Donald Fleming

Fleming, Donald Methuen

Donald Methuen Fleming, lawyer, politician (b at Exeter, Ont 23 May 1905; d at Toronto 31 Dec 1986). Minister of finance in the DIEFENBAKER government (1957-62), Fleming is best remembered for his dispute with Bank of Canada Governor James COYNE. Elected to the House in 1945, he contested the Tory leadership in 1948, 1956 and 1967. In May 1956, during the PIPELINE DEBATE, Fleming was ruled out of order in asking a question - incorrectly, as history has shown - and expelled from the House by the Speaker. A highly publicized debate with Coyne over monetary and fiscal policy overshadowed his hard work when finance minister. In 1962 Fleming became minister of justice and attorney general and, apart from a brief flirtation with the leadership in 1967, resigned from public life in 1963.