Joseph Macdonald was a lawyer, magistrate and political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

, Canada. He represented Cape Breton Centre

Cape Breton Centre

Cape Breton Centre is a provincial electoral district in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly....

 from 1925 to 1933 and Cape Breton North from 1933 to 1937 as a Conservative member.

He was born in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia

Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia

Sydney Mines is a former town in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Founded in 1784 and incorporated as a town in 1889, Sydney Mines has a rich history in coal production, although mining activity has now ceased.Prior to a permanent settlement being established, there was significant...

, the son of Michael Macdonald. He was educated at the University of Ottawa

University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...

 and Dalhousie University

Dalhousie University

Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...

. In 1893, he married Theresa Mary MacDonald. Macdonald served as military censor during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. He was a member of the province's Executive Council from 1931 to 1933. He died in North Sydney

North Sydney, Nova Scotia

North Sydney is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Located on the north side of Sydney Harbour, along the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island, North Sydney is an important port in Atlantic Canada as it is the western terminus of the Marine Atlantic ferry service...

 at the age of 59.

His son John Michael Macdonald

John Michael Macdonald

John Michael Macdonald was a Canadian politician.Born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, the son of Joseph Macdonald and Theresa MacDonald, he was educated at St. Francis Xavier University and Dalhousie University. He was called to the Nova Scotia bar in 1945. He practised law with his father and with...

served in the provincial assembly and the Canadian senate.