Malcolm McKenzie
Encyclopedia
Malcolm McKenzie was a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
and, briefly, as Alberta Provincial Treasurer.
, Ontario
, around 1863. He attended Queens University, from which he graduated with a gold medal in philosophy, and then studied for a year in Toronto
. He came west around 1888 and, after a brief stay in Calgary
, settled in MacLeod
, where he joined the law firm Haultain, McKenzie and McNeill. That firm dissolved when its senior partner, Frederick W. A. G. Haultain
went to Regina
to serve as the first Premier of the Northwest Territories
. McKenzie established another law firm with John McDonald
and another lawyer; that firm was called McDonald, Martin and McKenzie.
, when he ran has the Liberal
candidate in Alberta (Provisional District)
. He was narrowly defeated by John Herron
of the rival Liberal-Conservative Party
. McKenzie then ran in the 1905 Alberta election
, the province's first, as the Liberal
candidate in MacLeod
, where he handily defeated his two opponents. In the first legislature he, along with most members from the province's south, favoured Calgary
over Edmonton
as the Alberta's permanent capital; his side was out-voted 16 to 8. He also proposed the successful name for Granum, located in his district and hitherto known as Leavings Switch; the area around Granum was known as excellent grain land, and "granum" is Latin
for grain.
In the 1909 election
, McKenzie was re-elected in the new district of Claresholm, by a margin still larger than the one he had achieved in 1905. During the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal
, he remained loyal to the Liberal government of Alexander Cameron Rutherford
; when that government fell, he transferred his allegiance to the new Liberal government of Arthur Sifton, though several other former Rutherford partisans (including Rutherford himself) opposed the new regime. His loyalty was rewarded in May 1912 when Sifton appointed him Provincial Treasurer. In keeping with the era's custom, McKenzie responded to the cabinet appointment by resigning his seat in the legislature to contest it in a by-election. Despite his previous wide margins, in 1912 he carried Claresholm by only 14 votes.
McKenzie's tenure as treasurer was not to last long: he caught a chill while attending the convention that nominated him as the Liberals' Claresholm candidate in the 1913 election
, and by the time he returned to Edmonton on March 10, 1913, he was sufficiently ill to confine himself to bed. He had developed peritonitis
, and died from it early in the morning of March 15. The Liberal Edmonton Bulletin
, in mourning his passing, said that "no lawyer in the province had such a firm grasp in legal matters. No member of the house performed his legislative duties so admirably and so well. He has left his impression on more legislation than any other member." He was survived by a wife and one son.
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
and, briefly, as Alberta Provincial Treasurer.
Early life
Malcolm McKenzie was born in KincardineKincardine, Ontario
The Municipality of Kincardine is located on the shores of Lake Huron in the County of Bruce in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has a population of 12,000, and covers an area of 580 square kilometres...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, around 1863. He attended Queens University, from which he graduated with a gold medal in philosophy, and then studied for a year in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. He came west around 1888 and, after a brief stay in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, settled in MacLeod
Fort Macleod, Alberta
Fort Macleod is a town in the southwest corner of the province of Alberta, Canada. It was founded as a North-West Mounted Police barracks, and is named in honour of the North-West Mounted Police Colonel James Macleod. The town's current mayor is Shawn Patience.- History and heritage preservation...
, where he joined the law firm Haultain, McKenzie and McNeill. That firm dissolved when its senior partner, Frederick W. A. G. Haultain
Frederick W. A. G. Haultain
Sir Frederick William Alpin Gordon Haultain was a lawyer and a long serving Canadian politician and judge. His career in provincial and territorial legislatures stretched into four decades...
went to Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
to serve as the first Premier of the Northwest Territories
Premier of the Northwest Territories
The Premier of the Northwest Territories is the first minister for the Northwest Territories,Canada. He or she is the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although the powers of the office are considerably less than those of a provincial premier.Unlike provincial premiers,...
. McKenzie established another law firm with John McDonald
John W. McDonald
John Walter McDonald was a lawyer and provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as Mayor of Fort Macleod, Alberta and also led the Alberta Liberal Party for a brief period from 1930 to 1932.-Early life:...
and another lawyer; that firm was called McDonald, Martin and McKenzie.
Political career
McKenzie first sought office in the 1904 federal electionCanadian federal election, 1904
The Canadian federal election of 1904 was held on November 3 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 10th Parliament of Canada...
, when he ran has 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...
candidate in Alberta (Provisional District)
Alberta (Provisional District)
Alberta was a federal electoral district in the Northwest Territories, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1887 to 1908.-History:...
. He was narrowly defeated by John Herron
John Herron (Alberta politician)
John Herron was a politician from Western Canada.-Political career:Born in Ashton, Carleton County, Canada West, Herron was first elected to the Alberta in the 1904 Canadian federal election in a hotly contested election defeating Malcolm McKenzie by less than 100 votes.Herron would run in the...
of the rival Liberal-Conservative Party
Liberal-Conservative Party
The Liberal-Conservative Party was the formal name of the Conservative Party of Canada until 1873, although some Conservative candidates continued to run under the label as late as the 1911 election and others ran as simple Conservatives prior to 1873...
