His Story
His Story: The Right Honourable James Garfield (Jimmy) Gardiner, P.C.
Nov.30, 1883 - Jan.12, 1962
James Garfield Gardiner was a teacher, farmer and politician. He was influenced by early poverty and by training in liberalism at Manitoba College, both of which led him to believe in individual effort. For 44 years he served the people of Saskatchewan and Canada as an elected member of Legislature and Parliament. He was a relentless Liberal who fought for his province and for the agricultural communities of Canada. He was the ‘Voice of the West’.
In September 1905, he stood in Victoria Square in Regina when Sir Wilfrid Laurier declared Saskatchewan a province. Gardiner’s political career began when he was elected to the Saskatchewan legislature in 1914, and ended with the Diefenbaker sweep of 1958. His tenure as Minister of Agriculture for 22 years is a record length for any Canadian to hold a cabinet portfolio.
Gardiner’s contributions while Premier of Saskatchewan include his recognition and political support of the multicultural communities settling the prairies, his negotiation of the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement, which transferred resource ownership rights to Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and the decision to create a Crown utility to supply electricity in Saskatchewan. As the strongest proponent for Western Canada in the federal government, Gardiner is known for restructuring the PFRA which helped to restructure prairie agriculture with an emphasis on water conservation, the creation of the PFAA, and for his leadership in mobilizing Canada’s food supply network to support the war effort during WW II.
Gardiner believed in Ministerial Accountability, in taking full responsibility, and is cited for this in the Gomery Commission Report of 2005. He also believed in patronage, as a device for getting things done, and in a small civil service. He supported cooperatives, social programs such as old age pensions, hospital care, and loyalty to his Party. Gardiner believed in individual effort and limited government, supporting reciprocity and opposing conscription.
Gardiner’s personal attributes and strength of character were well known, not always liked, but respected. He was a teetotaller, a humanitarian and a Presbyterian churchman. As church Union supporter, he was a signatory to the creation of the United Church of Canada.
The Right Honourable James Garfield (Jimmy) Gardiner, P.C.
Honorary Doctor of Laws: University of Manitoba, 1926
Imperial Privy Council: Sworn into the Privy Council by King George VI at Balmoral Castle, 1947
(allowing the pronominal honorific, The Right Honourable)
Order of Léopold: Belgium’s highest civilian honour was bestowed on Gardiner in recognition of his contributions to the War Effort (WW II)
Honorary Chief Thunder Cloud of Blood Indian Tribe: July 15, 1951
Honorary Doctor of Laws: University of Saskatchewan, 1959
Gardiner Dam: The Gardiner Dam near Outlook, Saskatchewan, which creates Lake Diefenbaker on the South Saskatchewan River, is named after Gardiner in 1967.