THE RECORD

November 01, 1995

BACK TO THE EGG

Suzanne Trevis

September 18, 1995 slid by without anyone batting an eye. Except for a few historians, and possibly family members, the date probably didn't ring bells with many. Too be honest it didn't with me either, other than the fact that it was almost my own birthday! But, while doing a little digging the other week I came across it quite by accident and was somewhat embarrassed at how little I really know about my own country's history. It would have been the one hundredth birthday of former Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker.

"So what does that have to do with us?", you say.

John Diefenbaker was born in Grey County, Ontario September 18, 1895. He won the Conservative Party leadership in 1956 and became Prime Minister of Canada in 1957. In 1963 after a vote of no confidence, the PCs lost the majority and he resigned as Prime Minister, but stayed on as leader of the party until the early part of 1967. He also continued to sit in the House of Commons until his death in 1979. And, for a brief time, in December of 1967, he was here, in Gold River.

He arrived in town, unheralded on December 5th, but it was probably only a matter of minutes before the news filtered around. (Some things never change!) Our local reporter at that time was Joan Donovan. "Just go up to him and shake his hand," She was told. So after mustering all her courage she approached him and asked for an interview.

I read Mrs. Donovan's piece in the Upper Islander. They sat in the coffee shop and she was quite surprised at the number of young people who came through and approached him to ask questions or just get autographs. She found him very easy to talk to and said she had a hard time taking notes fast enough. The piece was good and I was surprised to hear from a coworker years later that she was so nervous at the time she could hardly think.

Mr. Diefenbaker visited both the elementary and secondary schools on the 9th. In his address to the senior students he stressed two dominant themes, equality for all, and the development of the north. He talked about the Bill of Rights, the triumph of his political career. "No matter what our ethnic origin or accident of birth, we are all Canadian with equal rights and an equal heritage," he said.

The real purpose behind his visit, though, was the same as many today. Mr. Diefenbaker had come to Gold River ...... to fish. When asked if he had caught any steelhead he was quoted as saying, "No, I had one on the line for about 20 minutes and lost him, a big fellow. I don't consider myself a great fisherman ..... I like to fish, it's my only relaxation. It doesn't matter if I ever catch a fish."

Mr. Tim Timmons, then local hunting and fishing guide with an office at the Gold River Inn said that the former Canadian Prime Minister was his favorite guest. His photograph, with the inscription "To Tim - The Master Guide", decorated the hotel lobby for years. And, one of the best fishing spots on the river is still called Diefenbaker Hole, after the famous visitor.