William Alexander McKenzie

William Alexander McKenzie (January 29, 1874^[1] – July 8, 1966^[2] ) was a builder and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Similkameen in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1918 to 1933 as a Conservative.

He was born in Puslinch, Ontario, the son of William McKenzie and the former Miss Mary Brown, and was educated there. In 1910, McKenzie married Florence Mary Thompson (28 Feb 1886 - 10 Feb 1959)the daughter of James Walden Thompson (1856 Biddulph, Ontario - 1923 Penticton, B.C.) and Isabella Murray McMillan (1859 Nissouria, Ontario - 1950 Esquimalt, B.C.). .^[1] He was a resident of Penticton from 1906 and served as reeve in 1917.^[3] McKenzie was first elected to the provincial assembly in a 1918 by-election held after Lytton Wilmot Shatford was named to the Canadian senate. Between 1928 and 1933, he was a member of the provincial cabinet, serving as Minister of Mines and Minister of Labour.^[1] He moved to Victoria after being named to cabinet.^[3] McKenzie was defeated by Charles Herbert Percy Tupper when he ran for reelection in 1933.^[4] He died in Victoria.^[2] One of his four children, Hon. Lloyd George McKenzie, Q.C. (1918-2005), after retiring from the bench of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1993, acted for ten years as Information Officer for the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, a position without precedent.^[5][6][7][8]

References

1. Normandin, A L (1931). Canadian Parliamentary Guide 1931.
2. "Vital Event Death Registration". BC Archives. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
3. "Previous Councils". City of Penticton. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
4. "Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
5. Haynes, Diane (Fall 2005). "Common Ground (feature on Lloyd George McKenzie and Agnes Huang)". UBC Law Alumni Magazine. Vancouver: UBC Faculty of Law: 10–15. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
6. "In Memoriam: Hon. Lloyd George McKenzie, Q.C.,'68". The Bulletin (53). Irvine, CA: American College of Trial Lawyers: 12. Spring 2006. Archived from the original on 18 July 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
7. "Lloyd McKenzie Private Dining Room Dedication" (PDF). VCCCAA Newsletter (92). Victoria, British Columbia: Victoria College Craigdarroch Castle Alumni Association: 8. March 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
8. "Hon. Lloyd George McKenzie - Obituary". The Vancouver Sun. Vancouver. 1 November 2005. Retrieved 30 December 2015.