The Avro Arrow

 In 1959, Prime Minister Diefenbaker canceled the Avro Arrow program.  A Canadian company had developed the highly advanced jet fighter.  It was said to be 20 years ahead of its time.  Its cost was $12 million per plane, which Diefenbaker thought was too expensive.  Some thought that fighter jets were out of date, because of advances made in missile technology, like the USSR's Sputnik.  When the program was canceled, 15,000 highly skilled workers lost their jobs.  Diefenbaker was criticized for dealing a fatal blow to Canada's aerospace industry. Prime Minister Diefenbaker The first satellite in space - Sputnik

The CIM-10 Bomarc Missile

 BOMARC missiles were used as part of Canada's air defense.  They were intended to destroy Soviet nuclear bombers before they reached their targets in Canada and the US.  BOMARC missiles were generally useless unless they were armed with nuclear missiles.  Diefenbaker seemed reluctant to allow nuclear weapons onto Canadian territory.  Diefenbaker called an election over the issue in  The Liberals, led by Lester B. Pearson, defeated Diefenbaker's Conservative and formed a minority government. Prime Minister Lester B Pearson.