Angus McKay (politician)

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This article is about the politician. For other uses, see Angus McKay (disambiguation).

Angus McKay (born November 1, 1836 – died 1897 or later) was a Canadian politician who represented the Conservative Party in the riding of Marquette, Manitoba. He was elected on March 2, 1871 in a by-election. His term ended on July 8, 1872. He was the first aboriginal Canadian elected to the House of Commons.

He was born Auguste McKay at Edmonton House (later Edmonton, Alberta) in 1836. McKay's father was a Scottish fur trader; his mother's ancestors were Cree and French Canadian. His brother James McKay was a fur trader like his father. Although Métis, he was opposed to Louis Riel's methods for dealing with the Canadian government and he was arrested by Riel in March 1870. Later that year, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in the riding of Lake Manitoba and was reelected in 1874. McKay resigned in 1876; his brother James was elected to the seat by acclamation. Later that year, he was appointed Indian agent for those areas covered by Treaty No. 4 including the Qu'Appelle Valley; in 1879, he was posted to the areas covered by Treaty No. 5 in northern Manitoba, serving until 1897.