The Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker Centre for the Study of Canada, popularly known as the Diefenbaker Canada Centre, is a prime ministerial museum and archives located in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as th ...

, honouring

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

's 13th

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

, the Rt. Hon. John G. Diefenbaker. Upon his election as chancellor of the

University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

in 1969, Diefenbaker approached the university with an offer to donate his estate to the institution, on the condition that a museum and archives be built to house and display his items. Diefenbaker's inspiration in this regard was the

Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and resting place of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States (1945–1953), his wife Bess and daughter Margaret, and is located on U.S. Highwa ...

Independence, Missouri Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2020, ...

, which he had previously visited. The university accepted Diefenbaker's donation. Construction began on the centre, which opened on June 12, 1980. The centre's museum contains a permanent display on the life and career of Diefenbaker, highlighted by replica rooms of the Prime Minister's Office and Privy Council Chambers, as they existed on

Parliament Hill Parliament Hill (french: Colline du Parlement, colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings, and their archit ...

during his governments from 1957 to 1963. A portion of the museum is set aside for traveling exhibits related to his career interests. In 1997, one of these exhibitions was the site of a theft when items were stolen from an exhibition of French jewelry.Jewels lifted by crafty thieves Lyons, Murray.Star - Phoenix; Saskatoon, Sask. askatoon, Sask0 Jan 1997: A1. The Diefenbaker Canada Centre archives contains Diefenbaker's personal and professional papers, photographs, and audio-visual material, including his prime ministerial papers. The papers of Diefenbaker, and those of R.B. Bennett, are the only prime ministerial papers not housed at Library and Archives Canada. File:DieenbakerCentre.jpg, John G. Diefenbaker Centre for the Study of Canada File:DiefenbakerJohnGeorge.jpg, John G. Diefenbaker Centre for the Study of Canada

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Diefenbaker Centre University of Saskatchewan Museums in Saskatoon University museums in Canada History museums in Saskatchewan Biographical museums in Canada John Diefenbaker 1980 establishments in Saskatchewan Museums established in 1980