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Mark MacGuigan

1931 – 1998

Canadian politician

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About Mark MacGuigan

Lived 1931 – 1998 (aged 66). Mark MacGuigan was a Canadian judge, lawyer, diplomat, politician, university teacher and law professor.

Mark Rudolph MacGuigan (17 February 1931 – 12 January 1998) was a Canadian academic and politician.

Born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the son of Mark Rudolph MacGuigan and Agnes Violet Trainor, he was educated at Saint Dunstan's University (B.A.), the University of Toronto (M.A., Ph.D. (Philosophy)), Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.B.), and Columbia University (LL.M., J.S.D.) He was a professor at Osgoode and the University of Toronto and was dean of law at the University of Windsor.

MacGuigan was elected as a Liberal Party candidate to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1968 general election. He was re-elected in 1972, 1974, 1979, and 1980.

In 1976, he took a turn at provincial politics and ran for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. He lost to Stuart Smith at the leadership convention.

In 1980, he was appointed Secretary of State for External Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. He became Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in 1982.

When Trudeau announced his retirement as Liberal leader and prime minister, MacGuigan ran to succeed him at the 1984 Liberal leadership convention. He placed fifth. He retired from politics following the convention, and became a judge on the federal Court of Appeal.

He died in Oklahoma City of liver cancer in 1998.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Toronto, Columbia Law School, University of St. Michael's College, Columbia University
Positions held
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Member of the House of Commons of Canada
Employers
University of Toronto
Also known as
Mark Rudolph MacGuigan

Family & relationships

Parent
Mark MacGuigan, Sr.

People in Mark MacGuigan's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mark MacGuigan's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mark MacGuigan?

Canadian politician (1931-1998)

When was Mark MacGuigan born?

Mark MacGuigan was born on 17 February 1931 in Charlottetown.

When did Mark MacGuigan die?

Mark MacGuigan died on 12 January 1998 in Oklahoma City.

What was Mark MacGuigan's occupation?

Mark MacGuigan was a judge, lawyer, diplomat, politician, university teacher and law professor.

What nationality was Mark MacGuigan?

Mark MacGuigan was Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mark MacGuigan

· Wikidata: Q176944

· DBpedia: Mark MacGuigan

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mark MacGuigan. https://biography.guide/mark-macguigan/

MLA: "Mark MacGuigan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mark-macguigan/.

Chicago: "Mark MacGuigan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mark-macguigan/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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