Don Jamieson

Jamieson, Donald Campbell

Donald Campbell Jamieson, broadcaster, politician, diplomat (b at St John's 30 Apr 1921; d at Swift Current, Nfld 19 Nov 1986). He first achieved prominence as a broadcaster in the 1940s, in time becoming Newfoundland's most recognized radio and TV personality and cofounder of a communications empire. In the Confederation debate of the late 1940s, he advocated a Newfoundland-US economic union over union with Canada. Elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal in 1966, he served in the federal Cabinet 1968-79, most notably as minister of external affairs 1976-79. He became leader of the Newfoundland Liberal Party in May 1979, a month before the Liberals were defeated in a general election, and resigned in 1980. Jamieson was appointed to his last public post, Canadian high commissioner to Great Britain, in 1982. Upon leaving public life in 1985, he was much in demand as a public speaker and had intended to write his political memoirs.