Sir John Alexander MacDonald

(Liberal-Conservative)
July 1, 1867 -  November 5, 1873
October 17, 1878 - June 6, 1891

Copyright/Source

Sir John Alexander MacDonald (Liberal-Conservative Party of Canada) was Canada’s first Prime Minister and held the office for two terms, serving from July 1, 1867, to November 5, 1873, and again from October 17, 1878, to June 6, 1891. Key accomplishments of his political career include being a Father of Confederation and seeing the provinces of Manitoba, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island join Confederation. He was an important figure in the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1871 to 1885 and in the creation of the Northwest Mounted Police in 1873. He was also behind the development of Canada’s first national park in Banff, Alberta, in 1885. He served as Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General from 1867 to 1873 and was Leader of the Opposition from 1873 to 1878. John MacDonald was a lawyer by profession and first sat as a Member of Parliament in 1867. He was born on January 11, 1815, in Glasgow (Scotland), and died on June 6, 1891, in Ottawa, Ontario.

Back to Canada's Prime Ministers