John Diefenbaker Quotes

• I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.

  John Diefenbaker

  Country, Freedom, Believe

  John George Diefenbaker (1982). “The Wit & Wisdom of John Diefenbaker”, Hurtig Trade

  133 Copy quote

• In Pierre Trudeau, Canada has finally produced a Prime Minister worthy of assassination.

  John Diefenbaker

  Leadership, Canada, Prime

  138 Copy quote

• Freedom includes the right to say what others may object to and resent... The essence of citizenship is to be tolerant of strong and provocative words.

  John Diefenbaker

  Strong, Essence, Freedom Of Speech

  John George Diefenbaker (1982). “The Wit & Wisdom of John Diefenbaker”, Hurtig Trade

  81 Copy quote

• I have one love - Canada; one purpose - Canada's greatness; one aim - Canadian unity from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

  John Diefenbaker

  Greatness, Unity, Purpose

  55 Copy quote

• What is the difference between a cactus and a conservative caucus? On a cactus, the pricks are on the outside.

  John Diefenbaker

  Differences, Cactus, Politics

  178 Copy quote

• I am the first prime minister of this country of neither English nor French origin. So I determined to bring about a Canadian citizenship that knew no hyphenated consideration....I'm very happy to be able to say that in the House of Commons today in my party we have members of Italian, Dutch, German, Scandinavian, Chinese and Ukrainian origin and they are all Canadians.

  John Diefenbaker

  Country, Party, Italian

  80 Copy quote

• We must vigilantly stand on guard within our own borders for human rights and fundamental freedoms which are our proud heritage......w e cannot take for granted the continuance and maintenance of those rights and freedoms.

  John Diefenbaker

  Rights, Borders, Maintenance

  31 Copy quote

• There can be no dedication to Canada's future without a knowledge of its past.

  John Diefenbaker

  Past, Dedication, Canada

  "On Sir John A. Macdonald". Toronto Star, October 9, 1964.

  37 Copy quote

• You can't stand up for Canada with a banana for a backbone.

  John Diefenbaker

  Canada, Bananas, Parliament

  38 Copy quote

• I was criticized for being too much concerned with the average Canadians. I can't help that; I am one of them!

  John Diefenbaker

  Average, Too Much, Helping

  John Diefenbaker's speech to PC convention (September 1967), as quoted in Margaret Wente "I Never Say Anything Provocative", 1975.

  40 Copy quote

• The Liberals are the flying saucers of politics. No one can make head nor tail of them and they never are seen twice in the same place.

  John Diefenbaker

  Flying, Tails, Politics

  50 Copy quote

• When you come to Parliament on your first day, you wonder how you ever got here. After that, you wonder how the other 263 members got here.

  John Diefenbaker

  Firsts, Wonder, Parliament

  39 Copy quote

• I have an intensive hatred for discrimination based on colour.

  John Diefenbaker

  Hatred, Discrimination, Colour

  Maclean's, March 29, 1958.

  36 Copy quote

• Parliament is more than procedure - it is the custodian of the nation's freedom.

  John Diefenbaker

  Custodians, Parliament, Procedures

  John George Diefenbaker (1982). “The Wit & Wisdom of John Diefenbaker”, Hurtig Trade

  26 Copy quote

• I am not anti-American. But I am strongly pro-Canadian.

  John Diefenbaker

  Politics, Anti-american

  John George Diefenbaker (1982). “The Wit & Wisdom of John Diefenbaker”, Hurtig Trade

  44 Copy quote

• Some wonder why I have such a feeling of concern over the imposition of the death penalty. I ask those who wonder how would you feel if you defended a man charged with murder, who was as innocent as any hon. member in this House at this very moment, who was convicted; whose appeal was dismissed, who was executed; and six months later the star witness for the Crown admitted that he, himself, had committed the murder and blamed it on the accused? That experience will never be effaced from my memory.

  John Diefenbaker

  Stars, Memories, Men

  John Diefenbaker's speech in the House of Commons, May 1, 1972.

  37 Copy quote

• I've got all of my enemies here in the Cabinet where I can keep an eye on them.

  John Diefenbaker

  Eye, Political, Enemy

  21 Copy quote

• I've lived history. I've made history, and I know I'll have my place in history. That's not egoism.

  John Diefenbaker

  Made, Egoism, Knows

  John George Diefenbaker (1982). “The Wit & Wisdom of John Diefenbaker”, Hurtig Trade

  22 Copy quote

• Everyone is against me - except the people!

  John Diefenbaker

  People

  Rallying cry of the 1963 election campaign, 1963.

  16 Copy quote

• I am so excited about Canadians ruling the world.

  John Diefenbaker

  Ruling The World, Canada, Excited

  25 Copy quote

• One moment it's a cathedral, at another time there is no words to describe it when it ceases, for short periods of time, to have any regard for the proprieties that constitute not only Parliament, but its tradition. I've seen it in all its greatness. I have inwardly wept over it when it is degraded.

  John Diefenbaker

  Greatness, Tradition, Moments

  18 Copy quote

• I'm disturbed because the doctors tell me I'm as sound as a dollar.

  John Diefenbaker

  Doctors, Sound, Dollars

  John George Diefenbaker (1982). “The Wit & Wisdom of John Diefenbaker”, Hurtig Trade

  17 Copy quote

• That one never asks a question unless he knows the answer is basic to parliamentary questioning.

  John Diefenbaker

  Answers, Questioning, Knows

  John George Diefenbaker (1982). “The Wit & Wisdom of John Diefenbaker”, Hurtig Trade

  10 Copy quote

• I have always been a House of Commons man.

  John Diefenbaker

  Men, House, House Of Commons

  7 Copy quote

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