David James Walker

The Honourable David James Walker PC QC
Walker c.1950s
Minister of Public Works
In office 20 August 1959 – 12 July 1962
Prime Minister	John Diefenbaker
Preceded by	Howard Charles Green
Succeeded by	Howard Charles Green (acting)
Senator from Toronto, Ontario
In office 4 February 1963 – 30 September 1989
Appointed by	John Diefenbaker
Member of Parliament for Rosedale
In office 10 June 1957 – 17 June 1962
Preceded by	Charles Henry
Succeeded by	Donald Stovel Macdonald
Personal details
Born	(1905-05-10)10 May 1905 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died	28 November 1995(1995-11-28) (aged 90)
Political party	Progressive Conservative

David James Walker PC QC (10 May 1905 – 28 November 1995) was a Canadian politician.^[1]

Born in Toronto, Ontario, he was educated at Jarvis Collegiate Institute, the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1931.

He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the Toronto riding of Rosedale in the 1957 election after first losing the 1953 election. A Progressive Conservative, he was re-elected in 1958 but was defeated in 1962. From 1957 to 1958, he was the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. From 1959 to 1962, he was the Minister responsible for National Capital Commission, Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Minister of Public Works in the cabinet of John Diefenbaker.

A long-time friend of John Diefenbaker, he was Best Man at Diefenbaker's second wedding to Olive Diefenbaker in 1953. As well, he nominated Diefenbaker for leadership at the 1942 Winnipeg Progressive Conservative leadership convention and was his campaign manager in 1948. In 1963, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada representing the senatorial division of Toronto. He resigned in 1989.

Walker opposed Pierre Elliott Trudeau's proposed Senate reforms in 1969.^[2]

He published his memoirs Fun Along the Way: Memoirs of Dave Walker in 1989.

References

1. David James Walker – Parliament of Canada biography
2. Winnipeg Free Press, 14 February 1969, p. 9. The reforms included term limits and the right of provinces to appoint some Senators.

Further reading

• "David James Walker Diefenbaker confidant became a senator". The Globe and Mail. 23 September 1995.