, 1963. In elections held in April, the Liberals won 120 seats, the Progressive Conservatives 95.

Difenbaker formally resigned as Prime Minister on April 22, 1963, and was succeeded by long-time nemesis Lester B. Pearson. Later Career Diefenbaker led the opposition in Parliament unril 1967, during which time he was often so intent on opposing Pearson that he brought Parliamentary business to a near standstill. In 1967 his party colleagues voted to replace Diefenbaker with Robert L. Stanfield. Diefenbaker continued to represent Prince Albert in the House of Commons until his death, which came in Ottawa on August 16, 1979. Diefenbaker's state funeral, which he had planned himself, was the most elaborate in Canadian history. His open casket lay in the Parliamentary Hall of Honour for three days before being moved in a ceremonial parade to Christ Church Cathedral for an interfaith service. From Ottawa, an eight-car funeral train carried the coffin and more than 100 passengers westwards to Prince Albert and Saskatoon, with stops both scheduled and unscheduled for crowds along the way. He was buried beside the Right Honourable John G.

Diefenbaker Centre, which had been constructed on the grounds of the University of Saskatchewan to house his papers and relics. The body of his late wife Olive was moved from Ottawa to lie beside him. Marriages Diefenbaker married Edna May Brower, a Saskatoon schoolteacher in 1929. She died of leukemia in February 1951. In 1953 he married Mrs. Olive Freeman Palmer, an old friend from Wakaw; she was a widow with a grown daughter and gave up her job as assistant director of the Ontario Department of Education to remarry. She died in 1976.

World Book Encyclopedia Chicago: World Book-Childcraft International, Inc., 1979 John Diefenbaker » J.J.'s Complete Guide to Canada Full name: John George Diefenbaker Born: September 18, 1895, Neustadt, Ontario Died: August 16, 1979, Ottawa, Ontario Served: June 21, 1957 to April 22, 1963 (5 years) Party: Conservative Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s administration represented the last gasp of a dying strain of Canadian politics and nationalism. Madly in love with Britain and frightened and fearful of the United States, his five years in power were erratic and eccentric — much like the man himself. Raised in rural Saskatchewan, “Dief” weathered the Depression as a successful small-town lawyer, where he perfected a highly theatrical, flamboyant style that would become his trademark in politics. Notoriously unlucky in elections, Diefenbaker ran unsuccessfully for all sorts of offices before finally entering Parliament in 1940, and becoming Conservative leader (on his third try) in 1956.

At the time of the 1957 federal election Canada had been under Liberal rule for 22 years, allowing Diefenbaker to win a narrow minority government victory by campaigning against the party’s arrogance and corruption. As prime minister, he attempted to push the country back into a more pro-Commonwealth, anti-American direction, feuding with President Kennedy (1917-1963) and trying to divert more trade to Britain. Though grandiose in his rhetoric and vision, Diefenbaker was not much for day-to-day policy, and his administration’s poor handling of the economy led to giant deficits and a sliding Canadian dollar. In the realm of Cold War policy, things weren’t much better. To this day, Diefenbaker’s term is often remembered for his uncooperative actions during the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) and his decision to destroy Canada’s famed Avro Arrow bomber jets, both for seemingly vain and petty reasons. Notoriously paranoid, Dief routinely portrayed himself as the last guardian of Canadian sovereignty in the face of a hostile U.S. administration and a pro-American Liberal Party.

When he lost reelection in 1963, he maintained it was the result of an American conspiracy, and remained a loud and brash backbench Member of Parliament until his death in 1979. John George Diefenbaker - Canada's 13th Prime Minister - Library and Archives Canada Library and Archives Canada John George Diefenbaker - Canada's 13th Prime Minister This page has been archived on the Web Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available. Archived This page has been archived on the Web. × Close overlay I am the first prime minister of this country of neither altogether English or [sic] French origin. So I determined to bring about a Canadian citizenship that knew no hyphenated consideration....I'm very happy to be able to say that in the House of Commons today in my party we have members of Italian, Dutch, German, Scandinavian, Chinese and Ukrainian origin—and they are all Canadians.

