General

Man claims to be the son of former PM

DNA test give hope to possible Diefenbaker “lovechild”

John George Dryden—a Toronto man who claims to be former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker’s biological son—has moved one step closer to unveiling his true paternity after a DNA test proved the man who raised him (former Liberal politician George Dryden) is not his biological father. John George Dryden believes that his mother, once a prominent Conservative socialite, had an affair with Diefenbeker that resulted in pregnancy after which she signed a fake birth certificate “due to the social stigma and political sensitivities prevalent in Canadian society in 1968.” Dryden’s claim that he is Diefenbaker’s son is based on family hearsay and his first name. Dryden’s lawyer, Stephen Edell, says the University of Saskatchewan’s Diefenbaker Centre (home to a number of Diefenbaker artifacts) is considering a request for a DNA sample, and should provide Dryden with an answer next month.

The National Post

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: