Today in Canada’s Political History: John Diefenbaker appoints first-ever Ukrainian-Canadian Senator

Prime Minster Diefenbaker made history on this date in 1959 by appointing John Hnatyshyn to the Senate of Canada. He was Canada’s first Ukrainian-Canadian member of the Red Chamber.

A Saskatoon lawyer, Hnatyshyn ran for the Tories in his home province in the 1935, 1940 and 1945 federal elections, but was defeated each time. The future Senator also sought a seat in the Saskatchewan Legislature, but was unsuccessful there as well.

He served in the Red Chamber until his death in 1967. Senator Hnatyshyn was the father of Ray Hnatyshyn, Canada’s 24th Governor General.Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist.  He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy.  A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.


Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.