Career
On July 1, 2014, he began a one-year term as interim president of Athabasca University. He"s also a Canadian lawyer and legal academic. Born in Prince Edward Island, he received a Bachelor from Dalhousie University, an Bachelor of Laws from Queen"s University and a Master of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan.
He was created a Queen"s Counsel in 1990.
They have two children, Alan and William. In 1975, he joined the faculty of the University of Saskatchewan as an Assistant Professor of Law.
He became an Associate Professor in 1978 and a Professor in 1983. From 1979 to 1981, he was the Assistant Dean of Law and was the Dean of Law from 1988 to 1998.
In 1999, he was appointed the eighth President of the University of Saskatchewan.
On March 9, MacKinnon announced that he would be stepping down as President of the University of Saskatchewan, effective June 30, 2012. He is succeeded by Ilene Busch-Vishniac, former provost and vice-president (academic) at McMaster University. From 2003 to 2005, he was the chairman of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the organization representing Canada"s universities.
In 2006, it was reported that he was one of three "short list" candidates to be recommended to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada replacing the retired justice John C. Major.
In 2012, the Board of Governors of the University of Saskatchewan renamed the College Building the Peter MacKinnon Building.
