Alexander Mackenzie (politician)
A stonemason turned statesman, he built Canada's first Liberal government with a fierce commitment to honesty and frugality.
1822–1892 (age 70)·Prime Minister of Canada from 1873 to 1878·Birthday: January 28
Biography
Alexander Mackenzie arrived in Canada as a young Scottish stonemason, a trade that would define his political persona: solid, practical, and unadorned. His rise in politics was fueled by a profound belief in democratic reform and a deep suspicion of the grand projects and spending of Sir John A. Macdonald's Conservatives. As Canada's second prime minister, his tenure was defined by economic hardship and the fallout from the Pacific Scandal that brought him to power. Mackenzie championed the secret ballot and instituted the Supreme Court of Canada, seeking to strengthen national institutions. Though his government was defeated after one term, remembered for its austerity during a global depression, Mackenzie left a legacy of incorruptible integrity, proving that a working-class immigrant could reach the nation's highest office.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1822
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1822Born
1827Started school
1835Became a teenager
1838Could drive
1840Could vote
1843Turned 21
1852Turned 30
1862Turned 40
President: Abraham Lincoln
1872Turned 50
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1882Turned 60
First electrical power plant opens in New York
President: Chester A. Arthur
1892Turned 70
President: Benjamin Harrison
Key Achievements
- Served as the second Prime Minister of Canada from 1873 to 1878, leading the country's first Liberal government.
- Oversaw the creation of the Supreme Court of Canada through the Supreme Court Act of 1875.
- Implemented the secret ballot for federal elections with the 1874 Dominion Elections Act.
- Presided over the beginning of construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, though fiscal caution slowed its progress.
Did You Know?
He was the only Canadian Prime Minister born in the United Kingdom outside of England (in Logierait, Scotland).
He personally helped construct many buildings in Sarnia, Ontario, and even parts of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa.
He never owned a home in Ottawa, preferring to live in a boarding house during his time as Prime Minister.
He was a staunch teetotaler and disapproved of the drinking culture of his political opponents.
“I am a stonecutter, and I intend to cut stones until I am done.”
