MacKenzie, Norman

Norman MacKenzie was born in Sarnia, Ontario on January 7, 1869, and died in Regina, Saskatchewan on January 2, 1936. His parents were John Alexander MacKenzie and Helen (Crawford) MacKenzie. He married Clara Erma McMorran, daughter of Harry McMorran, of Port Huron, Michigan, in 1909. They had no children. He moved to Regina in 1891 and lived there until his death. He was educated at various private schools in Ontario and at Upper Canada College, Toronto. He graduated from Osgoode Hall, Toronto, and read law with Charles Millar of Toronto before being called to the Ontario bar in 1891, the same year that he enrolled as a barrister in the Northwest Territories. He had a law practice in Regina in partnership with George W. Brown. Later he was senior partner of the law firm of MacKenzie, Thom, Bastedo, Ward and McDougall. He was made King’s Council (K.C.) in 1907 and became official solicitor for Saskatchewan and Alberta the same year. He was Public Administrator in the Northwest Territories (later Saskatchewan) from 1898 to 1910 and was official guardian in the Territories (and later Saskatchewan) from 1898 – 1929. He was also a dedicated collector of art. His personal collection was valued at $100.000 (Cdn) at the time of his death. It included painting, etchings and similar works by both local and international artists, as well as archaeological specimens such as Babylonian and Assyrian clay tablets, which be bequeathed to the University of Saskatchewan, Regina College. He was at various times a director of the Canada Permanent Mortgage Corporation, and of the National Art Gallery, Chairman of the Saskatchewan Boxing Commission, Director of the Regina Flying Club, member of the Board of Governors of Regina College, director of the Regina Agricultural Exhibition Association, on the executive of the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League, President of the Saskatchewan Art Association, a founding member of the Antipaw Shooting Club in the Qu’Appelle Valley and a bencher of the Law Society from its founding in 1898 to 1919 (and its first secretary).

RAD

May 8, 2025 (Creation)

Image credit: Saskatchewan Archives Board