Alexander Campbell: Father of Confederation and John A. Macdonald’s ‘Ideal Political Lieutenant’

Commentary There are quite a few lesser-known Fathers of Confederation who deserve to be remembered for their cameo appearance, or even as best-supporting actors. Sir Alexander Campbell was a best-supporting actor, a reliable all-round steady hand, a good second string. Campbell was a key Ontario ally of John A. Macdonald, though they were not close […]

Alexander Campbell: Father of Confederation and John A. Macdonald’s ‘Ideal Political Lieutenant’

TL;DR

  • Sir Alexander Campbell was a notable Father of Confederation, often overlooked.
  • He served as a key Ontario ally to John A. Macdonald.
  • Campbell was described as a "useful, safe, and able" political lieutenant.
  • He and Macdonald, despite personal differences, collaborated for decades.
  • Both were lawyers from Kingston and Tories involved in the 1867 federal re-founding of Canada.