Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the Right Hon. John George Diefenbaker, Canada's 13th Prime Minister, who first took his seat in the House of Commons on this day in 1940.
The Chief, as he was known, served the constituents of my riding of Prince Albert for 39 years until his death in 1979. That strong association with Prince Albert, I have found, continues to this day.
John Diefenbaker is remembered for a number of accomplishments, including the appointment in 1957 of Ellen Fairclough as the first woman cabinet minister and the extension of the vote to all aboriginals in 1960. His most important contribution to Canada was the drafting of the Canadian Bill of Rights, which passed in 1958.
Diefenbaker was a leader who made Canadians feel good about themselves, beginning most of his public addresses with his distinctive “My fellow Canadians”.
It is fitting then that his riding should be represented now by a party that believes in the common sense of the common people and their right to be consulted on public policy matters.