Charles Avery Dunning (July 31, 1885_October 2, 1958) was born in England but moved to Canada, in 1902 where he soon became a leader of the farmers' movement and a founder of the cooperative marketing system. In 1911, he became the first general manager of the Saskatchewan Cooperative Elevator Company, which ran grain elevators in the province.

Farmers movements had begun to become politically active, founding political parties throughout Canada, and winning provincial elections under the United Farmers banner. Dunning persuaded the movement in Saskatchewan to support the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and the Liberal Party of Canada. Dunning was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan as a Liberal in 1916. He became Premier in 1922, and was able to maintain support for both the federal and provincial parties where elsewhere farmers switched their support to the Progressive Party of Canada and United Farmers.

The Liberals chose Dunning as their leader in hopes of curtailing the rise of the Progressive movement, and he was successful in keeping the trust of farmers. Dunning's government also ended prohibition after a 1924 plebiscite favoured the introduction of government-owned and operated liquor stores.

Dunning left provincial politics in 1926 to join the federal Cabinet of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. He served as Minister of Railways and Canals and later as Minister of Finance in the King governments of 1926_30 and 1935_39.

In ill health, Dunning left politics in 1939 to enter the business world. He was appointed chancellor of Queen's University in 1940.