John George Diefenbaker

Copyright/Source

Born 1895, Died 1979

Born

• September 18, 1895, Neustadt, Ontario

Education

• University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, B.A. 1915, M.A. Political Science and Economics 1916, LL.B. 1919

Personal Life

• Married 1929, Edna Brower (1901 - 1951)
• Re-married 1953, Olive Palmer (1902 - 1976)
• One stepdaughter

Occupations

• 1916 - 1917 Lieutenant, 105th Saskatoon Fusiliers
• Criminal lawyer (called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1919)
• 1936 - 1938 Leader, Saskatchewan, Conservative Party

Political Party

• Progressive Conservative
• 1956 - 1967 Party Leader

Constituencies

• 1940 - 1953 Lake Center, Saskatchewan
• 1953 - 1979 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Other Ministries

• 1957 External Affairs
• 1959 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 Canada's 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

Died

• August 16, 1979, Ottawa, Ontario
• Grave site: Beside the Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Source: Canada's Prime Ministers, 1867-1994. [Ottawa]: National Archives of Canada, c1994. 20 p.