Daniel J. MacDonald

The Honourable Daniel Joseph MacDonald PC
Minister of Veterans Affairs
In office November 27, 1972 – June 3, 1979
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Arthur Laing
Succeeded by	Allan McKinnon
In office March 3, 1980 – September 30, 1980
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Allan McKinnon
Succeeded by	Gilles Lamontagne (Acting)
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Cardigan
In office October 30, 1972 – May 22, 1979
Preceded by	Melvin McQuaid
Succeeded by	Wilbur MacDonald
In office February 8, 1980 – September 30, 1980
Preceded by	Wilbur MacDonald
Succeeded by	W. Bennett Campbell
Personal details
Born	Daniel Joseph MacDonald July 23, 1918 Bothwell, Prince Edward Island
Died	September 30, 1980 (aged 62)
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Pauline Peters
Children	7

Daniel Joseph MacDonald, PC (July 23, 1918 – September 30, 1980) was a Canadian politician from Prince Edward Island. He served as Minister of Veterans Affairs from 1972-1979 and again in 1980 until his death.

Life

He was born on his family's farm in Bothwell, Prince Edward Island and was educated in a one-room schoolhouse.

At the age of 20, he bought his own farm at Bothwell Beach. In 1940, he enlisted in The Prince Edward Island Highlanders to fight in World War II. He was transferred to the Cape Breton Highlanders in 1943 and fought with the rank of sergeant in Italy where he was wounded during the assault on the Gothic Line. He returned to his unit after a few weeks and was seriously wounded on December 21, 1944 during the Battle of Senio River. As a result, his left arm and leg were amputated. Undiscouraged by his injuries, he returned to his farm, married a local woman named Pauline Peters, built a house and raised seven children: Blair, Heather, Gail, Daniel, Leo, Walter, and Gloria.

Political career

In 1962 he was elected to the Prince Edward Island House of Assembly and sat in the body for ten years. He served as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry from 1966 to 1972 when he resigned to run in the 1972 federal election. Elected as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Cardigan, he was appointed to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau as Minister of Veterans Affairs. He was defeated in the 1979 federal election but returned in the 1980 election after which he was reappointed to the Veterans Affairs portfolio. MacDonald reformed veterans' pensions to make them more generous and introduced disability pensions and pensions for Prisoners of War.

He died in office on September 30, 1980 and was given a state funeral. The eulogy was given by Prime Minister Trudeau at St. Dunstan's Cathedral in Charlottetown.

The Daniel J. MacDonald Building in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, was named in his honour. It houses Veterans Affairs Canada and the Veterans Review and Appeal Board.

Electoral history

Canadian federal election, 1980
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Liberal	Daniel J. MacDonald	8,590	48.18	+1.51
	Progressive Conservative	Wilbur MacDonald	8,006	44.90	-3.21
	New Democratic	Aubrey Cantelo	1,054	5.91	+0.69
	Independent	Arthur D. Reddin	180	1.01
Total valid votes			17,830	100.00

Canadian federal election, 1979
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Progressive Conservative	Wilbur MacDonald	8,219	48.11	+5.98
	Liberal	Daniel J. MacDonald	7,972	46.67	-7.32
	New Democratic	George MacFarlane	892	5.22	+1.94
Total valid votes			17,083	100.00

Canadian federal election, 1974
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Liberal	Daniel J. MacDonald	6,958	53.99	+9.45
	Progressive Conservative	Leo James Walsh	5,429	42.13	+0.95
	New Democratic	Martin Gerard Kenny	423	3.28	-10.99
	Independent	A. Neil Harpham	77	0.60
Total valid votes			12,887	100.00

Canadian federal election, 1972
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Liberal	Daniel J. MacDonald	5,528	44.54	-4.21
	Progressive Conservative	Alfred Kenneth Fraser	5,111	41.18	-8.35
	New Democratic	Aquinas Ryan	1,771	14.27	+12.51
Total valid votes			12,410	100.00

References

• Department of Veterans Affairs biography