Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, May 8, 2010--The Honourable Jim Prentice, Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today unveiled a Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque formally honouring the Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker as a person of national historic significance.
“Prime Minister Diefenbaker was a charismatic leader and powerful orator whose achievements included extending national social programs, promoting Northern development, and championing human rights in Canada and abroad,” said Minister Prentice. “We can only imagine the challenges he had to overcome when he decided to appoint the first woman to Cabinet and the first Native to the Senate. It was a different time back then. And we can see that we owe a true debt of gratitude to John Diefenbaker.”
A spellbinding speaker, “Dief, the Chief” served as Canada’s 13th Prime Minister from 1957 to 1963. As Prime Minister, Mr. Diefenbaker was responsible for passing the Canadian Bill of Rights, which ensured equality rights, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press: the first Canadian law to do so. In addition, he extended the vote to Aboriginal people and contributed to forcing South Africa’s racist Apartheid regime out of the Commonwealth.
“The Man from Prince Albert”, Diefenbaker held his House of Commons seat representing Saskatchewan from 1940 until his death in 1979. Thousands saluted the special train that bore his body back to Saskatchewan where he was buried on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon.
“The Government of Canada is proud to formally recognize and celebrate the national historic significance of this great Canadian,” added Mr. Randy Hoback, Member of Parliament for Prince Albert. “Today’s formal recognition of Prime Minister Diefenbaker is a lasting tribute to the man who himself once said that without knowing the past, we can never understand the present, and certainly can do nothing for the future.”
For additional information, please see the accompanying backgrounder at www.parkscanada.gc.ca under Media Room.
Information:
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441
Marilyn Peckett
A/Superintendent
Prince Albert National Park
Parks Canada
306-663-4501
http://twitter.com/jimprentice
Backgrounder associated with this News Release.
The Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker
