Important dates in John Diefenbaker's Life

From the Diefenbaker Canada Centre biography

Available on the web at http://www.usask.ca/diefenbaker/dates.html

18 Sept.	1895	- John George Diefenbaker born in Neustadt, Ontario to William T. and Mary F. Diefenbaker (nee Bannerman)
	1903	- Diefenbaker family moved to Tierengrund School near Fort Carlton, North West Territories (now Saskatchewan)
	1905	- Diefenbaker family moved to Hague, Saskatchewan
	1906	- Diefenbaker family moved to homestead near Borden
Spring	1912	- JGD graduated from Saskatoon (Nutana) Collegiate
Fall	1912	- Entered the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
March	1916	- Volunteered for overseas service in the first World War; sent for 6 weeks officer training in Manitoba
May	1916	- Granted M.A. Degree in absentia from the U. of Saskatchewan
Fall	1916	- Studies in the College of Law, U. of S. interrupted; sent to training camp in England
February	1917	- Invalided home before being sent into action
	1918	- Graduated in Law from the U. of Saskatchewan
June	1919	- Called to the Saskatchewan bar
1 July	1919	- Opened Law Office in Wakaw, Saskatchewan
	1920	- Elected Alderman in Wakaw
	1922	- Diefenbaker argued in Boutin et al vs. Mackie re use of French as language of instruction in schools
	1924	- Moved law practice to Prince Albert
29 Oct.	1925	- Ran against Charles McDonald, Liberal, in Prince Albert federal constituency: lost
14 Sept.	1926	- Ran against Prime Minister Mackenzie King in Prince Albert: lost 3,933 to 4,838
June	1929	- Ran for Prince Albert in the provincial election: lost to T.C. Davis, Liberal
29 June	1929	- Married Edna Mae Brower in Toronto
1 Jan.	1930	- Named King's Counsel in the New Year's honours list
	1933	- John C> Transfer interrupted! ticling clerk; association and later partnership continued until the end of Diefenbaker's active legal career
	1933	- JGD defeated in Prince Albert mayoralty election
	1935	- JGD elected president of Saskatchewan Conservative party
29 Oct	1936	- JGD became leader of the Saskatchewan Conservative party
8 June	1938	- Ran for Arm River in the provincial election: lost
26 March	1940	- Ran for Lake Centre in the federal election: won; henceforth JGD was elected to every Parliament until his death
	1942	- Ran for the leadership of the federal Conservative party, came third. John Bracken won and changed name to Progressive Conservative Party.
12 Feb.	1945	- Father died
	1945	- JGD one of the Canadian observers at the founding meetings of the United Nations in San Francisco
Sept.	1948	- Ran again for the leadership of the federal Progressive Conservative Party: lost to George Drew
7 Feb.	1951	- Edna Diefenbaker died of leukemia in Saskatoon
	1951	- JGD won the Canoe River case, Rex vs Atherton
10 Aug.	1953	- Changed federal seat and ran for Prince Albert with the slogan "Not a partisan cry but a national need": won with the aid of the cross-party Diefenbaker Clubs
8 Dec.	1953	- Married Olive Freeman Palmer
14 Dec.	1956	- Elected leader of the Progressive Conservative party of Canada
25 April	1957	- Officially opening the 1957 election campaign in Toronto, JGD called for policies of One Canada, development of Canada's resources and the North
10 June	1957	- Progressive Conservatives won 112 seats in federal election, Liberals 105, CCF 25, Social Credit 19
11 June	1957	- Began his term as Prime Minister. Ended 1963. See separate link for information on prime ministerial years
Feb	1961	- Mother died
22 April	1963	- Lester B. Pearson sworn in as Prime Minister
4 Feb.	1964	- Dalton Camp elected president of Progressive Conservative party
22 July	1964	- PC caucus decided to filibuster against the adoption of a new flag
15 Dec.	1964	- Commons voted 163 to 78 in favour of new flag
15 Feb.	1964	- New flag raised in Ottawa ceremonies
26 March	1965	- 25th anniversary of JGD's election to Parliament
8 Nov.	1965	- Federal election: Liberal 131, PC 91, other 37
Nov.	1966	- PC convention delegates called for leadership review after clashes between JGD and Dalton Camp
7 July	1967	- JGD's last day as leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons
9 Sept.	1967	- Robert Stanfield elected leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party; Diefenbaker ran third
Oct. - Nov.	1969	- JGD made private visit to U.S.S.R., visiting Kiev and Moscow
	1969	- Appointed Chancellor of University of Saskatchewan
June	1971	- Brother Elmer died
8 July	1974	- JGD became the first Canadian member of Parliament sworn in to twelve Parliaments
20 Sept.	1967	- Turned sod on the site of the Diefenbaker Centre
1 Jan.	1976	- Made a Companion of Honour in the Queen's New Year's Honours list
1 April	1976	- Presented with the Companion of Honour medal by the Queen in London
22 Dec.	1976	- Olive Diefenbaker died in Ottawa
22 May	1979	- JGD elected to Parliament for the thirteenth time
16 Aug.	1979	- Died in his home in Ottawa
19 Aug.	1979	- State funeral in Ottawa; funeral train left Ottawa for a two day trip to Saskatoon with several stops and many halts along the way
22 Aug.	1979	- John Diefenbaker buried outside the Diefenbaker Centre on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon

For a complete list of the articles available on this site, see the Diefenbaker Web Text Files page.

Important dates in John Diefenbaker's Life

From the Diefenbaker Canada Centre biography

Available on the web at http://www.usask.ca/diefenbaker/dates.html

Transfer interrupted!