John George Diefenbaker

Canadian politician. Member of the Progressive Conservative Party. After joining the First World War, he obtained a degree from the University of Saskatchewan and opened a law practice. In 1940, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons and became Leader of the Opposition in 1956. He took power in the following general election (1957-63), but as he was a minority party, he held another general election in 1958 and won a landslide victory, taking 208 out of 265 seats. This victory is attributed to the people who were tired of the long Liberal era and Diefenbaker's personal charm. Under his administration, Canada turned its attention to northern development for the first time, and the long-awaited St. Lawrence Seaway, a joint US-Canada project, was completed, marking a period of post-World War II euphoria. However, the party was divided over the issue of accepting nuclear weapons from the US, and the Liberal Party took power.

[Yuko Ohara]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

カナダの政治家。進歩保守党に所属。第一次世界大戦参戦後サスカチェワン大学で学位をとり、弁護士を開業。1940年カナダ下院議員に当選して政界に入り、56年に野党党首となる。翌年の総選挙で政権を獲得した（1957～63）が、少数与党であったため、58年ふたたび総選挙を行い、265議席中208議席を占める大勝利を実現した。この勝利は、長い自由党時代に飽きた人心とディーフェンベーカー個人の魅力に帰される。彼の政権下、カナダは初めて北方開発に関心を向け、また懸案であったアメリカ・カナダ共同事業のセント・ローレンス水路の完成をみるなど、第二次世界大戦後の高揚期が続いたが、アメリカからの核兵器受け入れ問題で党内が割れ、自由党に政権を譲った。

［大原祐子］

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