-John Diefenbaker, March 29, 1958 Biography While previous prime ministers had concerned themselves with the reconciliation of French and English culture in Canada, John Diefenbaker aspired to include those of other ethnic extractions in the national identity. Furthermore, he drew attention to the rights of Canada's indigenous population, who had also been left out of the "two founding nations" equation. Under his prime ministership, Canada's Aboriginal peoples were allowed to vote federally for the first time, and James Gladstone, a member of the Kainai First Nation (Blood Tribe) was the first Native person appointed to the Senate. Diefenbaker's political career is a lesson in determination and tenacity. He met with failure and opposition many times in his life, but never let it prevent him from pursuing his goals. John George Diefenbaker was born in Neustadt, Ontario in 1895; his parents were of German and Scottish descent. His family moved to Fort Carlton, north of Saskatoon in 1903 where they homesteaded. John's father taught school and encouraged his sons to read.

At a young age, Diefenbaker read a book about Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier and decided that someday he also would lead Canada. Diefenbaker attended the University of Saskatchewan, graduating with a general B.A. in 1915 and an M.A. in political science and economics in 1916. He enlisted in the army in 1916 and served briefly in Britain, before being invalided home the following year. Returning to university to study law, he graduated with an LL.B. in 1919. He set up a law practice in Wakaw, near Prince Albert. Diefenbaker quickly established himself as a successful criminal lawyer. Over his 20-year career, he defended 18 men from the death penalty. Diefenbaker had not forgotten his political ambitions. However his attempts to enter politics at any level initially met with failure. He ran for a seat in the House of Commons in 1925 and 1926, but lost. He tried the provincial legislature in 1929 and 1938, with no luck.

His attempt to run for mayor of Prince Albert in 1933 also failed. Diefenbaker was elected leader of the Conservative party of Saskatchewan in 1936, but the party won no seats in the 1938 election. Finally in the 1940 election, he won a Commons seat in the Opposition. The Conservatives remained in Opposition throughout the King and St. Laurent governments. It was here that Diefenbaker began his campaign for the average Canadian and ethnic minorities. In 1942, he criticized the government's treatment of Japanese Canadians. He even opposed his own party in his crusades; in 1948 he blocked a Conservative campaign to outlaw the Communist party. Diefenbaker stood as a candidate for leadership of the party in 1942 and in 1948, but lost both times. He finally succeeded in 1956. As Opposition leader, he harried the Liberals throughout the Pipeline Debate and discredited them in the eyes of the electorate. In the 1957 election, Canadians saw for the first time Diefenbaker's remarkable campaign style.

Part circus barker, part vaudeville actor, Diefenbaker's theatrical delivery entertained Canadians, and his appeal to the farmer, store owner and factory worker won their hearts and their votes. He became "Dief, the Chief." The Conservatives won a minority government in 1957 and the following year they were returned with, at that time, the greatest majority of seats in Canadian history. But Diefenbaker's policies were radical and often contrary to traditional Conservative values. The fact that the party had been out of office for 22 years added to their problems. In 1957, Ellen Fairclough became the first woman to serve as a federal Cabinet Minister when she was appointed Secretary of State. Diefenbaker championed the Canadian Bill of Rights in 1958 and gave all Aboriginal people the right to vote in 1960. Agriculture was one of the few sectors not to benefit from the post-war boom; therefore the federal government introduced in 1961 the Agricultural Rehabilitation and Development Act, which was one of the first explicit attempts to create a national program for rural economic development.

Diefenbaker undertook a massive northern infrastructure development program, which included airports, highways, and icebreakers. But high unemployment, the devaluation of the dollar and the cancellation of the Avro Arrow project eroded the Tories' popularity. They were reduced to a minority government in 1962 and lost to the Liberals in the election the following year. Diefenbaker's radical policies eventually alienated his party. A leadership review was called and he lost to Robert Stanfield in 1967. Nevertheless, he continued to represent his riding in the Commons. He won his last election in 1979, three months before his death on August 16. Sir John A. Macdonald was Diefenbaker's hero, and he was determined to have a state funeral as grand as that which had honoured Canada's first prime minister. A special train bore the Chief's body back to Saskatoon where he was buried. International Relations As a staunch supporter of human rights, Diefenbaker was repulsed by apartheid, but he did not want to see South Africa leave the Commonwealth.

