On the day of his death the leader of the opposition, Pierre Trudeau, told reporters that Diefenbaker "had a vision of Canada that animated him and that gave him the ability to communicate with the people of Canada...I was struck by his vigorous defence of human rights and individual liberties. The Bill of Rights remains a monument to him...We were friends because we understood each other." The NDP leader Ed Broadbent commented that Diefenbaker was "the outstanding character in the House of Commons...Throughout his life he never forgot his humble beginnings."
Denis Smith, Rogue Tory The Life and Legend of John G. Diefenbaker (Macfarlane Walter & Ross:1995), p. 575.
