David MacDonald (Canadian politician)

Last updated

Sandrabelle Rogers
​
​
(m. 1964⁠–⁠1997)​
Deborah Sinclair
​
(m. 2005)​
The Honourable
David MacDonald
PC
Hon David MacDonald Sept 2016.jpg
Secretary of State for Canada
In office
June 4, 1979 –March 2, 1980
Domestic partner Alexa McDonough (1997-2004)
OccupationUnited Church minister, politician

David Samuel Horne MacDonald PC (born August 20, 1936) is a Canadian United Church of Canada minister, former politician, and author.

Contents

Early life

Born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, David MacDonald was ordained in the United Church by the Maritime Conference on June 11, 1961, and was a minister at Alberton, Tignish, and Cascumpec, Prince Edward Island before going into federal politics.

Political career

He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) from the former Prince Edward Island riding of Prince in the 1965 election, and was re-elected in the realigned Egmont riding from 1968 until 1979. [1]

After the Tory victory in the 1979 election, he was appointed Minister of Communications, Minister responsible for the Status of Women and Secretary of State for Canada in the short-lived Cabinet of Prime Minister Joe Clark.

MacDonald lost his seat to Liberal George Henderson in the 1980 election but returned to the House as MP in the Toronto riding of Rosedale in the 1988 election, replacing former Toronto Mayor and PC incumbent David Crombie.

However, he lost his seat again to a Liberal majority government in the 1993 election, this time to Bill Graham. Two other notable candidates ran against MacDonald in this election: future New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jack Layton, and magician Doug Henning for the Natural Law Party of Canada.

MacDonald also spent time in Africa between parliamentary duties.

MacDonald had a reputation as a Red Tory and subsequently switched his political allegiance to the social democratic New Democratic Party of Canada. He ran as the NDP candidate in his old riding (now called Toronto Centre-Rosedale) in the 1997 election, but was defeated again by Graham.

After politics

On November 25, 1998, The United Church of Canada appointed MacDonald a Special Advisor on residential schools, in light of major lawsuits against the UCC from former students.

Personal life

MacDonald was romantically involved with Alexa McDonough who at the time was leader of the federal NDP, prior to his 1997 candidacy. [2] However, they split up prior to the 2004 federal election. [3] MacDonald has since started another relationship and married. [3]

Electoral record

Toronto Centre—Rosedale

1997 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Bill Graham 22,94549.19-0.80
New Democratic David MacDonald9,59720.58+9.80
Progressive Conservative Stephen Probyn8,99319.28-1.96
Reform John Stewart3,6467.82-4.65
Green Jim Harris 5771.24+0.30
Canadian Action Anthony Robert Pedrette3030.65
Natural Law Ron Parker2700.58-1.01
Marxist–Leninist Steve Rutchinski1660.36+0.25
Independent Ted W. Culp1450.31
Total valid votes 46,642 100.00

Rosedale

1993 Canadian federal election : Rosedale
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
Liberal Bill Graham 27,70749.98–$54,087
  Progressive Conservative David MacDonald 12,01821.68$60,961
  Reform Daniel Jovkovic7,04812.71$25,016
  New Democratic Party Jack Layton 5,93710.71$44,872
  National Martin Lanigan1,0911.97$6,964
  Natural Law Doug Henning 8391.51$37,086
Green Leslie Hunter4790.86$380
 N/A (Christian Freedom)Linda Dale Gibbons2140.39$200
  Marxist-Leninist Steve Rutchinski610.11$205
  Abolitionist Y. Patrice d'Audibert-Garcien430.08$0
Total valid votes55,437 100.00
Total rejected ballots491
Turnout55,928 61.71
Electors on the lists90,630
Source: Thirty-fifth General Election, 1993: Official Voting Results, Published by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. Financial figures taken from official contributions and expenses provided by Elections Canada.
1988 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative David MacDonald22,70441.36-11.44
Liberal Bill Graham 22,62441.21+15.08
New Democratic Doug Wilson 8,26615.06-2.77
Libertarian Chris Blatchly4110.75+0.09
Green Frank de Jong 3970.72-1.15
Rhinoceros Liane McLarty2650.48
Independent Mike Constable1020.19
Independent Harry Margel910.17
Commonwealth of Canada Paul Therrien330.06-0.27
Total valid votes 54,893 100.00

Egmont

1980 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Henderson 8,63952.37+12.93
Progressive Conservative David MacDonald7,03342.63-13.44
New Democratic Vincent Gallant8245.00+0.51
Total valid votes16,496100.00
1979 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative David MacDonald8,86156.07+3.82
Liberal Bill Reese6,23339.44-4.81
New Democratic Vincent Gallant7104.49+0.98
Total valid votes15,804100.00
1974 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative David MacDonald7,58352.25-3.53
Liberal Bill Reese6,42244.25+3.97
New Democratic Cletus Shea5093.51-0.04
Total valid votes14,514100.00
1972 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative David MacDonald7,86855.78+2.26
Liberal George W. Olscamp5,68140.28-4.02
New Democratic Carroll L. Kadey5013.55+1.37
Social Credit Hugh G. Ryan550.39
Total valid votes14,105100.00
1968 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Progressive Conservative David MacDonald7,18253.52
Liberal J. Melville Campbell5,94544.30
New Democratic Harvey Dawson2922.18
Total valid votes13,419100.00

Prince

1965 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes
Progressive Conservative David MacDonald9,082
Liberal John Watson MacNaught 8,312
New Democratic Harvey Dawson384

Archives

There is a David S.H. MacDonald fonds at Library and Archives Canada. [4]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Parliament of Canada, Parliamentarian File". Archived from the original on 2015-10-06. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
  2. ↑ Sheppard, Robert (April 14, 1997). "You call that endurance?". The Globe and Mail . Toronto. p. A13.
  3. 1 2 Ottawa Citizen Staff (October 4, 2008). "Alexa McDonough reflects on time and change as she eases into life after politics: So how are you feeling?". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ "David S.H. MacDonald fonds, Library and Archives Canada" . Retrieved September 9, 2020.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister responsible for the Status of Women
4 June 1979 – 2 March 1980		Succeeded by

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