John W. McDonald
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John W. McDonald | |
|---|---|
 McDonald in 1944 | |
| Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party | |
| In office March 28, 1930 – March 1, 1932 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Shaw |
| Succeeded by | George Webster |
| Mayor of Fort Macleod, Alberta | |
| In office 1923–1930 | |
| In office 1934–1938 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 21, 1878 |
| Died | November 8, 1950 (aged 72) |
| Party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Margaret McDonald |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | politician, lawyer, judge |
John Walter McDonald KC (May 21, 1878 – November 8, 1950) was a Canadian lawyer, judge and provincial politician from Alberta. He served as Mayor of Fort Macleod, Alberta, Chief Judge of the District Court of Southern Alberta, and also led the Alberta Liberal Party for a brief period from 1930 to 1932.[1]
John W. McDonald was born in Vaughan, Ontario.[2] He took his post secondary education at the University of Toronto graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Civil Law in 1905 and became a lawyer.[1][3] McDonald married his wife Margaret in 1907.[3] McDonald practiced in Toronto with the firm of Denton, Dunn and Boultbee, until he moved west, passed the Alberta Bar in 1907 and established became legal partners with Malcolm McKenzie at the firm of McDonald, Martin and McKenzie.[3][1] McDonald was appointed King's Counsel in 1919 and became Crown Prosecutor for the Judicial District of Macleod.[3][1] As a Crown Prosecutor he received recognition for two infamous murder trials of R v. Basoff (1920) where Tom Bassoff was convicted of murdering Alberta Provincial Police Constable Fred W.E. Bailey and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Corporal Usher in a shootout in Bellevue, Alberta, and R. v. Zitto (1923).[1]