Hugh John Macdonald

Biography

Hugh John Macdonald was born in Kingston, the son of John Macdonald (former Attorney General of Upper Canada ) and his wife Isabella Clark. His mother died when he was seven years old, and he grew up mostly with his aunt. After studying at the University of Toronto, he graduated from in 1869 with a Bachelor of Arts, followed that with a law degree. In 1872 he was admitted as a lawyer and practiced primarily in Toronto as his father's partner.

Macdonald served in the militia regiment The Queen 's Own Rifles of Canada. He took part in 1870, among others, the Red River Rebellion of Garnet Wolseley, with the rebellion led by Louis Riel should be struck down. He was actively involved in the violent taking of Fort Garry. Then he returned to Toronto. After the death of his first wife Macdonald moved to the province of Manitoba and settled in Winnipeg, where he led his own law firm. In 1883 he married a second time. During the Northwest Rebellion in 1885, he served as a lieutenant and was involved in the Battle of Fish Creek.

At the general election in 1891, Macdonald ran for the Conservative Party and was elected Member of Parliament for Winnipeg. In contrast to his father, who died shortly afterwards, he was reclusive and did not like the policy particularly. In May 1893, he resigned. Three years later, Prime Minister Charles Tupper ( the father of his law firm partner) to persuade him to accept a ministerial post in the Federal Cabinet. Macdonald held office from 1 May 1896 as Minister of the Interior and Superintendent General of Indian Affairs. Although he sat down at the general election in 1896 close to Joseph Martin by, but the Conservatives lost their majority and his tenure as Minister already ended on July 8.

Due to a formal protest Macdonalds election result was annulled at the beginning of 1897 and he went to no longer become necessary for election. In March 1897 he took over the chairmanship of the Conservative Party of Manitoba. In December 1899, he led the party in the elections to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba to a narrow victory; he prevailed with 60 -vote lead in the electoral district of Winnipeg South. On January 10, 1900 Macdonald took office as the Prime Minister of Manitoba. He brought a Prohibition law through parliament, but already on 29 October 1900, he resigned in order to compete in the general election in 1900 against the Minister of the Interior Clifford Sifton liberal.

The sophisticated by the conservative federal party tactics failed because Macdonald clearly defeated. Then he retired from politics and devoted himself to his law firm. The provincial government appointed him in 1911 to the police magistrates of Winnipeg. Two years later he was a member of a commission, the corruption allegations against the head of government of Manitoba, Rodmond Roblin, examined and confirmed. In 1919 he had command of the Federal Government to resolve the Winnipeg general strike force.

Macdonals last residence in Winnipeg, which bears the name Dalnavert, is now a museum and headquarters of the Manitoba Historical Society.