“Everybody’s happy back in 57; Nobody’s happy since then; there was law in the land; order in the home; swimming in the river back then; I know in my heart that Dief will be the Chief; and a dollar will be a dollar again . . .”
Bob Bossin, from the classic Stringband song, “Dief will be the Chief Again” Click here to hear the entire song.
In Great Canadian Speeches, Dennis Gruending wrote: “John Diefenbaker was one of Canada’s finest political orators and perhaps our greatest election campaigner.” In the summer of 2008, Dief is the Chief . . . Again! brought some of John Diefenbaker’s greatest speeches back to life. Dief is the Chief . . . Again! re-created all the energy and excitement of a Diefenbaker campaign rally. The video to the right features highlights from Dief is the Chief . . . Again! when it was performed at the Kindersley and District Museum on Canada Day, 2008. You can also view 20 pictures taken at both Kindersley and Prince Albert performances by clicking here.
Diefenbaker was portrayed by Neil Millard, a long-time admirer of Diefenbaker, who saw Dief speak on numerous occasions. His performances captured the personality of the man from Prince Albert. Dief is the Chief . . . Again! was performed July 1 , 2008, as the featured entertainment at the Kindersley Plains Museum’s Annual Canada Day Buffalo Supper. Three more performances followed later in July in Dief’s old stumping grounds of Prince Albert. Co-sponsored by the Prince Albert Historical Society, these appearances attracted many of Diefenbaker’s old friends, who came to re-live some of the legendary excitement of a Diefenbaker campaign rally. Each performance of Dief is the Chief . . . Again! started with Diefenbaker moving through the crowd shaking hands and “main-streeting” as only Dief could. When he took the stage, he launched into some of his most famous speeches. He paid tribute to Saskatchewan’s pioneers, outlined his vision of the Canadian north, explained how a dam on the South Saskatchewan River promised a better future for Canada and argued against accepting concept that Canada is made up of two nations.
The photograph below was taken at the Dief is the Chief . . . Again! performance in Kindersley (Photograph courtesy of Tammy Rollie of the Kindersley Clarion).
