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Today in Canada's Political History: September 30, 1957, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker lays into the USSR during UN speech

  • Arthur Milnes

  • National Newswatch

  • September 30, 2026

Arthur Milnes, creator of Art's History on National Newswatch, is an accomplished public historian, award-winning journalist, and in-house historian at the Frontenac Club Hotel who brings Canada's political history to life through engaging stories, historical insights, and personal anecdotes drawn from his encounters with many of the country's leading figures.

Rookie Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, who had only taken office three months before, took his turn at the podium at the UN General Assembly on this date in 1960. It was a tough talking Dief the world saw that day and Canada’s Prime Minister took special aim at the USSR and its refusal to allow outside inspectors to confirm that nation’s adherence to arms control agreements. You can watch a highlight of Dief’s speech at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3APdgxHXYQ


 

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.