Angus McKay (politician)

Angus McKay was a Canadian politician who represented the Conservative Party in the riding of Marquette, Manitoba. He was elected on 2 March 1871 in a by-election. His term ended on 8 July 1872. He was the first aboriginal Canadian elected to the House of Commons.

He was born Auguste McKay at Edmonton House (later Edmonton, Alberta) on 1 November 1836. A Roman Catholic, McKay appears to have identified with the French-speaking community of his mother rather than with the English-speaking, Presbyterian background of his father, a Scottish fur trader. His mother's ancestors were Cree and French Canadian. His brother James was also a fur trader like their 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. That same 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 in 1876, Angus McKay 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. His date and place of death are unknown.

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