Pantheon of Reformers - William McDougall, editor of the reform rag North American

Sir William McDougall (1822 - 1905)

a Canadian lawyer, politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation.

In 1847, he began practising law as an attorney and solicitor in Upper Canada.

In 1862, he was called to the Upper Canada Bar. His legal career, however, served mainly to finance his ambition to become a journalist.

In 1847, he co-established the Canada Farmer, a weekly devoted to agricultural improvement, science, and literature. The following year McDougall merged it with the British American Cultivator to form the Agriculturist & Canadian Journal. In 1849, that was transformed into the Canadian Agriculturist, which was intended more pointedly to promote agriculture and colonization.

In 1850, he started The North American, a liberal newspaper. It supported positions taken by Clear Grits and the voluntaryist movement (against government support for the Church).

McDougall was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly in 1858 and served as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Provincial Secretary. He attended all three Confederation Conferences, and then, after being elected to the House of Commons in 1867, served as Minister of Public Works.

McDougall was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory in 1869. However, he was prevented from entering the area to serve his tenure by a band of Métis, and thus never was officially installed in the position.

After he returned to Ottawa, McDougall served as a private member in the House of Commons until 1872. In 1873, he resumed the practice of law and then returned to politics.

He served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for South Simcoe from 1875 to 1878, and as the Member of Parliament for Halton from 1878 to 1882.

This collection consists of documents related to William McDougall's career as politician and editor. It contains documents related to his activities as a leading voice of the Clear Grit movement, the radical faction of the Reform Party, drafts of articles to be published in different newspapers, documents related to his activities as a politician, especially as one of the leaders of the purchase of Rupert's Land and the Northwest Territories. It also contains documents regarding his nomination as first Governor of Rupert's Land and the North-West Territories and the difficulties he faced during the Red River Rebellion.

The fonds contains correspondence and memoranda, reports, drafts of letters and articles to be published in different newspapers, newspaper clippings, printed documents, memoirs and autobiographical notes, minutes of meetings, and other items.

There is no finding aid on the microfilm reel.

https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c2055/36

from Canadian Heritage https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_104270

see the Alberta Centennial series for more info on this man.

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