Sir John Alexander Macdonald

Macdonald, Sir John Alexander (1815–91), Canadian statesman, first prime minister of the Dominion of Canada. Elected to the Ontario legislature in 1844, he became prime minister in 1857 as head of a Conservative coalition that was joined (1864) by George Brown and others. He led subsequent negotiations that resulted (1867) in the confederation of Canada, for which he was knighted by Queen Victoria. The Pacific Scandal (1873), involving corruption charges in completing the Canadian Pacific Railway, caused his government's resignation. However, Macdonald served as prime minister again from 1878 until his death.

See also: Canada.