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John Diefenbaker was the 13th prime minister of Canada and the only Progressive Conservative leader to win an election from 1930 to 1979. He introduced the Canadian Bill of Rights, granted the vote to Indigenous peoples, and opposed apartheid, but also faced the Avro Arrow cancellation and the Bomarc missile crisis.
- Education and Early Career
- A Growing Reputation
- Federal Politics
- Prime Minister
- The Diefenbaker Vision
- An Indecisive Image
- Leader of The Opposition
- Late Career and Legacy
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In 1903, Diefenbaker and his family moved to the Fort Carlton region of what is now Saskatchewan. He attended schools in several Prairie communities before his family moved to Saskatoon in 1910. He attended the University of Saskatchewan. After serving in the army during the First World War, he completed his law degree and articles. He was called t...
Diefenbaker’s path to the prime minister’s office was long. He ran federally for Prince Albert in 1925 and 1926; provincially in 1929 and 1938; and for mayor of Prince Albert in 1933. He lost each time. He built a growing reputation as an able defence lawyer and was named King's Counsel in 1929. But he held firmly to the belief that his future lay ...
In June 1939, Diefenbaker was nominated for the federal riding of Lake Centre. In March 1940, he was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament. The skills he had refined during his legal career served him well on the Opposition backbenches. He gained a wide reputation as an astute questioner of government actions. He was re-elected for Lake Ce...
In 1956, Diefenbaker was chosen to succeed George Drew, who had resigned as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. The following year, Diefenbaker led his party to an upset victory over the Liberals and Louis Saint-Laurent. They formed a minority government; the first Conservative government since that of R.B. Bennett. Diefenbaker was backed...
The Diefenbaker era featured the personality and the style of the “man from Prince Albert.” Several things that are now taken for granted were initiated during his administration. Wheat sales to China and agricultural reform revitalized western agriculture. Diefenbaker’s determination to guarantee civil rights for all led in 1960 to the Canadian Bi...
During the 1962 election, the Liberals exploited the economic crisis (the Canadian dollar had dropped to 92.5 cents US); the controversial 1959 cancellation of the Avro Arrow; and the debate over nuclear weapons on Canadian soil, including charges against Diefenbaker of anti-Americanism. ( See Bomarc Missile Crisis.) The Diefenbaker government was ...
As leader of the Opposition, Diefenbaker delighted in questioning Prime Minister Lester Pearson’s government to such an extent that the House’s business slowed considerably. He also argued vigorously (if unsuccessfully) against Pearson’s proposal for a new Canadian flag. (See The Great Flag Debate.) Diefenbaker also led the attack on the Liberals d...
Despite the electoral setbacks and a party deeply split over the question of his continuing leadership, Diefenbaker refused to resign. He put up a spirited defence at the 1967 leadership convention, where Robert Stanfield was chosen as the new leader. Diefenbaker remained in politics under Stanfield and later Joe Clark. In May 1979, he won a seat f...
Learn about the life and achievements of John Diefenbaker, Canada's 13th prime minister from 1957 to 1963. He was a lawyer, a civil rights advocate, a supporter of the Canadian Bill of Rights and a champion of western agriculture.
John Diefenbaker held a deep respect for the monarchy and was a passionate defender of the British Parliamentary system throughout his political career. View this online exhibit to learn more about British-Canada relations and Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Canada in 1957.
Aug 12, 2024 · Learn about John G. Diefenbaker, the prime minister of Canada who broke the Liberal monopoly in 1957 and led the Progressive Conservative Party. Find out how the party evolved from its origins as the Liberal-Conservative Party and its merger with the Canadian Alliance in 2003.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Nov 25, 2019 · Learn about John Diefenbaker, a Canadian populist who combined conservative politics with social justice issues. He was the first prime minister to appoint a female Cabinet minister, expand old-age pensions, and improve relations with China.
- Susan Munroe
John Diefenbaker. Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s administration represented the last gasp of a dying strain of Canadian politics and nationalism. A lover of Britain who feared and distrusted the United States, his five years in power were erratic and eccentric — much like the man himself.
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Jun 27, 2018 · John George Diefenbaker (1895-1979) was prime minister of Canada and leader of the Progressive Conservative party. Though his government had some remarkable successes, he left a legacy of bitterness and disunion for his party.