Alexander Mackenzie (politician)
Alexander Mackenzie | |
---|---|
2nd Prime Minister of Canada | |
In office November 7, 1873 – October 8, 1878 | |
Monarch | Victoria |
Governor General | The Earl of Dufferin |
Preceded by | John A. Macdonald |
Succeeded by | John A. Macdonald |
Leader of the Liberal Party | |
In office March 6, 1873 – May 4, 1880 | |
Preceded by | Edward Blake |
Succeeded by | Edward Blake |
Member of the House of Commons of Canada | |
In office September 20, 1867 – April 17, 1892 | |
More... | |
Personal details | |
Born | Lakeview Cemetery, Sarnia, Ontario | January 28, 1822
Political party | Liberal |
Spouses | |
Children | 3 |
Signature | Fenian Raids |
Alexander Mackenzie
Mackenzie was born in
In 1867, Mackenzie was elected to the new
As prime minister, Mackenzie continued the nation-building programme that had been begun by his predecessor. His government established the Supreme Court of Canada and Royal Military College of Canada, and created the District of Keewatin to better administer Canada's newly acquired western territories. However, it made little progress on the transcontinental railway, and struggled to deal with the aftermath of the Panic of 1873. At the 1878 election, Mackenzie's government suffered a landslide defeat. He remained leader of the Liberal Party for another two years, and continued on as a Member of Parliament (MP) until his death, due to a stroke.
Early life
Mackenzie was born on January 28, 1822, in Logierait, Perthshire, Scotland, the son of Mary Stewart (Fleming) and Alexander Mackenzie Sr. (born 1784) who were married in 1817.
The Neils and Mackenzie settled in Kingston, Ontario. The limestone in the area proved too hard for his stonemason tools, and not having money to buy new tools, Mackenzie took a job as a labourer constructing a building on Princess Street.
Mackenzie married Helen Neil (1826–52) in 1845 and with her had three children, with only one girl, Mary, surviving infancy.[1] Helen and he moved to Sarnia, Ontario (known as Canada West) in 1847 and Mary was born in 1848.[2] They were soon joined from Scotland by the rest of Mackenzie's brothers and his mother.[2] He began working as a general contractor, earning a reputation for being a hard-working, honest man, as well as having a working man's view on fiscal policy. Mackenzie helped construct many courthouses and jails across southern Ontario. A number of these still stand today, including the Sandwich Courthouse and Jail now known as the Mackenzie Hall Cultural Centre in Windsor, Ontario, and the Kent County Courthouse and Jail in Chatham, Ontario. He even bid, unsuccessfully, on the construction of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa in 1859. Helen died in 1852, finally succumbing to the effects of excessive doses of mercury-based calomel used to treat a fever while in Kingston. In 1853, he married Jane Sym (1825–93).[1]
Early political involvement
Mackenzie involved himself in politics almost from the moment he arrived in Canada. He fought passionately for equality and the elimination of all forms of class distinction. In 1851, he became the secretary for the
He entered the House of Commons of Canada in 1867, representing the Lambton, Ontario, riding. No cohesive national Liberal Party of Canada existed at the time and with Brown not winning his seat, no official leader emerged. Mackenzie did not believe he was the best qualified for the position, and although he resisted offers of the position, he nevertheless sat as the de facto leader of the Official Opposition.
Mackenzie served as a Major in the 27th Lambton Battalion of Infantry from 1866 to 1874,
Prime Minister (1873–1878)
When the Macdonald government fell due to the Pacific Scandal in 1873, the Governor General, Lord Dufferin, called upon Mackenzie, who had been chosen as leader of the Liberal Party a few months earlier, to form a new government. Mackenzie formed a government and asked the Governor General to call an election for January 1874. The Liberals won a majority of the seats in the House of Commons having garnered 40% of the popular vote.
Mackenzie remained prime minister until the
For a man of Mackenzie's humble origins to attain such a position was unusual in an age which generally offered such opportunity only to the privileged. Lord Dufferin expressed early misgivings about a stonemason taking over government, but on meeting Mackenzie, Dufferin revised his opinions:
However narrow and inexperienced Mackenzie may be, I imagine he is a thoroughly upright, well-principled, and well-meaning man.
