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.

Prime Minister of Canada

He led the national Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1956-1967, and was Prime Minister of Canada from June 21, 1957 to April 22, 1963. He became Prime Minister as a result of an upset victory in the 1957 election, after which he was able to form a minority government. Diefenbaker returned to the polls in the 1958 election to win the largest majority government in Canadian history.

Related Topics:
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada - 1956 - 1967 - Prime Minister of Canada - June 21 - 1957 - April 22 - 1963 - 1957 election - Minority government - 1958 election - Majority government

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Diefenbaker made what some believe to have been one of the most controversial policy decisions of the last century in Canada on February 20, 1959 when his government cancelled the development and manufacture of the Avro Arrow. The Arrow was a Mach 2 supersonic jet fighter built by A.V. Roe Canada (Avro), in Malton, Ontario, just west of Toronto. After cancelling the technologically advanced interceptor project, the Canadian government purchased American-made Bomarc missiles and CF-101 Voodoo interceptors to defend Canada in the event of a Soviet nuclear bomber attack from the north. However, while his government initially approved the Bomarc and Voodoo, it balked when it realised that both would be equipped with nuclear warheads. Diefenbaker's refusal to allow nuclear weapons into Canada led to several resignations from his Cabinet and the collapse of his government in 1963.

Related Topics:
February 20 - 1959 - Avro Arrow - Mach - Avro - Malton, Ontario - Toronto - Bomarc - CF-101 Voodoo - Soviet - Nuclear warheads - 1963

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His hostility to the United States administration and annoyance at the failure of President John F. Kennedy to consult with him on the matter ahead of time also led Diefenbaker to be skeptical of the seriousness of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It also caused him to fail to act quickly on an American request to put Canadian forces on Defcon 3 status. The Minister of National Defence, Douglas Harkness, defied Diefenbaker by putting the military on high alert two days prior to Cabinet's decision to authorize the move.

Related Topics:
United States - John F. Kennedy - Cuban Missile Crisis - Defcon - Minister of National Defence - Douglas Harkness

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Diefenbaker was also instrumental in bringing in the Canadian Bill of Rights in 1960. This was the first attempt to codify the basic rights of Canadian citizens in law. Because the Bill of Rights was a federal statute and not a part of the Canadian Constitution, it could not be used by courts to nullify provincial laws that contradicted it and thus had a limited impact on the decisions of the court, unlike the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms of 1982.

Related Topics:
Canadian Bill of Rights - 1960 - Statute - Canadian Constitution - Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - 1982

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The Progressive Conservatives lost their majority in Parliament in the 1962 election. Immediately afterward, Diefenbaker's minority government began a program to reduce government spending, and raise tariffs and bank interest rates. He then reorganized his Cabinet, moving Donald Fleming into the Minister of Justice/Solicitor General position, replacing him with George C. Nowlan.

Related Topics:
Parliament - 1962 election - Donald Fleming - Minister of Justice - Solicitor General - George C. Nowlan

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In September 1962, Diefenbaker attended the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers in London, where he attacked Britain's prospective entry into the European Economic Community, stating it would be at the expense of Canada's increased economic dependence on the United States. He also criticized South Africa's policy of apartheid, and successfully opposed its readmission into the Commonwealth after it declared itself a republic.

Related Topics:
1962 - Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers - London - European Economic Community - United States - South Africa - Apartheid

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