Driedger, Elmer A., 1913-1985 : Elmer A. Driedger was a lawyer and a public servant. He was born in Osler, Saskatchewan on 14 January, 1913. He remained in Osler during his years in public school, but later attended high school in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. From 1929 to 1934 he attended the University of Saskatchewan where he received his B.A. in 1932 and his LLB. in 1934. He went on to do post graduate studies in Europe at Marburg University, 1934 and at Kiel University, 1935.
Driedger was called to the Bar of Saskatchewan on 1 March 1937. In 1939 he practised law with Ferguson, MacDermid and MacDermid of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and in 1940 with his own firm Graham and Driedger, of Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Driedger lectured in Company Law at the University of Saskatchewan in 1939 and in Legislation and Administrative Law at the University of Ottawa from 1957 to 1959. In 1963 he was awarded honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Ottawa.
In 1940 Driedger joined the federal Department of Justice and was appointed Librarian, Supreme Court of Canada. He was appointed King's Counsel 6 July 1949. In 1954 he became Assistant Deputy Minister of Justice and then went on to become Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada on 1 July 1960. In March 1967 he was appointed Consul General of Canada, Hamburg, West Germany.
Driedger joined the Faculty of Law at Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario in August 1969. He later joined the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa in July 1970 to direct and teach a Master's programme in legislation and legislative drafting. He retired from teaching in 1979, but continued to play an advisory role and taught a course in legislative drafting for the Department of Justice. He also continued to advise students on their theses.
Driedger participated in the Conference of Commissioners on the Uniformity of Legislation, 1947 to 1967; the National Council on the Administration of Justice, 1958 to 1967; and the Statutes Revision Commissions of 1948 to 1952 and 1965 to 1967. His memberships included the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Law Society of Saskatchewan and the Canadian Bar Association. He has published four texts on legislation The Construction of Legislation; The Composition of Legislation; Legislative Forms and Precedents;; and The Composition of Legislation - Legislative Forms and Precedents, as well as many articles on constitutional law, legislation, fundamental rights and related topics. In 1960 Driedger was awarded the Professional Institute of Public Service Gold Medal. He died on the 21 September 1985 in Ottawa.