— Lord Dufferin
Mackenzie served concurrently as Minister of Public Works and oversaw the completion of the Parliament buildings. While drawing up the plans for the West Block, he included a circular staircase leading directly from his office to the outside of the building, which allowed him to escape the patronage-seekers waiting for him in his ante-chamber. Proving Dufferin's reflections on his character to be true, Mackenzie disliked intensely the patronage inherent in politics. Nevertheless, he found it a necessary evil to maintain party unity and ensure the loyalty of his fellow Liberals.
In keeping with his democratic ideals, Mackenzie refused the offer of a knighthood three times,
As Prime Minister, Alexander Mackenzie strove to reform and simplify the machinery of government, achieving a remarkable record of reform legislation. He introduced the secret ballot; advised the creation of the Supreme Court of Canada; the establishment of the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston in 1874 and the creation of the Office of the Auditor General in 1878. He completed the Intercolonial Railway, but struggled to progress on the national railway due to a worldwide economic depression, almost coming to blows with Governor General Lord Dufferin over imperial interference. Mackenzie stood up for the rights of Canada as a nation and fought for the supremacy of Parliament and honesty in government. Above all else, he was known and loved for his honesty and integrity.
However, his term was marked by economic depression that had grown out of the Panic of 1873, which Mackenzie's government was unable to alleviate. In 1874, Mackenzie negotiated a new free trade agreement with the United States, eliminating the high protective tariffs on Canadian goods in US markets. However, this action did not bolster the economy, and construction of the CPR slowed drastically due to lack of funding. In 1876, the Conservative opposition announced a National Policy of protective tariffs, which resonated with voters. When an election was held at the conclusion of Mackenzie's five-year term, the Conservatives were swept back into office in a landslide victory.
Supreme Court appointments
Mackenzie chose the following jurists to be appointed as justices of the Supreme Court of Canada by the Governor General:[7]
- Sir Chief Justice) – September 30, 1875
- Télesphore Fournier – September 30, 1875
- William Alexander Henry – September 30, 1875
- Sir William Johnstone Ritchie – September 30, 1875
- Sir Samuel Henry Strong – September 30, 1875
- Jean-Thomas Taschereau – September 30, 1875
- Sir Henri Elzéar Taschereau– October 7, 1878
Later life
After his government's defeat, Mackenzie remained
Character
Mackenzie's first biography in 1892 referred to him as Canada's Stainless Statesman.[8] He was a devout Baptist and teetotaller who found refuge in, and drew strength from, his family, friends, and faith.[9][2] He was also a loyal friend and an incorrigible prankster (stuffed chimney on young in-laws; rolled boulder down Thunder Cape towards friend A. McKellar; burned Tory campaign placards in hotel woodstove early in morning).[10] Unpretentious and down to earth,[11] his public official austerity was in striking contrast to private compassion and giving nature.[12] He was the soul of honour and integrity,[13] a proud man who sought no recognition or personal enrichment and accepted gifts reluctantly.[14] He preferred to follow than to lead (unreferenced – many times he refused leadership offers) and often found that duty outweighed the heavy burden of office.[15] He was uncompromising on his principles, perhaps too much so.[16] An historian at the time said, "He was, and ever will remain, the Sir Galahad of Canadian politics."[17]
Very proud of his Scottish heritage, he was forever a Scot: "Nemo me impune lacessit" (no one attacks me with impunity).[18] The Upper Canada rebellion leader W.L. Mackenzie said of him, "He is every whit a self-made, self-educated man. Has large mental capacity and indomitable energy." [19] Canada's Governor General, Lord Dufferin, said he was "as pure as crystal, and as true as steel, with lots of common sense."[20] A close friend, Chief Justice Sir Louis Davies, said he was "the best debater the House of Commons has ever known."[21] A friend and colleague in Cabinet who went on to become prime minister of Canada, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, said he was "one of the truest and strongest characters to be met within Canadian history. He was endowed with a warm heart and a copious and rich fancy, though veiled by a somewhat reticent exterior, and he was of friends the most tender and true."[22] Another friend and colleague, who went on to become premier of Ontario, Sir George Ross, said, "Mackenzie was sui generis a debater. His humorous sallies blistered like a blast from a flaming smelter. His sterling honesty is a great heritage, and will keep his memory green to all future generations."[23] At his eulogy, Rev. Dr. Thomas compared him to the Duke of Wellington, who "stood four square, to all the winds that blow."[24]
