This series contains the records of John Diefenbaker’s personal and political activities before his election to Parliament in May 1940, excluding his legal papers (MG 01/I Legal Series) and his family correspondence (MG 01/V Legal Series). There is material about his education at the University of Saskatchewan and his military career during the First World War. There is a large section on the Saskatchewan provincial Conservative Party which he led from 1936 to 1939. This series also contains transcripts of the Bryant Commission Inquiry into jails and provincial police for which Diefenbaker served as legal counsel. Diefenbaker received many requests for assistance from members of the general public which provide information about the wide range of political, social and financial problems Saskatchewan experienced in the 1920s and 1930s.

This subseries includes all material on the general elections from 1940 to 1953, federal by-elections, and provincial elections.

This subseries contains general subject files about Progressive Conservative party affairs within the constituency, and requests from constituents for assistance in dealing with the federal government in matters of pensions, unemployment and taxation. Election files from the constituency are filed with the general election files.

This series contains documents relating to Diefenbaker’s actions for the collection of rents, unpaid loans and other debts. Those cases involving extensive litigation to collect the debts are to be found in the case files.

This subseries contains records of the routine administration of Diefenbaker’s legal practice. There are financial records, legal diaries, and administrative correspondence. There is also correspondence with Diefenbaker’s partners and other lawyers and judges.

This subseries consists of all files relating to the 1942, 1948, and 1956 conventions, national and provincial organizations, and the development of policy positions.

This subseries consists of personal records and general correspondence, including Diefenbaker’s financial records, invitations, and requests for assistance from persons outside of Diefenbaker’s constituency.

This subseries contains correspondence between Diefenbaker and clients, or prospective clients, seeking legal advice on a wide range of topics. Many files are incomplete and it is impossible to determine the outcome of the case. There are also files of miscellaneous documents relating not only to the Requests for Assistance Subseries, but to the Case Files Subseries and the Collections Subseries.

This series includes the papers generated and accumulated by Diefenbaker from March 1940 to December 1956, excluding his legal papers (MG 01/I Legal Series) and his family correspondence (MG 01/V Family Series). In addition to the four subseries there are files on political and other topics.

This series contains reference material collected by John Diefenbaker and his staff from 1940, when he was elected to Parliament, to 1957, when he became Prime Minister. A wide range of political and social subjects, both Canadian and international, are present.

This series contains Diefenbaker’s papers for the six month period of his first term as Leader of the Opposition. Although Diefenbaker outpolled Donald Fleming and Davie Fulton after the first ballot, his rise to prominence had not been without its setbacks. This was his third try for the opposition which had escaped his grasp in 1942 and 1948. This series consists largely of post-convention correspondence and election material, but there are also files about headquarters organization, the appointment of advisors, and current political events such as the release of the report of the Gordon Commission on Canada’s Economic Prospects.