Donald MacDonald

Early life He was born in Halifax on 12 September 1909. His family moved to Sydney, Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island when he was still a boy. By age 17, he was working at the coal piers at the Sydney Steel Plant. His education included graduating from Sydney Academy High School and attending St. Francis Xavier University (St. F.X.).

Early union experience At the age of 21, Donald MacDonald became the president of the United Mine Workers (UMW) Local 4560. He worked at the pier throughout the 1930s. Being one of three CCF candidates elected, he became the leader of the CCF party in the Nova Scotia Assembly until 1945. The CCF lost Cape Breton South, but still retained two seats on the island and in the House of Assembly. His successor as party leader, Russell Cunningham was elected in Cape Breton East in the 1945 election, making up for the loss of Cape Breton South.

Canadian Congress of Labour In 1942, he joined the organizing staff of the Canadian Congress of Labour (CCL). After his 1945 loss in the Cape Breton South riding, he became the regional director of the Maritime Provinces. His other honours include: the Canadian Centennial Medal; the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

After a long battle with cancer, MacDonald died in a hospital, in the nation's capital, Ottawa, on 25 September 1986.