About Sir John A. Macdonald:
Sir John A. Macdonald was a Father of Confederation and drafted two-thirds of the provisions of the British North America Act. Sir John A. Macdonald was the first Prime Minister of Canada.
Prime Minister of Canada:
1867-73, 1878-91
Highlights as Prime Minister:
- building a trans-continental railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway
- building a nation with the entry into Confederation of Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories (including Alberta and Saskatchewan), Manitoba, and British Columbia
- opening the West for settlement
- creation of the North-West Mounted Police
- the Northwest Rebellion and the hanging of Louis Riel
- the National Policy of tariffs against imports to protect Canadian industry
Birth:
January 10, 1815 in Glasgow, Scotland. Came to Canada in 1820.
Death:
June 6, 1891 in Ottawa, Ontario
Professions:
- Commercial lawyer
- Businessman
Political Affiliation:
- Liberal-Conservative
- Conservative
Ridings (Electoral Districts):
- Kingston (Legislative Assembly of Province of Canada) 1844-67
- Kingston 1867-78, 1887-91
- Victoria 1878-82
- Carleton 1882-87
Political Career of Sir John A. Macdonald:
- John A. Macdonald was elected as a municipal alderman in Kingston, Ontario in 1843.
- He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1867.
- John A. Macdonald was appointed Receiver General in 1847.
- He sat as an Opposition member of parliament from 1847 to 1854.
- John A. Macdonald helped create the Conservative Party in 1854.
- He was Attorney General of Canada West from 1854 to 1858, 1858 to 1862 and from 1864 to 1867.
- John A. Macdonald served as Joint Premier of the Province of Canada, with Étienne-Paschal Taché from 1856 to 1857 and with George-Étienne Cartier from 1857 to 1858 and from 1858 to 1962.
- He again sat as an Opposition member of parliament in 1858 and from 1862 to 1864.
- A leading delegate at all three conferences on Canadian Confederation, and responsible for drafting much of the BNA Act, Macdonald received a knighthood for his work, and was asked to be the first Prime Minister of Canada in 1867.
- In 1873 the Conservative government was forced to resign over the Pacific Railway Scandal. The Liberals under Alexander Mackenzie took over.
- Sir John A. Macdonald became Prime Minister again in 1878 when the Conservatives were returned to power.
- During Macdonald's second administration the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway was finished.
- Sir John A. Macdonald won three more elections in 1882, 1887 and 1891.
- He died just three months after the 1891 election.
- Sir John Abbott took over as Prime Minister.
