John Diefenbaker Quotes

16 Sourced Quotes

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

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

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

John Diefenbaker
I am not anti-American. But I am strongly pro-Canadian.

John Diefenbaker
I have an intensive hatred for discrimination based on colour.

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

John Diefenbaker
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
Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong.

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

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

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

John Diefenbaker
Well, Mr. Prime Minister, I can't waste any more time on you. I must get back to work.

John Diefenbaker
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
Upon being summoned to an 80th birthday party for himself:
While there's snow on the roof, it doesn't mean the fire has gone out in the furnace.

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

John Diefenbaker