John Diefenbaker

Diefenbaker became the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, leading the Progressive Conservative Party. His victory ended 22 years of Liberal rule and was built on a populist platform.

Diefenbaker's government cancelled the Avro CF-105 Arrow, a state-of-the-art supersonic interceptor aircraft. The decision was controversial, leading to the loss of thousands of jobs and the destruction of the prototypes, but was driven by cost concerns.

Diefenbaker's government passed the Canadian Bill of Rights, a federal statute that guaranteed fundamental freedoms such as speech, assembly, and religion. Though not constitutional, it was a landmark in human rights protection.

Diefenbaker's government amended the Canada Elections Act to give First Nations people the right to vote in federal elections without losing their status. This was a significant step toward Indigenous rights.