But at the 1961 Commonwealth conference, when it became clear that South Africa was intransigent about apartheid, he threw his support behind the African and Asian members, the only white leader to do so. As a result South Africa withdrew its application, bitterly blaming Diefenbaker for the result. However, Diefenbaker’s stand was praised in Canada and abroad as being the right thing to do. In 1961, a wheat-trading agreement was signed with China. This paved the way for diplomatic relations between the two nations, when the Trudeau administration formally recognized China in 1970. The agreement was regarded unfavourably by the Americans since China was supporting Vietnam in the war. Shortly after Diefenbaker took office, the North American Air Defence Agreement (NORAD) was announced. The new prime minister took the advice of the Canadian military and agreed to the integration of Canadian and American air-defence forces. But there were some problems with the arrangement. When the Cuban missile crisis occurred in October 1962, the fact that the two governments had to agree on any action proved difficult.

The United States went on standby alert as soon as the crisis became apparent, but Diefenbaker delayed for several days, angering the Kennedy administration and many people in Canada. Under NORAD, Canada had agreed to have missiles on its soil, but Diefenbaker did not want these to be armed with nuclear warheads. When the United States began pressuring him to accept the nuclear warheads, he vacillated. Also, his Cabinet was divided; Minister of Defence Douglas Harkness wanted the warheads, while the Secretary of State for External Affairs, Howard Green was opposed. Diefenbaker's stumbling on this matter led to a Cabinet revolt, which contributed to the defeat of his government in the election of April 1963. Other facts University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, B.A. 1915, M.A. Political Science and Economics 1916, LL.B.

1919 Occupations 1916–1917 Lieutenant, 105th Saskatoon Fusiliers Criminal lawyer (called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1919) 1936–1938 Leader, Saskatchewan, Conservative Party Constituencies 1940–1953 Lake Centre, Saskatchewan 1953–1979 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Other Ministry 1957 Secretary of State for External Affairs 1959 Secretary of State for External Affairs (Acting) 1962–1963 President of the Privy Council Political Record Leader of the Opposition 1956–1957 Appointed Ellen Fairclough first woman Cabinet minister Canadian Bill of Rights 1958 Appointed James Gladstone first Aboriginal senator 1958 Franchise extended to all Aboriginal peoples, 1960 Royal Commission on Health Services 1961 Agricultural Rehabilitation and Development Act 1961 Created the National Productivity Council (Economic Council of Canada) 1963 Leader of the Opposition 1963–1967 Research Aids June 21, 

1957–April 22, 1963 Political Party Grave site: Beside the Diefenbaker Canada Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Personal Life Married 1929, Edna Brower (1901–1951) Re-married 1953, Olive Palmer (1902–1976) One stepdaughter Selections from John George Diefenbaker at conservativeforum.org John George Diefenbaker 1895 - 1979 Thirteenth Prime Minister of Canada (1957-1963).

"Dief the Chief" was a successful criminal lawyer who ran for political office five times before finally winning a seat in the Canadian House of Commons in 1940. He became leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1956, and was a fierce leader of the Opposition leading into the 1957 election. During that campaign, his theatrical style helped win a minority government, followed by a majority in the election of 1958. Diefenbaker's government focused on the "progressive" side of the agenda, and introduced or refined social programs to the increasing ire of conservative party members and voters. He won a minority government in 1962, despite growing resentment of him in the party and country, but lost the subsequent election of 1963 to the Liberals. The growing split between conservatives and radicals in his party led to his losing the leadership to Robert Stanfield in 1967, but he remained a PC Member of Parliament until his death. The day that Parliament becomes a slot machine into which you may drop a slug and out comes legislation, freedom ends.

quoted in Canadian by Conviction, by Brune and Bulgitch, Gage Publishing Parliament is more than procedure - it is the custodian of the nation's freedom. What is the difference between the Conservative caucus and a porcupine? Well, you see, a porcupine has all of its pricks on the outside. Some say to me: 'History? What does it mean? What are you concerned about the past for?' And my answer to that is a simple one - he who does not know the past can never understand the present, and he certainly can do nothing for the future. Nov. 1, 1971 ... dogs know best what to do with polls. I cannot visualize Canada without French Canada. I cannot visualize French Canada without Canada. National unity based on equality must be the goal. Everyone is against me - except the people!

Question: John George Diefenbaker was Prime Minister of which country from 1957 to 1963?
Answer: Canada