Alexander MackenzieAlexander MackenzieAn Actual Nation BuilderAn Actual Nation Builder

Mackenzie Lincoln

Early YearsEarly Years Born Jan. 28 1822, in Scotland Born Jan. 28 1822, in Scotland Emigrated to Canada in 1842 to follow his Emigrated to Canada in 1842 to follow his

sweetheart, Helen Neil sweetheart, Helen Neil Trained as a stone masonTrained as a stone mason Crossed the ice every Saturday night to Crossed the ice every Saturday night to

visit Helen, who was living with her parents visit Helen, who was living with her parents in Kingston in Kingston

One night, Mackenzie arrived half-frozen One night, Mackenzie arrived half-frozen and soaking wet, haven fallen through the and soaking wet, haven fallen through the ice in the darkness ice in the darkness

He continued his visits, but carried a pole He continued his visits, but carried a pole to help him out of the lake!to help him out of the lake!

Early Years Cont…Early Years Cont… Forced to leave school at age 13 to help Forced to leave school at age 13 to help

his family by workinghis family by working He challenged himself his whole life to He challenged himself his whole life to

make up for his lack of formal schoolingmake up for his lack of formal schooling He read literature, studied history, politics He read literature, studied history, politics

and philosophyand philosophy This drive is what eventually led him into This drive is what eventually led him into

politicspolitics He was against the stratified society that He was against the stratified society that

existed at the time and wanted equalityexisted at the time and wanted equality He felt that what a man did was not He felt that what a man did was not

important merely the pride in how well he important merely the pride in how well he performed his dutiesperformed his duties

A Nation “Builder”A Nation “Builder” As a stone mason he helped build As a stone mason he helped build

many places in Canadamany places in Canada A bomb-proof stone arch at Fort A bomb-proof stone arch at Fort

Henry in Kingston Henry in Kingston The Beauharnois Canal near Montreal The Beauharnois Canal near Montreal The Welland Canal in OntarioThe Welland Canal in Ontario Martello towers at Fort Henry Martello towers at Fort Henry Episcopal Church and bank in Sarnia Episcopal Church and bank in Sarnia Courthouses and jails in Chatham Courthouses and jails in Chatham

Nation Builder Cont…Nation Builder Cont… Once as PM he visited Fort Henry and Once as PM he visited Fort Henry and

was given a tourwas given a tour He asked the tour guide how thick He asked the tour guide how thick

the walls were and the guide was the walls were and the guide was stumpedstumped

Mackenzie answered they were five Mackenzie answered they were five feet ten inches thick and that he feet ten inches thick and that he knew that because he built themknew that because he built them

This was the pride that a simple This was the pride that a simple stone mason took in his workstone mason took in his work

A Man of PrinciplesA Man of Principles

Mackenzie’s Scottish background as a Mackenzie’s Scottish background as a stonemason gave him different stonemason gave him different political ideals than most of the pro-political ideals than most of the pro-British politicians in our country at the British politicians in our country at the timetime

Believed in the equality of man, and Believed in the equality of man, and was personally against all titleswas personally against all titles

This is why he was never knighted, This is why he was never knighted, while offered knighthood three times while offered knighthood three times he refused each timehe refused each time

Election of 1874Election of 1874

His belief in earning your job was His belief in earning your job was evident when he called an election in evident when he called an election in 18741874

While PM because of Macdonald’s While PM because of Macdonald’s resignation, Mackenzie felt he had resignation, Mackenzie felt he had not earned the jobnot earned the job

So to get his own mandate he called So to get his own mandate he called the election of 1874the election of 1874

Mackenzie CampaignMackenzie Campaign Mackenzie campaigned with 3 basic Mackenzie campaigned with 3 basic

promises.promises.1.1. Election Reform: secret ballot, same Election Reform: secret ballot, same

day voting, enfranchising more than day voting, enfranchising more than property holders.property holders.

2.2. Constitutional Reform: less dependence Constitutional Reform: less dependence on Britain and the beginning of on Britain and the beginning of Canadian identity. Canadian identity.

3.3. Fiscal Responsibility: global recession Fiscal Responsibility: global recession and so the Liberals under Mackenzie and so the Liberals under Mackenzie promised to cut funding to save money.promised to cut funding to save money.

Elections of 1874Elections of 1874

Also used issue of Pacific Scandal to Also used issue of Pacific Scandal to discredit the oppositiondiscredit the opposition

Mackenzie wins and defeats John A. Mackenzie wins and defeats John A. Macdonald’s conservatives 133-73Macdonald’s conservatives 133-73

PEIPEI 6-0, 6-0, NSNS 17-4, 17-4, NBNB 11-5, 11-5, QUEQUE 33- 33-32, 32, ONTONT 64-24, 64-24, MANMAN 2-2, 2-2, BC BC 0-60-6

Mackenzie’s ReignMackenzie’s Reign

There was a global recession and There was a global recession and Mackenzie wanted to increase trade Mackenzie wanted to increase trade with the USwith the US

He sent a delegate to the U.S. He sent a delegate to the U.S. seeking reciprocity, but was deniedseeking reciprocity, but was denied

This hurt the government because This hurt the government because less trade means less income from less trade means less income from tariffstariffs

Reign Cont…Reign Cont… Mackenzie decides no money to build Pacific Mackenzie decides no money to build Pacific

RailwayRailway Breaks his promise to begin construction Breaks his promise to begin construction

within two yearswithin two years This angers many in B.C. and they begin talks This angers many in B.C. and they begin talks

of leaving Canada and possibly joining U.S.A.of leaving Canada and possibly joining U.S.A. The Gov. General goes to calm B.C. down. The Gov. General goes to calm B.C. down. Mackenzie sees this as intrusion into affairs Mackenzie sees this as intrusion into affairs

of Canada and now launches attack against of Canada and now launches attack against the powers of the British Crown in Canadathe powers of the British Crown in Canada

Cont…Cont…

Gov General’s powers reduced to Gov General’s powers reduced to ceremonial duties onlyceremonial duties only

Mackenzie now decides on policy of rail Mackenzie now decides on policy of rail line to B.C.line to B.C.

