John George MacKay (November 6, 1893 – October 21, 1974) was a farmer and political figure on

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

. He represented 4th Prince in the

Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island () together with the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island form the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. The Legislative Assembly meets at ...

from 1949 to 1966 as a Liberal. MacKay was the 20th

Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island The lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island () is the representative in Prince Edward Island of the monarch, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada. The lieutenant go ...

, serving from October 6, 1969, to October 24, 1974.

Biography

He was born in

Albany, Prince Edward Island Albany is a Canadian settlement in Prince County, Prince Edward Island Prince County is located in western Prince Edward Island, Canada. The county's defining geographic feature is Malpeque Bay, a sub-basin of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which c ...

, the son of David MacKay and Almira Harvey, and was educated there. MacKay married Muriel Beatrice Boulter in 1918. He was president of the Tryon Dairying Company and the Tryon Farmers' Institute and also served as a director of the Provincial Swine Breeders' Association. MacKay served in the 10th Siege Battery with the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF; French: ''Corps expéditionnaire canadien'') was the expeditionary warfare, expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed on August 15, 1914, following United Kingdom declarat ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. After the war, he continued his military service in the

Canadian Militia The Canadian Militia is a historical title for military units raised for the defence of Canada. The term has been used to describe sedentary militia units raised from local communities in Canada; as well as the regular army for the Province of Ca ...

as a sergeant in

The Prince Edward Island Light Horse The Prince Edward Island Light Horse was a cavalry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). First authorized in 1901 as an independent squadron of Canadian Mounted Rifles, it became a full regim ...

(now part of

The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Forces, 5th Canadian Division, 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment is based in Charlottetown and Summerside, Prince Edward Island. ...

). He was a member of the provincial cabinet as a

minister without portfolio A minister without portfolio is a government minister without specific responsibility as head of a government department. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet with decision-making authorit ...

in 1952 and as Minister of Highways from 1955 to 1959. MacKay died in office at the

Prince Edward Island Hospital The Prince Edward Island Hospital is a former acute care hospital that was located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It was the first public general hospital established in the province and the largest such facility throughout its history. ...

in Charlottetown at the age of 80.

References

Lieutenant governors of Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island Liberal Party MLAs 1893 births 1974 deaths Prince Edward Island Regiment 20th-century Canadian farmers 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island Farmers from Prince Edward Island {{PrinceEdwardIsland-politician-stub