. McKenzie then ran in the 1905 Alberta election
Alberta general election, 1905
The Alberta general election of 1905 was the first general election held in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 9 November 1905, to elect members of the Alberta legislature to the 1st Alberta Legislative Assembly, shortly after the province was created out of the Northwest Territories...
, the province's first, as the Liberal
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
candidate in MacLeod
Macleod (provincial electoral district)
Macleod is a former provincial electoral district that existed from 1905 to 2004 in the province of Alberta.-1905 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
, where he handily defeated his two opponents. In the first legislature he, along with most members from the province's south, favoured Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
over Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
as the Alberta's permanent capital; his side was out-voted 16 to 8. He also proposed the successful name for Granum, located in his district and hitherto known as Leavings Switch; the area around Granum was known as excellent grain land, and "granum" is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for grain.
In the 1909 election
Alberta general election, 1909
The Alberta general election was 1909 was the second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 22 March 1909 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, McKenzie was re-elected in the new district of Claresholm, by a margin still larger than the one he had achieved in 1905. During the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal
Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal
The Alberta and Great Waterways Railway Scandal was a political scandal in Alberta, Canada in 1910. It resulted in the resignation of the provincial government of Alexander Cameron Rutherford over allegations of conflict of interest in the government's involvement in the financing of the Alberta...
, he remained loyal to the Liberal government of Alexander Cameron Rutherford
Alexander Cameron Rutherford
Alexander Cameron Rutherford was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the first Premier of Alberta from 1905 to 1910. Born in Ormond, Ontario, he studied and practised law in Ottawa before moving with his family to the Northwest Territories in 1895...
; when that government fell, he transferred his allegiance to the new Liberal government of Arthur Sifton, though several other former Rutherford partisans (including Rutherford himself) opposed the new regime. His loyalty was rewarded in May 1912 when Sifton appointed him Provincial Treasurer. In keeping with the era's custom, McKenzie responded to the cabinet appointment by resigning his seat in the legislature to contest it in a by-election. Despite his previous wide margins, in 1912 he carried Claresholm by only 14 votes.
McKenzie's tenure as treasurer was not to last long: he caught a chill while attending the convention that nominated him as the Liberals' Claresholm candidate in the 1913 election
Alberta general election, 1913
The Alberta general election of 1913 was the third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The writ was dropped on 25 March 1913 and election day was held 17 April 1913 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Elections in two northern districts took place on 30 July...
, and by the time he returned to Edmonton on March 10, 1913, he was sufficiently ill to confine himself to bed. He had developed peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
, and died from it early in the morning of March 15. The Liberal Edmonton Bulletin
Edmonton Bulletin
The Edmonton Bulletin was a newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta published from 1880 until January 20, 1951. It was founded by Frank Oliver, a politician and future minister in the Canadian Government....
, in mourning his passing, said that "no lawyer in the province had such a firm grasp in legal matters. No member of the house performed his legislative duties so admirably and so well. He has left his impression on more legislation than any other member." He was survived by a wife and one son.
Electoral record
| 1912 by-election results (Claresholm) | font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout N.A. | |||
| Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
Malcolm McKenzie | 651 | 50.54% |
Conservative | D. S. MacMillan | 637 | 49.46% |
| 1909 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1909 The Alberta general election was 1909 was the second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 22 March 1909 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... results (Claresholm) |
Turnout N.A. | |||
| Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
Malcolm McKenzie | 696 | 61.87% |
Conservative | J. F. Garrow | 429 | 38.13% |
| 1905 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1905 The Alberta general election of 1905 was the first general election held in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 9 November 1905, to elect members of the Alberta legislature to the 1st Alberta Legislative Assembly, shortly after the province was created out of the Northwest Territories... results (Macleod Macleod (provincial electoral district) Macleod is a former provincial electoral district that existed from 1905 to 2004 in the province of Alberta.-1905 general election:-1957 liquor plebiscite:... ) |
Turnout N.A. | |||
| Liberal Alberta Liberal Party The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time... |
Malcolm McKenzie | 584 | 58.11% |
Conservative | David J. Crier | 368 | 36.62% |
Independent | Duncan J. D. K. Campbell | 53 | 5.27% |
| 1904 Canadian general election Canadian federal election, 1904 The Canadian federal election of 1904 was held on November 3 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 10th Parliament of Canada... results (Alberta (Provisional District) Alberta (Provisional District) Alberta was a federal electoral district in the Northwest Territories, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1887 to 1908.-History:... ) |
Turnout N.A. | |||
| Liberal-Conservative Liberal-Conservative Party The Liberal-Conservative Party was the formal name of the Conservative Party of Canada until 1873, although some Conservative candidates continued to run under the label as late as the 1911 election and others ran as simple Conservatives prior to 1873... |
John Herron John Herron (Alberta politician) John Herron was a politician from Western Canada.-Political career:Born in Ashton, Carleton County, Canada West, Herron was first elected to the Alberta in the 1904 Canadian federal election in a hotly contested election defeating Malcolm McKenzie by less than 100 votes.Herron would run in the... |
1,755 | 51.14% |
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... |
Malcolm McKenzie | 1,677 | 48.86% |