Newspapers around the world and in Canada had this to say about him. The London Times – the untiring energy, the business-like accuracy, the keen perception and reliable judgment, and above all the inflexible integrity, which marked his private life, he carried without abatement of one jot into his public career.[25] The Westminster Review – a man, who although, through failing health and failing voice, he had virtually passed out of public life, yet retained to the last the affectionate veneration of the Canadian people as no other man of the time can be said to have done.[26][27] The Charlottetown Patriot – in all that constitutes the real man, the honest statesman, the true patriot, the warm friend, and sincere Christian, he had few equals. Possessed of a clear intellect, a retentive memory, and a ready command of appropriate words, he was one of the most logical and powerful speakers we have ever heard.[28] The St. John Telegraph – he was loved by the people and his political opponents were compelled to respect him even above their own chosen leader. As a statesman, he has had few equals.[29] The Montreal Star – it is one of the very foremost architects of the Canadian nationality that we mourn. In the dark days of ’73, Canadians were in a state of panic, distrusting the stability of their newly-built Dominion; no one can tell what would have happened had not the stalwart form of Alexander Mackenzie lifted itself above the screaming, vociferating and denying mass of politicians, and all Canada felt at once, there was a man who could be trusted.[30] The Toronto Globe – he was a man who loved the people and fought for their rights against privilege and monopoly in every form.[30] The Philadelphia Record – Like Caesar, who twice refused a knightly crown, Alexander Mackenzie refused knighthood three times. Unlike Caesar, he owed his political overthrow to his incorruptible honesty and unswerving integrity.[29]
Legacy
In their 1999 study of the Prime Ministers of Canada, which included the results of a survey of Canadian historians, J. L. Granatstein and Norman Hillmer found that Mackenzie was in 11th place just after John Sparrow David Thompson.[31]
Namesakes
The following are named in honour of Alexander Mackenzie:
- The Mackenzie Mountain Range in the Yukon and Northwest Territories
- Mount Mackenzie, in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia
- The Mackenzie Building, and the use of the Mackenzie tartan by the bands at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, "Alexander Mackenzie", the Royal Military College of Canada March for bagpipes, was composed in his honour by Pipe Major Don M. Carrigan, who was the College Pipe Major 1973 to 1985.[32]
- Mackenzie Hall in Windsor, Ontario
- Alexander Mackenzie Scholarships in Economics and Political Science at McGill University and the University of Toronto
- Alexander MacKenzie Park in Sarnia, Ontario[33]
- Alexander Mackenzie High School in Sarnia
- Alexander Mackenzie Housing Co-Operative Inc. in Sarnia
- Mackenzie Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario
- Mackenzie Tower, West Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario
Other honours
- A monument is dedicated to his tomb in Lakeview Cemetery, Sarnia, Ontario
- "Honourable Alexander Mackenzie" (1964) by Lawren Harris, head of the Department of Fine Arts, Mount Allison University, now hangs in the Mackenzie Building, Royal Military College of Canada. The unveiling ceremony was performed by the Right Honourable Louis St. Laurent, a Canadian former Prime Minister, and the gift was accepted by the Commandant, Air Commodore L.J. Birchall. The painting was commissioned in memory of No. 244, Lieut.-Col, F.B. Wilson, O.B.E., her deceased husband, by Mrs, F.W. Dashwood. Also taking part in the ceremony was the Honourable Paul Hellyer, Minister of National Defence, President and Chancellor of the college.[34] In attendance was Mrs. Burton R. Morgan of Ottawa, great-granddaughter of Alexander Mackenzie.
