Background
Mackenzie was born at Nine Mile River, Hampshire County, Nova Scotia, the son of Benjamin MacKenzie and Minnie Scott.
Mackenzie was born at Nine Mile River, Hampshire County, Nova Scotia, the son of Benjamin MacKenzie and Minnie Scott.
He represented Guysborough in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1945 to 1956 as a Liberal member. After being widowed a second time, MacKenzie married Geneve Forbes (Glennie), a widow with two children. MacKenzie joined the Army during World War I while still a minor.
(See "Old Enough to Fight: Canada"s Boy Soldiers During the First World War" By Dan Black and John Boileau).
He also served in World World War II and became a Lieutenant-Colonel. After the war MacKenzie served in the province"s Executive Council as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Lands and Forests from 1945-1954, and Minister of Highways and Public Works from 1954-1956.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the provincial assembly in 1956.