1. John Diefenbaker
By Mahir Chowdhury

2. Birth
John Diefenbaker was born in the 18th September 1895 in Neustadt, ON
John Diefenbaker’s Birthplace

3. Childhood and Early Life
The voice of the Saskatchewan prairie, John Diefenbaker was born in Ontario in His family moved to the west in the year of 1903.
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.
He was part German from his father’s side, and from his mother’s side he was part Scottish. His very name, "Diefenbaker," made him seem like an outsider.
At the age of 15, Diefenbaker got a chance to meet Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and it was not long before the young Diefenbaker displayed his own talent in politics and debating.
He was a star debater in university and spoke on "Canada's Future" at his high school graduation.
He graduated in law after serving in the first World War. As a criminal lawyer, he successfully took on unpopular causes, but the political life was his real ambition.
Diefenbaker in his youth

4. Education and Early Career
In 1903, Diefenbaker and his family moved to the Fort Carlton region of what is now Saskatchewan and attended schools in several Prairie communities before moving to Saskatoon in 1910.
He attended the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, B.A. 1915, M.A. Political Science and Economics 1916, LL.B. 1919
and, after serving in the army during the First World War, completed his law degree and articles and was called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1919.
His first law office was in Wakaw, Saskatchewan, but he moved to the larger northern center of Prince Albert in 1924.

5. Politics and Government
Diefenbaker’s 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.

6. Political Record + Social and Economic Contributions
Leader of the Opposition
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

7. Contributions to Canadian Society and Economy
He campaigned for the average Canadian and ethnic minorities
In 1942, he criticized the government's treatment of Japanese-Canadians.
1948 he blocked a Conservative campaign to outlaw the Communist party.
He championed human rights outside of Canada by supporting the independence of many non-white Commonwealth countries.
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.

8. International Relations
As previously mentioned, he supported the independence of many non-white Commonwealth countries.
The statement that he made in 1961 caused the removal of South Africa from the Commonwealth.
The Americans were antagonized by Diefenbaker because he refused to support their hostilities against Cuba.

9. Death Diefenbaker died on August 16, 1979 in Ottawa, Ontario
Since Sir John A. Macdonald was Diefenbaker's hero, he was determined to have a funeral as grand as the which had honored Canada's first prime minister. A special train bore the Chief's body back to Saskatoon where he was buried.
"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 orgin - and they are all Canadians." John George Diefenbaker, March 29, 1958

10. Bibliography
Canadian History / John Diefenbaker site