Canadian Prime Ministers: Sir John MacDonald and Alexander Mackenzie

1. Sir John MacDonald (1867-1873), Liberal-Conservative

MacDonald was born in 1815 in Glasgow.  His family emigrated to Canada in 1820.  His father was a shopkeeper and John, like many of his generation had no formal schooling after he left grammar school.  At the time after he left grammar school he decided to study for the law and was apprenticed to a lawyer for this purpose.  In 1836 he qualified for the bar and shortly afterwards took on two apprentices under him, who also became "fathers of confederation".  He practiced in what is now known as the Picton and Kingston area of Ontario.  He became active in colonial government. When a capital of the new colony was originally considered many favored Quebec City as the capitol but those in the west were non agreeable to this, so they appealed to Queen Victoria for the decision.  Victoria duly chose Ottawa, which was geographically midway between the two halves of Canada.  

MacDonald was a leader of the conservatives in efforts to form a Canadian confederation.  The Maritime colonies met in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in 1864.  The Canadian colonies met in Quebec City in 1865, and in 1866 there was a London Conference, which led to the passage by the British parliament of the British North America Act in 1867, which served at the Canadian constitution for more than a century.   MacDonald received a knighthood and Canada West and Canada East became Ontario and Quebec.  

In his first term, MacDonald had to deal with numerous problems.  Foreign policy was still handled through London, New Brunswick was already wishing to withdraw from confederation.  The railway which was designed to link the provinces together had yet to be built, and much of Canada was still under direct British control.  The Americans had withdrawn from the Reciprocity Treaty of 1866.  Newfoundland refused to join the confederation.  During his tenure Canada succeeded in receiving the Northwest Territories and Rupert's Land as part of Canada, as well as retaining the province of British Columbia, where there was some interest in US annexation.  

Other Canadian-American disputes included arguments over fishing rights in coastal waters.  The British negotiated these in the Treaty of Washington, which did not serve Canadian interests well, in view of the fact that no compensation was forthcoming from Fenian raids into Canada and Canadian waters were considered open to American fishermen.  

MacDonald's first government fell owing to Pacific Scandal, in which Conservative members accepted bribes for the contracts to build the Canadian Pacific Railway.  Alexander MacKenzie, of the Liberal Party took over.  By profession he was a building contractor and a stonemason from Scotland.  As PM he helped to design and oversee the construction of Canada's new parliament buildings in Ottawa.   He also negotiated a free trade agreement with the US in the wake of the Panic of 1873.  When economic conditions did not improve the Liberals were swept from office in 1878 and the Conservatives, headed by MacDonald took over once more. 

2.  Alexander MacKenzie (1873-1878) Liberal.

MacDonald's first government fell owing to Pacific Scandal, in which Conservative members accepted bribes for the contracts to build the Canadian Pacific Railway.  Alexander MacKenzie, of the Liberal Party took over.  By profession he was a building contractor and a stonemason from Scotland.  As PM he helped to design and oversee the construction of Canada's new parliament buildings in Ottawa.   He also negotiated a free trade agreement with the US in the wake of the Panic of 1873.  When economic conditions did not improve the Liberals were swept from office in 1878 and the Conservatives, headed by MacDonald took over once more. 

The only reason Alexander MacKenzie never received a knighthood was that he declined it   each of the three times it was offered to him.
  


3.  Sir. John A. MacDonald (1878- 1891) Liberal- Conservative.

The conservatives opposed free trade with the US and raised tariffs once more.   The transcontinental railroad proved hideously expensive and an engineering nightmare, especially for a nation of about 4 million.    Nevertheless it was completed with large public subsidy in 1885, and MacDonald celebrated by traveling west to British Columbia.   New disputes over fishing rights broke out with the Americans and the British had to intervene.  

At this time Louis Riel, a Manitoban of Metis (mixed First Nations and French) background led the Red River rebellion which led to some bloodshed and the controversial execution of Thomas Scott, who failed to die from being shot by a firing squad, and an additional gun shot to the head, and was later buried alive.  Riel, following the suppression of the rebellion,  fled into American exile but was enticed back to Canada by John MacDonald in hopes that a political settlement could be reached.  When this proved unfeasible, Riel was arrested and hanged. 

MacDonald, a protectionist to the end, was in favor of trade barriers while the Liberals were in favor of more open trade with the US, owing to the practicalities of high freight rates on the Canadian National railway and the geographic proximity of much of the US.  The Conservative majority dwindled, but he remained in office until he died from a stroke in 1891.