Alexander Macdonald (British Columbia politician)

Alexander Macdonald
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Vancouver East
In office
12 September 1960 – 22 October 1986
Serving with Arthur Turner (1960-1966)
Robert Williams (1966-1976, 1984-1986)
Dave Barrett (1976-1984)
Preceded byFrederick Morton Sharp
Succeeded byGlen Clark
Member of Parliament
for Vancouver Kingsway
In office
10 June 1957 – 31 March 1958
Preceded byAngus MacInnis
Succeeded byJohn Ferguson Browne
Personal details
Born
Alexander Barrett Macdonald

(1918-10-21)21 October 1918
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Died5 March 2014(2014-03-05) (aged 95)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
SpouseDorothy Anne Lewis
ProfessionLawyer

Alexander Barrett Macdonald (21 October 1918 – 5 March 2014) was a Canadian politician who served for 26 years in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and briefly in the House of Commons of Canada. He was a barrister and solicitor by career.[1]

The son of Malcolm Archibald Macdonald, Macdonald was educated at the University of British Columbia and Osgoode Hall. He worked with the Department of Munitions and Supplies in Ottawa during World War II. During that time, he married Dorothy Ann Lewis. After the war, he served as secretary for M. J. Coldwell and then practised law in Ontario for a short time. In 1948, he opened his own practice in Vancouver.[2] He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1949, 1952, 1953, and 1956 provincial elections.

He was elected to the Canadian Parliament in the riding of Vancouver Kingsway in the 1957 general election as a member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation.[1] In the following year, he was defeated by John Ferguson Browne of the Progressive Conservative party in the 1958 election.[3]

He was first elected to the B.C. legislature in the 1960 general election as the member for Vancouver East,[2] and held this seat until his retirement in 1986.[4] In 1972 he became Attorney General of British Columbia in the New Democratic Party government led by Dave Barrett and held this position until the NDP's defeat in the 1975 general election.[5] He also served as Minister of Industrial Development, Trade and Commerce in 1972 and 1973. He wrote three books on politics and law: My Dear Legs (ISBN 0-919573-39-8),[6] Alex in Wonderland (ISBN 0-921586-28-0), and Outrage: Canada's Justice System on Trial (ISBN 1-55192-230-4).[7]

His wife of 64 years died in 2009.[8] He died at the age of 95 on 5 March 2014.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Alexander Barrett Macdonald – Parliament of Canada biography
  2. ^ a b Webster, Daisy (1970). Growth of the N.D.P. in B.C., 1900-1970: 81 political biographies.
  3. ^ "Vancouver Kingsway, British Columbia (1952 – 1987)". History of Federal Ridings since 1867. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  5. ^ "Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples". Parliament of Canada. 22 March 2000. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  6. ^ "Parliamentary Book Shelf". Canadian Parliamentary Review. 1986. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  7. ^ "Outrage: Canada's Justice System on Trial". Canadian Justice Review Board. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Dorothy MacDonald Obituary". Legacy.com. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Alex McDonald Obituary". Legacy.com. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2018.