- Burgess tickets presented to Alexander Mackenzie in Dundee, Dunkeld, Logierait, Irvine, and Perth Scotland
Electoral record
See also
References
Citations
- ^ a b c Harris (1893), p. 136.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Forster (1990).
- ^ Blatherwick, John. "Prime Ministers of Canada – Their Military Connections, Honours and Medals" (PDF). National Defence Historical Department. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
- ^ Lambton County Historical Society (2020). "St. Clair Borderers (Military pre-World War 1". Lambton County Museums. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
- ^ a b "The Honourable Alexander Mackenzie". Former Prime Ministers and Their Grave Sites. Parks Canada. October 3, 2017. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
- ^ Canada's Prime Ministers, 1867 – 1994: Biographies and Anecdotes. [Ottawa]: National Archives of Canada, [1994]. 40 p.
- JSTOR 10.3138/j.ctvfrxdfw.5.
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), dedication introduction.
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), pp. 55, 93, 100.
- ^ Thomson (1960), pp. 18, 87.
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), pp. 99, 633, 660.
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), pp. 99–100.
- ^ Marquis (1903), p. 401.
- ^ Thomson (1960), pp. 354, 367.
- ^ Thomson (1960), p. 343; Buckingham & Ross (1892), pp. 294, 441, 631
- ^ Marquis (1903), p. 460; Buckingham & Ross (1892), pp. 211, 518; Forster (1990)
- ^ Marquis (1903), p. 418.
- ^ Ross (1913), p. 56.
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), p. 120.
- ^ Thomson (1960), p. 211.
- ^ (Mackenzie's newspaper scrapbook "Days of Giants", Library and Archives Canada).
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), p. 633.
- ^ Ross (1913), p. 31.
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), p. 643, quoting Tennyson’s "Ode to the Death of the Duke of Wellington".
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), p. 663.
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), p. 651.
- ^ The Westminster Review. Vol. 137. London: Edward Arnold. 1892. p. 651.
- ^ Buckingham & Ross (1892), p. 662.
- ^ a b Buckingham & Ross (1892), p. 660.
- ^ a b Buckingham & Ross (1892), p. 661.
- ^ Hillmer, Norman; Granatstein, J. L. "Historians rank the BEST AND WORST Canadian Prime Ministers". Diefenbaker Web. Maclean's. Archived from the original on July 19, 2001. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ Archie Cairns – Bk1 Pipe Music 'Alexander Mackenzie' (Slow March) by Pipe Major Don M. Carrigan 1995
- ^ Mackenzie, Hon. Alexander National Historic Person. Directory of Federal Heritage Designations. Parks Canada.
- ^ Source: Royal Military College of Canada – Review Yearbook (Kingston, Ontario Canada) Class of 1965, page 191
Works cited
- Buckingham, William; Ross, George William (1892). The Honourable Alexander Mackenzie: His Life and Times. Toronto: Rose Publishing.
- Forster, Ben (1990). "Mackenzie, Alexander". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XII (1891–1900) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- Harris, Charles Alexander (1893). Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 35. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 135–136. . In
- Marquis, T.G. (1903). Builders of Canada from Cartier to Laurier. Brantford, Ontario: Bradley-Garretson. pp. 392–418.
- Ross, Sir George W. (1913). Getting into Parliament and After. Toronto: William Briggs.
- Thomson, Dale C. (1960). Alexander Mackenzie, Clear Grit. Macmillan of Canada.
General sources
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 251.
- Alexander Mackenzie fonds at Library and Archives Canada
Further reading
- Bumsted, J.M. (March 7, 2018). "Alexander Mackenzie". The Canadian Encyclopedia (online ed.). Historica Canada.
- Dent, John Charles (1880). The Canadian Portrait Gallery. Vol. 1. Toronto: John B. Magurn.
- ISBN 978-0-0063-8563-9..