John Diefenbaker

The Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker, CH , PC , QC , BA , MA , LL.B , LL.D , FRSC , FRSA , D.Litt , DSL (September 18, 1895 – August 16, 1979) was the thirteenth Prime Minister of Canada (1957 – 1963). Born in Neustadt, Ontario, Canada, he received a BA in 1915, an MA in Political Science and Economics in 1916, and an LL.B in 1919 from the University of Saskatchewan. Diefenbaker married Edna Brower (1901-1951) in 1929. In 1953, he married his second wife, Olive Palmer (1902-1976), who had a daughter from a previous marriage.

Early career

John George Diefenbaker served briefly in World War I in the Canadian Army from 1916 to 1918, acquiring the rank of Lieutenant in the 105th Saskatoon Fusiliers. He saw some action in the trenches of France in 1916. However, after a few weeks in the trenches, it was discovered that his left leg had suffered a bad infection and he was invalided to England where he spent the remainder of the war in recuperation. He was called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1919, and became a criminal lawyer. In 1920 Diefenbaker was elected as an alderman for the municipal council of the Town of Wakaw, Saskatchewan. He was unsuccessful in his re-election bid of 1923. He was appointed King's Counsel in 1929. He served as the leader of the Saskatchewan Conservative Party from 1936-1938. Diefenbaker's early political career was marked by a singular achievement after his first political breakthrough; he ran unsuccessfully in over a dozen elections at the municipal, provincial and federal levels in Alberta and Saskatchewan before finally getting elected again.

Related Topics:
World War I - Lieutenant - England - Saskatchewan - Lawyer - Alderman - Wakaw - King's Counsel - 1929 - Saskatchewan Conservative Party - 1936 - 1938

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Diefenbaker was first elected to the federal Parliament in the 1940 federal election. He was one of only a handful of western Conservative MP's elected under the party's abortive National Government platform. He served as one of the few inspiring opposition MP's during the party's years in the political wilderness between 1935 and 1957. In 1952 Diefenbaker served as Canada's delegate to the United Nations.

Related Topics:
Parliament - 1940 federal election - National Government - 1952 - United Nations

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Diefenbaker was a contestant in four Progressive Conservative leadership conventions. In 1943, Diefenbaker lost to Manitoba Premier John Bracken. In 1948, Diefenbaker lost to Ontario Premier George Drew, before winning in 1956. He also lost an attempt to retain the leadership at the 1967 leadership convention and was defeated by Nova Scotia Premier Robert Stanfield.

Related Topics:
Progressive Conservative leadership conventions - 1943 - John Bracken - 1948 - George Drew - 1956 - 1967 leadership convention - Robert Stanfield

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