Background
She was born in Wawanesa, Manitoba, and worked as a schoolteacher in Saskatoon before marrying John Diefenbaker in 1929.
She was born in Wawanesa, Manitoba, and worked as a schoolteacher in Saskatoon before marrying John Diefenbaker in 1929.
Outgoing and vivacious, with a genuine concern for others, Edna was an exceptionally popular teacher. Her marriage brought an end to her teaching career, and Edna devoted her energies to the advancement of Diefenbaker"s political career. Edna also edited Diefenbaker"s speeches, and often acted as chauffeur, driving him to meetings
Perhaps most importantly, Edna helped John to overcome his shyness and develop into a gregarious "man of the people", which would factor greatly in his future political successes.
She was a constant presence in the visitor"s gallery in the Canadian House of Commons, and was crucial in establishing close relationships between John and reporters in the Ottawa press gallery. She died of leukemia in 1951.
MPs in the Canadian House of Commons gave her "unprecedented eulogies" for a non-Member of Parliament.
Author Heather Robertson also wrote on her and other spouses of the Prime Ministers of Canada in the book More Than a Rose (1991).
Upon Diefenbaker"s election as a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament Edna worked tirelessly on his behalf, in an unpaid capacity. In 1982, Edna became the focus of Simma Holt"s book The Other Mistress Diefenbaker, which, among other things, described Edna being subject to shock therapy, and also made disobliging comments about the character of John Diefenbaker.
lieutenant is noted that the author was a former Liberal Member of Parliament.