JOHN DIEFENBAKER (1957-63)

LOUIS ST. LAURENT (1948-1957)

• Liberal Party

•Wanted closer ties with the United States

• First Conservative PM in 22 years

• Formed a minority gov’t in 1957

Background• Diefenbaker – first conservative prime

minister in 22 years in 1957 electionMinority government

• Leading in the polls + Liberals holding leadership convention therefore..

Diefenbaker called election in 1958• Largest majority in Canadian history taking 208/265

seats

Social & Political Policies• “unhyphenated Canadianism” – new vision of citizenship of

neither English-Canadian nor French-Canadian, simply Canadian

• March 29, 1958- his first speech as PM to the House of Commons:

“I am the first prime minister of this country of neither English or French origin. So I am determined to bring about a CanadianCitizenship that knew no hyphenated consideration.I’m very happy to be able to say that in theHouse of Commons today in my party we havemembers of Italian, Dutch, German,Scandinavian, Chinese andUkrainian origin– and they are all Canadians.”

Social & Political Policies

• Canadian Bill of Rights (1960)- Freedom of speech- Freedom of religion- The Right to life, liberty & security- The right to enjoyment of property- The right to counsel

• Pros: precursor to Canadian Charter of Freedoms & Rights

• Criticisms: not a constitutional amendment, govt overstepping boundaries, other federal statutes

Social & Political Policies

• Gave First Nation’s right to vote in federal election

• In 1867 Constitution, First Nation’s people could vote if they gave up their treaty rights and Native Status

• Hence this policy meant they could vote and keep their status

ECONOMIC POLICIES

• Advocated a “Northern dream” to open up the north to development

• Promoted regional development building dams in Saskatchewan railroad expansion in the hinterlands

• Attended areas that the Liberals had ignored or forgotten (notably Quebec)

• He offered voters a “made-in-Canada” vision of the future which was a distinctive shift in style from the ad hoc managerial approach of the Liberals (done when needed with no planning)

• Greatest achievements: granting the franchise to the First Nation

ECONOMIC POLICIES.. Cont’d

- Diefenbaker was focus was on Latin America because of many international pressures (US and various Latin American nations)

- Dief. saw this as an opportunity to expand Canadian economic and political interests in the region

- Natural Resources Policy: “every encouragement must be given to the processing of domestic raw materials in Canada to a much greater degree than exists today, in order that our resources may be utilized to the maximum advantage of the Canadian people.”

- National Energy Board: advise/recommends proposals regarding these resources, so that they may be safeguarded from prejudicial and ill-timed action for the use of Canadians in this and future generations.

Primary Document“This national development policy will create a new sense of national purpose and national

destiny. One Canada. One Canada, wherein Canadians will have preserved to them the control of their own economic and political destiny. Sir John A. Macdonald gave his life to this party. He opened the West. He saw Canada from East to West. I see a new Canada - a Canada of the North. What are these new principles? What are our objectives? What do we propose? We propose to assist the provinces, with their co-operation, in the financing and construction of job-creating projects necessary for the new development, where such projects are beyond the resources of the provinces. We will assist the provinces with their cooperation in the conservation of the renewable natural resources. We will aid in projects which are self-liquidating. We will aid in projects which, while not self-liquidating will lead to the development of the national resources for the opening of Canada's northland. We will open that northland for development by improving transportation and communication and by the development of power, by the building of access roads. We will make an inventory of our hydroelectric potential.”

- "A New Vision" speech by John G. Diefenbaker at the Civic Auditorium, Winnipeg, 12 February 1958

Canada + United Kingdom

DIEFENBAKER’S GOAL:

Establish closer ties with Britain

Establish closer ties with Britain

• Diefenbaker made a public commitment to divert 15% of Canada’s foreign trade from United States to Britain

$600,000,000 BRITAIN

Canada + United Kingdom

• Needed to reduce tariffs, but Canadian manufacturers wouldn’t benefit

• Britain suggested free trade w/ Canada

• Diefenbaker did not agree Britain = embarrassed

Diefenbaker loses

credibility in U.K

Canada + United States

Eisenhower + Diefenbaker = STRONG

they shared similar views

Canada + United States

Kennedy + Diefenbaker = WEAK

• American officials were unhappy with Diefenbaker’s initial election b/c of anti- Americanism talks

Canada + United States

UNITED NATIONS – 1945NATO – 1949

NORAD – 1957

56 missiles deployed in Ontario & Quebec

Found out they had to have nuclear warheads attached to them controversial

Missiles = useless

While Kennedy believed in nuclear missiles for

protection, Diefenbaker felt that it would escalate

tensions even further

• Under the Liberals,

Canada promised to create

a military defence jet

called the Avro Arrow

• faster + more advanced

**designed for the purpose

of defeating the threat of

Soviet bombers

•Costs for this project were

tremendous

•1959, Diefenbaker

government cancelled the

development of the Avro

Arrow

1959 Avro Arrow Project

Avro Arrow- 1959Talented Canadian

scientists + engineers moved to the U.S to work in American aerospace companies

14,000 employees = fired

Low morale

Negative public reaction led to Diefenbaker’s defeat

Conclusion

Successes• Cut taxes• Helped farmers• Raised senior pensions• Excellent speaker• Promoted bright futures +

jobs • Secured rights to all

(Canadian Bill of Rights, 1960)

Failures• Unemployment• Poor relations with Britain +

United States• Devalued dollar• Cancellation of Avro Arrow• Minority government

Although he worked hard to issue better conditions in Canada, he only failed because his vision was much larger than his ability!

Works Cited

• https://www.historica-dominion.ca/content/heritage-minutes/avro-arrow?media_type=41&

• http://www.prime-ministers.ca/diefenbaker/bio_2.php• http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/john-

diefenbaker• http://www3.sympatico.ca/goweezer/canada/

diefenbaker.htm• http://faceintheblue.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/

diefenbaker/• http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?

id_nbr=7990