Born in
Toronto,
Ontario, he was educated at
Jarvis Collegiate Institute, the
University of Toronto and
Osgoode Hall Law School. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1931. He was first elected to the
House of Commons of Canada for the Toronto riding of
Rosedale in the
1957 election after first losing the
1953 election. A
Progressive Conservative, he was re-elected in
1958 but was defeated in
1962. From 1957 to 1958, he was the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. From 1959 to 1962, he was the Minister responsible for National Capital Commission, Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and
Minister of Public Works in the cabinet of
John Diefenbaker. A long-time friend of John Diefenbaker, he was Best Man at Diefenbaker's second wedding to
Olive Diefenbaker in 1953. As well, he nominated Diefenbaker for leadership at the 1942
Winnipeg Progressive Conservative leadership convention and was his campaign manager in 1948. In 1963, he was appointed to the
Senate of Canada representing the senatorial division of Toronto. He resigned in 1989. Walker opposed
Pierre Elliott Trudeau's proposed Senate reforms in 1969. He published his memoirs
Fun Along the Way: Memoirs of Dave Walker in 1989. ==References==