James Angus MacKinnon

James Angus MacKinnon, PC (October 4, 1881 – April 18, 1958) was a Canadian politician who served as a Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister and later Senator from Alberta.

James Agnus MacKinnon was in Port Elgin, Ontario, on October 4, 1881, to James MacKinnon and Margaret Tolmie MacKinnon, both of Scottish descent.^[1]

MacKinnon was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada representing the riding of Edmonton West in the 1935 federal election. A Liberal, he was re-elected in 1940 and 1945. He held many cabinet positions in the cabinets of William Lyon Mackenzie King and Louis Stephen St-Laurent including Minister without Portfolio, Minister of Trade and Commerce, Minister of National Revenue (Acting), Minister of Fisheries, and Minister of Mines and Resources. As Minister of Trade and Commerce during the Second World War, MacKinnon strove to orient Canadian trade policy towards Latin America when the war cut off many Canadian markets.^[2]

He did not seek re-election to the House in the 1949 election. He was appointed to the Senate of Canada representing the senatorial division of Edmonton, Alberta. From 1949 to 1950, while a senator, he was a minister without portfolio in the cabinet of Louis St-Laurent.

MacKinnon died in office in 1958.^[2]

MacKinnon married Irene Sharpe from Prince Edward Island on June 28, 1911, and had one adopted daughter, Keltie. She died on October 31, 1968, leaving her husband Denis Slattery, and five children, Sandy White (née Slattery), Gayle Slattery, John Slattery, Jim Slattery and Ann Varszegi (née Slattery).

MacKinnon was given an honorary Doctorate in Laws from the University of Alberta on October 23, 1948.^[1]

There is a James Angus MacKinnon fonds at Library and Archives Canada.^[3]

• James Angus MacKinnon – Parliament of Canada biography

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