The
Right Honourable Alexander Mackenzie
1873-1878
"I
have always held those political opinions which point to the universal
brotherhood of man, no matter in what rank of life he may have
taken his origin." Alexander Mackenzie, 1875.
Private Life
Born: January 28, 1822 at Logierait, Scotland.
Emigrated to Canada 1842.
Education: Public school at Perth, Moulin, and Dunkeld, Scotland.
Stonemason and building contractor.
Built bomb-proof stone arch at Fort Henry in Kingston and worked
on the Beauharnois Canal near Montreal.
Many of his constructions still stand today:
Welland Canal
Martello Towers at Fort Henry
Episcopal Church and a bank in Sarnia
Courthouses and jails in Chatham and Sandwich
1852-1854, editor of the Lambton Shield. (Reform party, forerunner
of the Liberal Party)
1866-1874, Major of the 27'th Lambton Volunteer Infantry.
Marriage: Helen Neil (1826-1852) in 1845.
One daughter born. (Two other children died in infancy.)
Re-Marriage: Jane Sym (1825-1893) in 1853.
Died: April 17, 1892, in Toronto, Ontario. Buried in Lakeview
Cemetery, near Sarnia, Ontario.
Political
Career
Liberal Party Leader, 1873-1880
Constituencies:
Lambton, Ontario, 1867-1882; York East, Ontario, 1882-1892
Minister of Public Works, 1873-1878 during which time he oversaw
the completion of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. Liberals
uncovered and released evidence of bribery involving the Conservatives
and contractors engaged in building the Pacific Railway. Sir John
A. MacDonald forced to resign in 1873 after the scandal ensued.
Liberals took over and Mackenzie won the election in January,
1874. Reformed the electorial system and introduced the 'secret
ballot', 1874. Founded the Royal Military College, 1874. Established
the Supreme Court of Canada, 1875. Completed the Intercolonial
Railway and began the Pacific Line. Created the Office of the
Auditor General, 1878. Recession in mid-1870's, blamed on the
Liberals, caused Mackenzie to lose the 1878 election. Leader of
the Opposition, 1878-1880.
Remained in Parliament until his death in 1892.
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