Daniel J. MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Daniel Joseph MacDonald, PC
(July 23, 1918 – September 30, 1980) was a Canadian
politician.
and was educated in a one-room schoolhouse.
At the age of 20, he bought his own farm at Bothwell Beach. In 1940, he enlisted in the Prince Edward Island Highlanders to fight in World War II
. He was transferred to the Cape Breton Highlanders
in 1943 and fought with the rank of sergeant
in Italy
where he was wounded during the assault on the Gothic Line
. He returned to his unit after a few weeks and was seriously wounded on December 21, 1944 during the Battle of Senio River. As a result his left arm and leg were amputated. Undiscouraged by his injuries, he returned to his farm, married a local woman named Pauline Peters, built a house and raised seven children: Blair, Heather, Gail, Daniel, Leo, Walter, and Gloria.
In 1962 he was elected to the Prince Edward Island House of Assembly and sat in the body for ten years. He served as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry from 1966 to 1972 when he resigned to run in the 1972 federal election
. Elected as the Liberal
Member of Parliament
for Cardigan
, he was appointed to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
as Minister of Veterans Affairs
. He was defeated in the 1979 federal election
but returned in the 1980 election
after which he was reappointed to the Veterans Affairs portfolio. MacDonald reformed veterans' pensions to make them more generous and introduced disability pensions and pensions for Prisoners of War
.
He died in office on September 30, 1980 and was given a state funeral
. The eulogy was spoken by Trudeau at St. Dunstan's Cathedral in Charlottetown
. The Daniel J. MacDonald Building was named in his honour, which currently houses the Veterans Review and Appeal Board
branch of Veterans Affairs Canada
, in Charlottetown.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(July 23, 1918 – September 30, 1980) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician.
Life
He was born on his family's farm in Bothwell, Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
and was educated in a one-room schoolhouse.
At the age of 20, he bought his own farm at Bothwell Beach. In 1940, he enlisted in the Prince Edward Island Highlanders to fight in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was transferred to the Cape Breton Highlanders
Cape Breton Highlanders
The Cape Breton Highlanders is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It was established in 1871, merged into The Nova Scotia Highlanders in 1954, and re-established as a distinct regiment in 2011....
in 1943 and fought with the rank of sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he was wounded during the assault on the Gothic Line
Gothic Line
The Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
. He returned to his unit after a few weeks and was seriously wounded on December 21, 1944 during the Battle of Senio River. As a result his left arm and leg were amputated. Undiscouraged by his injuries, he returned to his farm, married a local woman named Pauline Peters, built a house and raised seven children: Blair, Heather, Gail, Daniel, Leo, Walter, and Gloria.
In 1962 he was elected to the Prince Edward Island House of Assembly and sat in the body for ten years. He served as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry from 1966 to 1972 when he resigned to run in the 1972 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1972
The Canadian federal election of 1972 was held on October 30, 1972 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 29th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in a slim victory for the governing Liberal Party, which won 109 seats, compared to 107 seats for the opposition Progressive...
. Elected as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Cardigan
Cardigan (electoral district)
Cardigan is a federal electoral district in Prince Edward Island, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968.-Demographics:Ethnic groups: 98.5% White, 1.1% Native Canadian...
, he was appointed to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
as Minister of Veterans Affairs
Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Veterans Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet whose position was created in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs Canada was split from the Department of Pensions and National Health and was given the responsibility of administering benefits and pensions...
. He was defeated in the 1979 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
but returned in the 1980 election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
after which he was reappointed to the Veterans Affairs portfolio. MacDonald reformed veterans' pensions to make them more generous and introduced disability pensions and pensions for Prisoners of War
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
He died in office on September 30, 1980 and was given a state funeral
State funerals in Canada
State funerals in Canada are public events held to commemorate former governors general, prime ministers, members of the Cabinet who died in office, and, at the Cabinet's discretion, other eminent Canadians...
. The eulogy was spoken by Trudeau at St. Dunstan's Cathedral in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
. The Daniel J. MacDonald Building was named in his honour, which currently houses the Veterans Review and Appeal Board
Veterans Review and Appeal Board
The Veterans Review and Appeal Board Canada is a Canadian government agency responsible for hearing reviews and appeals by disabled and War Veterans Allowance decisions by Veterans Affairs Canada. The Board assures the benefits entitled to members of the war veterans, Canadian Forces and members of...
branch of Veterans Affairs Canada
Veterans Affairs Canada
The Department of Veterans Affairs , also referred to as Veterans Affairs Canada , is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for pensions/benefits and services for war veterans, retired personnel of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, their families,...
, in Charlottetown.