Donald Fleming

For the politician from Alberta, see Donald S. Fleming. For the Canadian chemist, see Donald Fleming (chemist).

Donald Fleming
The Hon. Donald Methuen Fleming
Member of Parliament for Eglinton
In office 1945–1963
Preceded by	Frederick Hoblitzell
Succeeded by	Mitchell Sharp
Minister of Justice
In office 1962–1963
Prime Minister	John Diefenbaker
Preceded by	Davie Fulton
Succeeded by	Lionel Chevrier
Minister of Finance
In office 1957–1962
Prime Minister	John Diefenbaker
Preceded by	Walter Harris
Succeeded by	George Nowlan
Personal details
Born	Donald Methuen Fleming (1905-05-23)May 23, 1905 Exeter, Ontario
Died	December 31, 1986(1986-12-31) (aged 81) Toronto, Ontario
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Residence	Toronto, Ontario

Donald Methuen Fleming, PC (May 23, 1905 – December 31, 1986) was a Canadian parliamentarian, International Monetary Fund official and lawyer, born in Exeter, Ontario, Canada.

Life and career

Fleming was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1945 general election as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the Toronto riding of Eglinton. In 1948, he was a candidate in that year's Progressive Conservative leadership convention, losing to George Drew. He ran for the leadership again in the 1956 leadership convention, losing to John George Diefenbaker.

The Speaker expelled Fleming from the House of Commons during the 1956 Pipeline Debate that helped lead to the defeat of the Liberal government of Louis St. Laurent in the 1957 general election.

Diefenbaker became the new Prime Minister and appointed Fleming to the cabinet as Minister of Finance. As finance minister, Fleming clashed with the governor of the Bank of Canada, James Coyne, over monetary policy and ultimately demanded and got Coyne's resignation in 1961. In 1962, Fleming became the Attorney General of Canada before retiring from politics in 1963.

Fleming returned to politics to seek the PC Party leadership at the 1967 leadership convention for a third time, but came in seventh, and left political life for good.

In later life, he was Governor of the World Bank, an International Monetary Fund official and Chairman of the Bank of Nova Scotia.

External links

• Donald Fleming – Parliament of Canada biography