John A. McDonald

Canada’s First Prime Minister

Table of contents

1. In the beginning…2. Law Career

3. Political Beginnings4. Political Life

5. Political Highlights6. Family Life

7. In the End…

In the Beginning…

John was born in Glasgow, Scotland January 11, 1815. John and his family immigrated to Kingston, Upper Canada in

1820 John attended the Midland District Grammar School at the age of

12. John’s schooling provided appropriate training for his choice of

profession, the law.

PHOTO: Kingston, Ontario from a lithograph by Edwin Whitefield c. 1852. Kingston was the capital of the United Province of Canada from 1841-1844 National Archives of Canada C-3208

Law Career

John’s first career was as a lawyer. He began his articling at the age of 15.

In 1835, John opened his own law firm in Kingston.

John was called to the bar on February 6th, 1836.

John began his law career as a defense attorney.

From 1839 on, John practiced primarily corporate law.

John became a prominent business man primarily involved in real estate.

John A. Mcdonald, 1843

Political Beginnings At age 19, in 1834, he became

secretary of both the Prince Edward District Board of Education and the Hallowell Young Men’s Society.

In March 1843, he was easily elected to the Kingston Town Council as an alderman.

John entered provincial politics in October of 1844. He ran as a Conservative.

Macdonald’s first experience as a cabinet member was in 1847–48, when he served for seven months as receiver general.

In September 1854, John became attorney general for Upper Canada.

Political Life In 1856 Macdonald

became, for the first time, leader of the Upper Canadian section of the government.

From 1864 to 1867 Mcdonald worked hard to shape the new country.

On July 1, 1867, John A. Mcdonald became the first Prime Minister of Canada. Sir John A. McDonald, 1863.

Political Life con’t

Louis Riel, leader of the French speaking Métis

Through negotiations, Mcdonald and the newly formed Riel government came to an agreement in 1870 and the new province of Manitoba was formed.

Political Life con’t

Rupert’s Land joined Canada in July 1870.

B.C. to join Canada which it did on July 20th, 1871. P.E.I followed in 1873.

Political Life con’t

From 1873 to 1877 Mcdonald was not the Prime Minister. He was re-elected in 1878.

He was the Prime Minister of Canada until his death on June 6th, 1891.

Conservative campaign posterfrom the 1891 election

Political highlights The Father of Confederation, 1867 Creating the first cross-country railroad. It was completed

November 7th, 1885. Mcdonald and his wife rode the train all the way to the Pacific sitting on the front of the train.

Mcdonald made it legal for workers to form trade unions in 1872.

Formed the North-West Mounted Police (now the RCMP) in 1873.

Mcdonald created Canada’s first national park at Banff, AB, in

1885. Creation of the provinces of Manitoba 1870, British Columbia

1871 and Prince Edward Island 1873 Being able to escort his son, Hugh John Mcdonald, into the House

of Commons as a new MP. Hugh was the Premier of Manitoba.

Family life In 1843 at the age of 28, John married his cousin Isabella Clark. Isabella and John had two children, John Alexander, who died when he was 13 months old, and Hugh John.

Isabella Clark Hugh John Mcdonald,1866

Family life con’t

Susan Agnes Mcdonald and her daugther Margaret Mary Theodora

“In 1867, at the age of 52, Macdonald married his second wife Susan Agnes Bernard (1836-1920).

They had one daughter, Margaret Mary Theodora Macdonald born February 8th, 1869.

In the end…

John died of a stroke June 6th 1891 in Ottawa, Ontario. He was buried in Cataraqui Cemetery, near Kingston.

“The place of Sir John A. Macdonald in this country was so large and so absorbing that it is almost impossible to conceive that the political life of this country can continue without him.“ – Sir Wilfred Laurier