By Gary Sanghera

1. John Difenbaker By Gary Sanghera

2. John Diefenbaker’s background • John Diefenbaker was born in south-western Ontario in September 18th1895. • He led Canada as its 13th prime minister, serving from June 21st 1957 to April 22nd1963. • He was the only Progressive Conservative party leader between 1930 and 1979 to lead the party to the victory of the election. • He served in the first world war and he became a lawyer after his brief service.

3. John Diefenbaker’s role on the world stage in the Cold War • John Diefenbaker had approved plans to join the United States in what became known as NORAD ( North American Aerospace Defence Command), it was an integrated air defence system in mid 1957. • Regardless of the Liberal misgivings that Diefenbaker had committed Canada to the system before consulting either the Cabinet or Parliament, Pearson and his followers voted with the government to approve NORAD in June 1958. • In 1959, the Diefenbaker government cancelled the development and manufacture of Avro CF-105 Arrow. • The Arrow was a supersonic jet inceptor built by Avro Canada in Malton Ontario, to defend Canada in the event of the Soviet attack.

4. John Diefenbaker’s role on the world stage in the Cold War • At the height of the Cold War during the infancy of the ICBM threat. There were shelters scattered across the country, these shelters were known as “Diefenbunkers”. • It was a nickname coined by federal opposition politicians of the early 1960’s, and was derived from the name of the Prime Minister of the day, John Diefenbaker who authorized their construction. • Over 50 bunkers were built, including the many redundant relocation unit locations as well as retrofitted buildings comprised many zone emergency government headquarters locations.

5. John Diefenbaker’s role on the world stage in the Cold War • When the American forces went to a heightened alert which was DEFCON 3, John Diefenbaker was slow to order Canadian forces to match it. • The crisis ended without war, and polls found that Kennedy’s actions were widely supported by Canadians and Diefenbaker was severely criticized in the media • Diefenbaker was initially inclined to go along with Kennedy’s request that nuclear weapons would be stationed on Canadian soil as part of NORAD. • On August 3 1961, a letter from Kennedy which urged this was leaked to the media and Diefenbaker was upset and withdrew his support. • Diefenbaker was also influenced by a massive demonstration against nuclear weapons, which took place on Parliament Hill.

6. John Diefenbaker’s role on the world stage in the Cold War • When the Cuban Missile Crisis erupted in October 1962, Kennedy chose not to consult Diefenbaker before making decisions on which actions to take. • Kennedy sent former Ambassador Merchant to Ottawa to inform Diefenbaker as to the content of the speech that Kennedy was to make on TV. • John Diefenbaker was upset at the lack of consultation and the fact that he was given less than two hours advance word. • Diefenbaker was angered again when the US government released a statement stating that it had Canada’s full support. • Diefenbaker proposed sending representatives of neutral nations to Cuba to confirm the American allegations, which Washington took to mean that Diefenbaker was questioning Kennedy’s word.

7. John Diefenbaker’s End • In foreign policy, Diefenbaker’s stance against apartheid helped secure the departure of South Africa from the Commonwealth of Nations, but his indecision on whether to accept Bomarcnuclear missiles from the United States led to his government's downfall. • Diefenbaker was embittered by his loss of the party leadership. Pearson announced his retirement in December 1967. • On August 16th 1979, Diefenbaker died of heart failure and his wife had passed away by illness before his death.