CANADA HISTORY - Prime Ministers
Alexander Mackenzie was born in a humble croft in the Scottish Highlands at the Pass in , a region steeped in history and rugged beauty. His early years were shaped by the hard life of a stonemason, a trade he embraced with determination. By the time he reached his twenties, he had become a fully qualified stonemason, a profession that required not only physical endurance but skill and craftsmanship. However, Mackenzie’s ambitions stretched far beyond the stone walls he built. Alongside his professional development, his spiritual journey led him to leave the Church of Scotland, the faith of his family, and become a devout Baptist, a move that signified his independent mind and moral conviction, qualities that would define his political career.
At this time, Canada, then a collection of British colonies, was attracting the attention of ambitious Scots, enticed by tales of opportunity and new beginnings. During one of these chance moments, a visiting cabinet minister from Upper Canada arrived in Mackenzie’s region, speaking of the vast opportunities awaiting those who were willing to cross the Atlantic for the modest sum of £3. This vision
MACKENZIE, ALEXANDER, stonemason, businessman, militia officer, journalist, politician, and author; b. 28 Jan. in Logierait, Perthshire, Scotland, son of Alexander Mackenzie and Mary Stewart Fleming; m. first 28 March Helen Neil (d. ) in Kingston, Upper Canada, and they had two daughters, one of whom died in infancy, and a son, who also died as a child; m. secondly 17 June Jane Sym; they had no children; d. 17 April in Toronto and was buried in Sarnia.
Alexander Mackenzie was the third of ten sons, three of whom died as infants. The family was not well off, as frequent moves, from Logierait to Edinburgh and then in turn to Perth, Pitlochry, and Dunkeld, attested. Mackenzie’s father was trying to improve his job prospects through these moves. He had done well as a carpenter during the high employment of the Napoleonic Wars; perhaps this success had expedited his marriage in However, employment and wage expectations had declined thereafter and by the s his health was precarious. His death in , at the age of 52, made the family’s position difficult. Yet the steady industry of the three elder sons, Robert, Hope Fleming, and
Alexander Mackenzie
One of the only Canadian prime ministers who never worked as a lawyer, stone-mason Alexander Mackenzie is usually remembered as an honest, honourable guy who was nevertheless completely ill-suited for the rough-and-tumble world of 19th century Canadian politics. Serving a short tenure between the two terms of John A. Macdonald (), his prime ministership was forgettable at best.
A Scottish immigrant like Macdonald, Mackenzie was never one of the leading lights of the Canadian Liberals, and only became head of the party because no one else wanted the job. Elected to the first Canadian Parliament in , he was appointed prime minister by Governor General Lord Dufferin () a mere five years later, after Macdonald resigned in shame following the Pacific Scandal, which had exposed a complex web of corruption surrounding the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Mackenzie called an election and was properly elected to the prime ministership in
Mackenzie’s four-year tenure passed largely without any huge achievements — on purpose. On the opposition bench, Mackenzie&#;s Liberals had blasted the Macdonald administration for spending money with reckless
Alexander Mackenzie
Alexander Mackenzie () was a Scottish-born Canadian political leader. He was head of the Liberal party and the first Liberal prime minister of Canada.
On Jan. 28, , Alexander Mackenzie was born near Dunkeld. His parents were poor, and young Mackenzie left school to apprentice himself to a stone mason. At the age of 20 Mackenzie emigrated to Canada, where he soon found work in his trade at Kingston, Upper Canada. Prospering, Mackenzie moved to Sarnia, further west, as builder and contractor. He was also a concerned citizen, and in he became the editor of the Lambton Shield, a tiny newspaper that nonetheless served to give him access to the world of politics. In he ran successfully for the Assembly as a Reformer, and in he was elected to the first Parliament of Canada, where he became the leader of the opposition to the government of Sir John Alexander Macdonald. For a time in / he was treasurer of Ontario, but in he determined to devote his time to federal politics.
The Macdonald government was pressing ahead with plans for a transcontinental railroad but had unfortunately become too close in its relations with financiers and contractors. The resulti
Biographies you may also like
Alexander hamilton biography banking As the nation's first secretary of the treasury under President George Washington (–; served –97; see entry in volume 2), Alexander Hamilton mapped out an .
Vanessa da mata biography books Explore Vanessa da Mata's discography including top tracks, albums, and reviews. Learn all about Vanessa da Mata on AllMusic.
Tesha miller biography Reputed Clansman gang leader, Tesha Miller has been successful in his application in the court of appeal to get audio recordings of the judge’s summation at his trial. .
Koo jeong a biography about michael jackson Koo Jeong A is a South-Korean born and Paris-based mixed-media and installation g: michael jackson.
Giordano bruno biografia resumen Giordano Bruno fue un filósofo, matemático y astrónomo italiano, nacido el 28 de enero de en Nola, cerca de Nápoles. Su vida y obra se desarrollaron en un contexto .
Jamelle wells husband and wife Jamelle Wells is an ABC television and radio presenter and the Senior Court Reporter for New South Wales. She works across television, radio and online. Jamelle has covered some of .