There’s no money to build continuous link, There’s no money to build continuous link, so he will build series of smaller ones then so he will build series of smaller ones then connect to river highway systems. connect to river highway systems.

This he feels will be effective, cheaper This he feels will be effective, cheaper compromise.compromise.

Now Mackenzie has broken the B.C. ActNow Mackenzie has broken the B.C. Act

Manitoba and the WestManitoba and the West

He now breaks Manitoba Act.He now breaks Manitoba Act. Métis can only keep their land if they Métis can only keep their land if they

show clear title to it. show clear title to it. Most cannot since they have no real Most cannot since they have no real

document to prove this. document to prove this. HBC never issued deeds so no proof.HBC never issued deeds so no proof.

Manitoba Cont…Manitoba Cont…

Also, he says all land must be Also, he says all land must be permanently settled. permanently settled.

This goes against their semi-nomadic This goes against their semi-nomadic lifestyle.lifestyle.

Most Métis forced to give up their land Most Métis forced to give up their land or choose to rather than live this way. or choose to rather than live this way.

They move further west into They move further west into Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan.

Manitoba and the West Manitoba and the West Cont…Cont…

Mackenzie also revokes the clause of the Mackenzie also revokes the clause of the Manitoba Act that gave 1.4 million acres of Manitoba Act that gave 1.4 million acres of land to the descendants of the Métis.land to the descendants of the Métis.

Thus Mackenzie opens up red river for Thus Mackenzie opens up red river for settlement.settlement.

He now works on rest of the west.He now works on rest of the west. At this time smallpox epidemics are wiping At this time smallpox epidemics are wiping

out the Natives in Canada’s west. While out the Natives in Canada’s west. While he did not start them, he does little to help he did not start them, he does little to help either.either.

Cont…Cont…

He also purposely supports the He also purposely supports the decimation of the buffalo to starve the decimation of the buffalo to starve the natives into submission. natives into submission.

Eventually in exchange for their land, Eventually in exchange for their land, tribes sign treaties to move to tribes sign treaties to move to reservations and be taken care of by reservations and be taken care of by the government.the government.

By 1877 most of Canada’s West is By 1877 most of Canada’s West is wide open for settlement.wide open for settlement.

High PointsHigh Points Not everything he did was bad…far from Not everything he did was bad…far from

itit He started the Northwest Mounted Police He started the Northwest Mounted Police

to patrol the West and keep out the to patrol the West and keep out the bootleggers from the U.S.bootleggers from the U.S.

Canada’s supreme court in 1875Canada’s supreme court in 1875 The R.M.C. (Canada can have its own The R.M.C. (Canada can have its own

military officers)military officers) Elections Act (guarantees freer elections)Elections Act (guarantees freer elections) Auditor General Auditor General

However, t’was not enoughHowever, t’was not enough

Despite all his efforts he could not fix Despite all his efforts he could not fix the economythe economy

The global depression is still going The global depression is still going strong, and the Liberals are starting to strong, and the Liberals are starting to be blamed for thisbe blamed for this

Macdonald realized that a lot of Macdonald realized that a lot of people were becoming people were becoming disenfranchised with the Liberals, and disenfranchised with the Liberals, and there was an opportunity to develop a there was an opportunity to develop a new policynew policy

Macdonald’s National PolicyMacdonald’s National Policy Macdonald argued that if the U.S. would not lower Macdonald argued that if the U.S. would not lower

their tariffs allowing free trade, then we should their tariffs allowing free trade, then we should raise ours against them allowing our industries to raise ours against them allowing our industries to growgrow

This would hurt the farmers of the West, and the This would hurt the farmers of the West, and the Maritimes, but the industries of Ontario and Maritimes, but the industries of Ontario and Quebec love the ideaQuebec love the idea

Macdonald further realized that a lot of Canadians Macdonald further realized that a lot of Canadians were becoming alarmed at the amount of anti-were becoming alarmed at the amount of anti-British sentiment that seemed to permeate British sentiment that seemed to permeate through Mackenzie’s policies.through Mackenzie’s policies.

Macdonald plays on the British attitude to win Macdonald plays on the British attitude to win over these people as well.over these people as well.

With these two policies amalgamated together, With these two policies amalgamated together, the National Policy is born.the National Policy is born.

Elections of 1878Elections of 1878

As 1878 approaches, Macdonald has his As 1878 approaches, Macdonald has his policy to fight the Liberals withpolicy to fight the Liberals with

BC is anit-Liberal due to the railway BC is anit-Liberal due to the railway fiascofiasco

Manitoba dislikes the Liberal’s treatment Manitoba dislikes the Liberal’s treatment of the Manitoba Act, and they want the of the Manitoba Act, and they want the railway toorailway too

Ontario and Quebec like the new National Ontario and Quebec like the new National Policy because it is good for businessPolicy because it is good for business

1878 Election Results1878 Election Results

Macdonald is back.Macdonald is back. Macdonald seen as the pro-British, pro-Macdonald seen as the pro-British, pro-

industry, pro -Canadian development choiceindustry, pro -Canadian development choice The results of the election were 137-69The results of the election were 137-69 Mackenzie resigns as leader of the liberal Mackenzie resigns as leader of the liberal

party and is replaced by Edward Blake in party and is replaced by Edward Blake in 18801880

Mackenzie does remain an MP until his Mackenzie does remain an MP until his death in 1892death in 1892