I am heading off to Toronto next month for a short break. I chose the city after reading a feature on Niagara Falls in a book I received for my birthday a couple of years ago. Since Toronto is so close to the Falls, I decided it would be the perfect place to stay.
Toronto is a city that has intrigued me more and more in recent years. Many consider it to be the most multicultural city in the world, with people from all corners of the globe choosing to settle in what is often affectionately called "the 6ix", a nickname popularised by rapper Drake, referring to the city’s six boroughs.
I see parallels between Dundee and Toronto. While Toronto is much larger in scale, both cities share some striking similarities. Both are leading tech hubs, both have vibrant arts scenes, and both are home to growing games clusters.
In recent years, I've been increasingly vocal about wanting to see a partnership between Dundee and Toronto. The idea stems from the fact that both cities were recognised together in 2021 as two of Cognizant's ‘Cities of the Future’.
Initially, I thought the links between these cities were purely modern. However, I was surprised to learn that Dundee had, in a way, played a role in the very foundation of Toronto itself. This is thanks to one prominent Dundonian: William Lyon Mackenzie, who became Toronto's first mayor in 1834.
At that time, Toronto had a population of just 9,000, compared to Dundee’s 40,000. It's quite surreal when you consider that today, Toronto dwarfs Dundee, with a population of 2.7 million compared to Dundee's 147,000.
William Lyon Mackenzie was born in Dundee on 12 March 1795 to weavers Daniel Mackenzie and Elizabeth Chalmers. His father died soon after his birth, leaving his mother to raise him alone. Despite their modest means, Mackenzie received a scholarship to attend grammar school at just five years old, and by 1811, he had become involved in scientific discourse.
In 1813, he moved to Alyth to help his mother open a store. A year later, he had a son with Isabel Reid, which caused some local criticism, though the child was later baptised. Following the Napoleonic Wars, financial difficulties forced Mackenzie to relocate to southern England for work as a bookkeeper, but he struggled with reckless behaviour and gambling.
In 1820, Mackenzie decided to emigrate to Canada with his friend, John Lesslie, aboard the schooner Psyche. He worked as a bookkeeper and journalist in Montreal before moving to York (now Toronto) to assist the Lesslie family’s business. Writing under the pseudonym Mercator, Mackenzie contributed to the York Observer, and later managed the Lesslies' business in Dundas.
In 1822, his mother and son joined him in Upper Canada, and that same year he married Isabel Baxter in Montreal. Together, they had thirteen children.
Stepping into journalism
Mackenzie's journalism career took off when he founded The Colonial Advocate in 1824. This newspaper became a platform for his reformist views. Through it, he exposed corruption, criticised the ruling elite, and promoted the idea that government should be accountable to its people. His unrelenting critiques of the establishment helped galvanise public support for political and social change.
A political career
In December 1827, Mackenzie launched his political career by running for York County in Upper Canada's 10th Parliament. His campaign was funded in part by compensation he received following the "Types Riot," when political opponents ransacked his printing office. Despite finishing second, Mackenzie secured a seat in the legislature, where he chaired important committees on postal efficiency, election processes, and banking regulations.
During the 1830 election, Mackenzie campaigned on budget control and equal rights for Christian denominations. Despite the Reformers losing a majority, he was re-elected. He strengthened ties with Lower Canada, petitioned for reforms in London, and faced significant opposition, including multiple expulsions from the legislature due to his outspoken views.
Becoming Toronto's first mayor
By 1834, York had grown into a city and was officially renamed Toronto, partly to avoid confusion with New York state and city, which were geographically close to Ontario. During this transition, Mackenzie was elected as Toronto's first mayor on 27 March 1834.
The election was a close contest, with Mackenzie narrowly defeating his opponent John Rolph by 10 votes to 8. Although his tenure as mayor lasted only a year, Mackenzie made significant contributions.
He supported a controversial tax increase to fund the construction of a boardwalk along King Street and presided over Toronto's Police Court, adjudicating cases of public disorder and abuse. He was also instrumental in creating Toronto's first coat of arms and moved the offices of The Advocate to part of the newly designated city hall.
Leading a failed rebellion
Mackenzie is perhaps most infamous for his role in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837. Frustrated by the lack of political reform, he led an armed uprising against the colonial government.
Though the rebellion was a failure, it underscored the urgent need for reform and ultimately accelerated the push for responsible government.
The rebellion marked a turning point, helping to distance Toronto from its colonial roots.
After the rebellion failed, Mackenzie fled to the United States and became a US citizen. Mackenzie moved to New York where he founded Mackenzie's Gazette.
However, he was convicted of violation of the US neutrality laws and imprisoned for a year up until 1849, when he returned to Toronto.
In late 1858, Mackenzie gathered petitions in an attempt to dissolve the Province of Canada but failed to secure funding for a trip to England. Instead, he wrote the Almanac for Independence and Freedom for 1860.
In October of that year, he moved to a Toronto residence provided by the Homestead Fund.
In 1861, he declined medication for declining health and passed away on August 28. His funeral procession in Toronto Necropolis included Reformers and Family Compact members, and he was buried alongside family members under a twelve-foot Celtic cross.
Mackenzie’s legacy
William Lyon Mackenzie's legacy is still felt in Toronto today.
His former home was declared a historic site in 1936, and the Mackenzie House museum was later transferred to the City of Toronto in 1960.
A monument honouring him stands in Queen's Park, near the Ontario Legislative Building, and his life has inspired numerous works, from poetry by Dennis Lee and John Robert Colombo to plays by Rick Salutin, such as 1837: The Farmers' Revolt. The Mackenzie Printery museum was established in 1991, and the Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion, named in part after him, honoured his fight for reform.
Several institutions in Toronto bear his name, including the William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute, and a fireboat was named in his honour in 1964. More recently, a Twitter account called "The Rebel Mayor" was created during Toronto's 2010 mayoral election, adopting Mackenzie's persona to engage with modern political discussions.
William Lyon Mackenzie’s legacy is a testament to the deep connections between Dundee and Toronto, and it serves as a reminder of how history can often link cities in unexpected ways.
While Mackenzie's efforts at political reform may have been fraught with controversy, his impact on Toronto's early development and his role in challenging colonial authority remain significant chapters in the city's story.
In the years following his death, his daughter Isabel Grace Mackenzie would name her son after him: William Lyon Mackenzie King.
Mackenzie King was Canada’s longest-serving Prime Minister, leading the nation for over 21 years across three terms from the 1920s to the 1940s.
Known for his pragmatic approach, he navigated Canada through the Great Depression and Second World War, focusing on social welfare policies like unemployment insurance and old-age pensions.
Despite his enigmatic personality and interest in spiritualism, King's leadership was pivotal in shaping modern Canada, maintaining national unity and strengthening independence from British influence.
As I prepare to visit Toronto, I’m excited to explore a city where the echoes of this Dundonian’s influence are still evident today.
Whether through the arts, politics, or the ever-evolving tech scene, the shared history between these two cities continues to inspire collaboration and innovation into the future.
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