ALEXANDER

See also:

• MACKENZIE
• ALEXANDER MACKENZIE (1822-1892)
• MACKENZIE, HENRY (1745-1831)
• MACKENZIE, SIR ALEXANDER (c. 1755-1820)
• MACKENZIE, SIR ALEXANDER CAMPBELL (1847— )
• MACKENZIE, SIR GEORGE (1636-1691)
• MACKENZIE, SIR MORELL (1837-1892)
• MACKENZIE, WILLIAM LYON (1795-1861)

MACKENZIE (1822-1892)  , Canadian states-man, was born in Perthshire, Scotland, on the 28th of January, 1822, His father was a builder, and young Mackenzie emigrated to Canada in 1842, and worked in Ontario as a stone-mason, setting up for himself later as a builder and contractor at Sarnia with his brother . In 1852 his interest in questions of reform led to his becoming the editor of the Lambton Shield, a local Liberal paper . This brought him to the front, and in 1861 he became a member of the Canadian parliament, where he at once made his mark and was closely connected with the liberal leader, George Brown . He was elected for Lambton to the first Dominion house of commons in 1867, and soon became the leader of the liberal opposition; from 1871 to 1872 he also sat in the Ontario provincial assembly, and held the position of provincial treasurer . In 1873 the attack on Sir John Macdonald's ministry with regard to the Pacific Railway charter resulted in its defeat, and Mackenzie formed a new government, taking the portfolio of public works and becoming the first liberal premier of Canada . He remained in power till 1878, when industrial depression enabled Macdonald to return to office on a protectionist pro-gramme . In 1875 Mackenzie paid a visit to Great Britain, and was received at Windsor by Queen Victoria; he was offered a knighthood, but declined it . After his defeat he suffered from failing health, gradually resulting in almost total paralysis, but though in 188o he resigned the leadership of the opposition, he retained a seat in parliament till his death at Toronto on the 17th of April 1892 . While perhaps too cautious to be the ideal leader of a young and vigorous community, his grasp of detail, indefatigable industry, and unbending integrity won him the respect even of his political opponents . His Life and Times by William Buckingham and the Hon . George W . Ross (Toronto, 1892) contains documents of much interest .

See also George

Stewart, Canada under the Administration of the Earl of Dufferin (Toronto, 1878) .