Base → People → From different angles → A matter of age → Oldest legislatures with survivors

Are there surviving members from the John Diefenbaker era?

by Maurice Y. Michaud (he/him)

Eleanor Millard (1942– )
© Photo 1978 Legislative Assembly, Yukon — Fair use

Maybe it’s just me. Or maybe not.

Even when I was young, I didn’t think of 20, 30 or 40 years ago as being far back in time. Of course, I suppose it depends on what we’re talking about. If we’re talking about that teal shirt I used to wear back in the 1990s and assumed I had long left behind in one of my moves but I found the other day in my cedar chest that I rarely open, then yes, I’m ready to call it that old thing. But if we’re talking about history, 40 years ago is a blip in time. That said, when I realize that “40 years ago” means 1985, then I’m likely to start feeling a bit faint.

Perhaps because I compiled all the Canadian election results since 1865, the year 1968 doesn’t seem that far back. But then it dawned on me. Given that, in 1968, one still had to be 21 years old to vote or run for office, the youngest person whose name would have been on a ballot would be 78 years old today. And given that the average age of those who were elected to Parliament that year was 46, that would mean that they would be on average 103 years old today. In other words, there’s more than a very good chance that most of those people are dead by now!

So that got me thinking. How far back in time must we go to still find at least one surviving former elected parliamentarian? I (and you) now have the answer in this table. Nunavut is excluded as its first assembly goes back only 26 years. As of November 2025, there are still some members who were elected as CCF, which was replaced by the NDP in 1961 (or 64 years ago), or as Alberta Social Credit, whose last four members were elected in 1979 (or 46 years ago).

This list comprises 25 men and 2 women. And the answer to the question in the headline is YES.

Canada

Current parliament: 45 Oldest parliament: 24 (1958)
Gérard Bruchési (1931– )		Government Riding Beauharnois—Salaberry, Québec Party Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Age at election 27 years Current age 94 years 7 months
Émilien Morissette (1927– )		Government Riding Rimouski, Québec Party Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Age at election 31 years Current age 98 years 7 months

British Columbia

Current legislature: 43 Oldest legislature: 29 (1969)
Donald Marshall (1932– )		Government Riding South Peace River Party British Columbia Social Credit Party Age at election 37 years Current age 93 years 3 months

Alberta

Current legislature: 31 Oldest legislature: 15 (1963)
Ray Speaker (1935– )		Government Riding Little Bow Party Social Credit Party of Alberta Age at election 27 years 6 months Current age 89 years 10 months

Saskatchewan

Current legislature: 30 Oldest legislature: 13 (1956)
Kim Thorson (1932– )		Government Riding Souris-Estevan Party Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Sask.) Age at election 24 years 3 months Current age 93 years 8 months

Manitoba

Current legislature: 43 Oldest legislature: 25 (1958)
Ed Schreyer (1935– )		Opposition Riding Brokenhead Party Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Manitoba) Age at election 22 years 5 months Current age 89 years 10 months

Ontario

Current parliament: 44 Oldest parliament: 26 (1959)
Robert Nixon (1928– )		Opposition Riding Brant (by-election, 1962) Party Liberal Party of Ontario Age at election 33 years 6 months Current age 97 years 3 months

Québec

Current legislature: 43 Oldest legislature: 26 (1960)
Harry Blank (1925– )		Government Riding Montréal—Saint-Louis Party Quebec Liberal Party Age at election 35 years Current age 100 years 5 months
Gérald Harvey (1928– )		Government Riding Jonquière-Kénogami Party Quebec Liberal Party Age at election 32 years 3 months Current age 97 years 8 months

New Brunswick

Current legislature: 61 Oldest legislature: 46 (1967)
Gérald Clavette (1942– )		Government Riding Madawaska Party New Brunswick Liberal Party Age at election 25 years 5 months Current age 83 years 6 months
Alan Graham (1942– )		Government Riding Kent Party New Brunswick Liberal Party Age at election 25 years 3 months Current age 83 years 4 months
Robert Higgins (1934– )		Government Riding Saint John Centre Party New Brunswick Liberal Party Age at election 33 years 9 months Current age 91 years 9 months
Frank Kane (1932– )		Government Riding Northumberland (by-election, 1969) Party New Brunswick Liberal Party Age at election 36 years 10 months Current age 93 years 3 months
Lorne McGuigan (1936– )		Opposition Riding Saint John Centre Party Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick Age at election 31 years 7 months Current age 89 years 8 months

Nova Scotia

Current legislature: 65 Oldest legislature: 49 (1967)
Tando MacIsaac (1943– )		Government Riding Guysborough (by-election, 1969) Party Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party Age at election 25 years 8 months Current age 82 years 5 months
Gordon Tidman (1932– )		Government Riding Kings West Party Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party Age at election 34 years 9 months Current age 93 years 2 months

Prince Edward Island

Current legislature: 67 Oldest legislature: 50 (1962)
Alex Campbell (1933– )		Opposition Riding Prince 5th - Councillor (by-election, 1965) Party Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island Age at election 31 years 2 months Current age 91 years 11 months

Newfoundland and Labrador

Current legislature: 51 Oldest legislature: 34 (1966)
Tom Burgess (1933– )		Government Riding Labrador West Party Liberal Party of Newfoundland Age at election 33 years Current age 92 years 2 months
Bill Rowe (1942– )		Government Riding White Bay South Party Liberal Party of Newfoundland Age at election 24 years 3 months Current age 83 years 5 months
Clyde Wells (1937– )		Government Riding Humber East Party Liberal Party of Newfoundland Age at election 28 years 9 months Current age 88 years

Yukon

Current legislature: 36 Oldest legislature: 23 (1974)
Dan Lang (1948– )		Riding Whitehorse Porter Creek Party Independent Age at election 26 years 6 months Current age 77 years 7 months
Eleanor Millard (1942– )		Riding Ogilvie Party Independent Age at election 32 years 7 months Current age 83 years 8 months
Willard Phelps (1941– )		Riding Whitehorse Riverdale Party Independent Age at election 32 years 11 months Current age 84 years

Northwest Territories

Current legislature: 20 Oldest legislature: 7 (1970)
Willie Adams (1934– )		Riding Keewatin Party Independent Age at election 36 years 5 months Current age 91 years 4 months
Lena Pedersen (c.1940– )		Riding Central Arctic Party Independent Age at election ±30 years 11 months Current age ±85 years 10 months
James Rabesca (1944– )		Riding Great Slave North Party Independent Age at election 26 years 5 months Current age 81 years 3 months
Nick Sibbeston (1943– )		Riding Mackenzie-Laird Party Independent Age at election 27 years 1 month Current age 81 years 11 months