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John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald was the first prime minister of Canada, serving from 1867 to 1873 and from 1878 until his death in 1891. He was the dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, and had a political career that spanned almost half a century.
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politics · Canadian prime minister and Father of Confederation (1815–1891) · politician · lawyer · also John A. Macdonald, John A Macdonald, Sir John Alexander Macdonald, Rt. Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald, Macdonald
Born 11 January 1815 · Died 6 June 1891 · Q128702
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2026· 1 entry
2025· 1 entry
National Post: John A Macdonald | National Post
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2018· 1 entry
A statue of Macdonald was removed from outside Victoria City Hall, as part of the city's program for reconciliation with local First Nations
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2017· 1 entry
The Canadian Historical Association had voted to remove Macdonald's name from their prize for best scholarly book about Canadian history
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2015· 2 entries
The Royal Canadian Mint featured Macdonald's face on the two-dollar coin, the toonie, to celebrate his 200th birthday
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The Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded that the assimilation amounted to cultural genocide
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2001· 1 entry
Parliament designated 11 January as Sir John A
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1891· 3 entries
Died 1891-06-06.
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Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1891–1891).
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And remains the oldest Canadian prime minister
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1887· 2 entries
“I was in the Second or Third Company behind the cannon that opened out on Montgomery's House. During the week of the rebellion I was [in] the Commercial Bank Guard in the house on King Street, afterward the habitat of George Brown's 'Globe'.”
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Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1887–1891).
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1886· 1 entry
Another dispute arose over fishing rights with the United States
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1885· 3 entries
Which alienated many francophones from his Conservative Party
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There was a smallpox epidemic in Montreal, and the Macdonald government imposed compulsory vaccination on the Mohawk people living in the nearby Kahnawake reserve, so that there were few cases on the reserve
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“the Aryan character of the future of British America should be destroyed”
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1883· 2 entries
Secured the "Intoxicating Liquors Bill" which took the regulation system away from the provinces, in part to stymie his foe Premier Mowat
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Parliament approved $43,000 for three industrial schools and the first, Battleford Industrial School, opened on 1 December of that year
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1882· 2 entries
Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1882–1883).
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Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1882–1887).
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1880· 3 entries
Canada sent its first diplomatic representative abroad, Sir Alexander Galt as High Commissioner to Britain
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The Dominion took over Britain's remaining Arctic territories, which extended Canada to its present-day boundaries, with the exception of Newfoundland, which did not enter Confederation until 1949
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Macdonald found a syndicate, led by George Stephen, willing to undertake the CPR project
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1878· 4 entries
Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1878–1882).
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Career landmark: Prime Minister of Canada (1878–1891).
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Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1878–1878).
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Promoting proposals which would come to be collectively called the "National Policy": high tariffs, rapid construction of the transcontinental railway (the Canadian Pacific Railway or CPR), rapid agricultural development
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1877· 1 entry
The Conservatives were confident and the Liberals defensive
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1874· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1874–1878).
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1873· 2 entries
Resigned from office over a scandal in which his party took bribes from businessmen seeking the contract to build the Canadian Pacific Railway
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When Parliament opened, Liberal MP Lucius Seth Huntington charged that government ministers had been bribed with large, undisclosed political contributions to award the charter
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1872· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1872–1874).
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1870· 1 entry
Principally during Macdonald's illness and recuperation, with Cartier leading the Canadian delegation
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1869· 1 entry
John and Agnes Macdonald had a daughter, Mary
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1867· 2 entries
Career landmark: member of the House of Commons of Canada (1867–1872).
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Career landmark: Prime Minister of Canada (1867–1873).
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1866· 2 entries
Macdonald and his colleagues financed pro-Confederation candidates in the New Brunswick general election, resulting in a pro-Confederation assembly
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From the Reciprocity Treaty had increased tariffs on Canadian goods in US markets
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1865· 1 entry
After lengthy debates, Canada's legislative assembly approved Confederation by 91 votes to 33
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1864· 2 entries
When no party proved capable of governing for long, he agreed to a proposal from his political rival, George Brown, that the parties unite in a Great Coalition to seek federation and political reform
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Career landmark: Joint Premier of the Province of Canada for Canada West (1864–1867).
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1860· 1 entry
But Macdonald had seen and admired her as early as 1856
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1858· 1 entry
Career landmark: Joint Premier of the Province of Canada for Canada West (1858–1862).
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1856· 2 entries
MacNab was eased out as premier by Macdonald, who became the leader of the Canada West Conservatives
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Career landmark: Joint Premier of the Province of Canada for Canada West (1856–1858).
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1855· 1 entry
George-Étienne Cartier of Canada East (today Quebec) joined the Cabinet
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1854· 1 entry
Became known as the Liberal-Conservatives (referred to, for short, as the Conservatives)
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1847· 1 entry
Macdonald became receiver general
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1845· 1 entry
Hoping that the sea air and warmth would cure her ailments
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1844· 1 entry
To the legislature of the Province of Canada
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1835· 1 entry
Macdonald returned to Kingston, and even though not yet of age nor qualified, began his practice as a lawyer, hoping to gain his former employer's clients
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1829· 1 entry
His father was appointed as a magistrate for the Midland District
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1820· 1 entry
As the family had several relatives and connections there
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1815· 1 entry
Born 1815-01-11.
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