Article

William Archibald Mackintosh

Published Online January 15, 2008

Last Edited December 14, 2013

William Archibald Mackintosh, (b in Madoc, Ont 21 May 1895; d at Kingston, Ont 29 Dec 1970). He attended Queen's (BA) and Harvard (MA and PhD). At Queen's he came under the influence of O.D. SKELTON, particularly his historical approach to economics and his interest in public affairs.

Mackintosh, William Archibald

William Archibald Mackintosh, (b in Madoc, Ont 21 May 1895; d at Kingston, Ont 29 Dec 1970). He attended Queen's (BA) and Harvard (MA and PhD). At Queen's he came under the influence of O.D. SKELTON, particularly his historical approach to economics and his interest in public affairs. After teaching briefly at Brandon College, Mackintosh returned to Queen's as a faculty member in 1920. He remained on staff there until WWII, writing influential works, including the 1923 article, "Economic Factors in Canadian History," and The Economic Background of Dominion Provincial Relations for the Rowell-Sirois Report.

During this period he also served as an adviser to government in many capacities, including acting as a member of the National Employment Commission in the 1930s. When WWII broke out he was brought into the Department of Finance by W.C. Clark. Mackintosh served in a senior capacity with Finance and then Reconstruction until 1946. While in the civil service he was especially interested in reconstruction problems and drafted the key federal policy document, the White Paper on EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME. In 1947 he returned to Queen's where he became vice-principal and then, 1951-61, principal.