{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1947)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | name = Ron MacKinley | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|8|24}} | birth_place = Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada | office = Interim Leader of the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party | predecessor = Wayne Carew | successor = Robert Ghiz | term_start = April 17, 2000 | term_end = April 5, 2003 | office1 = {{br list | Member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island for Cornwall-Meadowbank | North River-Rice Point (1996-2007)}} | term_start1 = November 18, 1996 | term_end1 = May 4, 2015 | predecessor1 = ''Riding Established'' | successor1 = Heath MacDonald | office2 = Councillor of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island for 2nd Queens | term_start2 = December 2, 1985 | term_end2 = November 18, 1996 | predecessor2 = Lloyd MacPhail | successor2 = ''Riding Abolished'' | party = Liberal | spouse = {{marriage|Anne Clarkin|1969|2026}} | relation = | children = 3 | alma_mater = <!-- higher education (post-secondary) schools only --> | profession = Politician | occupation = {{Hlist | Farmer | farm chemical salesperson | snow removal business person}} | cabinet = {{Ubl | Minister of Transportation and Public Works (2007–2010) | Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (2010–2011) | Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development (2011–2015) }} }} '''Ronald William "Ronnie" MacKinley''' (born August 24, 1947<ref name="weeks">{{cite book|title=Minding the House: A Biographical Guide to Prince Edward Island MLAs|last=Weeks|first=Blair|isbn=1-894838-01-7|year=2002|publisher=Acorn Press|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/mindinghousebiog0000week}}</ref>) is a Prince Edward Island Liberal politician, and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island.
== Early life == Born in Charlottetown, MacKinley is the son of John McKinley and Mildred Sellar. He was raised on the family farm in the rural community of North River which was amalgamated into the town of Cornwall in 1996.<ref name="weeks"/> Before running for office, MacKinley worked as a farmer in North River. Apart from owning and operating his farm, he co-owns MacKinley Brothers beef farm with his mother and his son. He was married to Anne Clarkin on 2 August 1969<ref name="weeks" /> and remained married until her death in 2026. He and Clarkin had three children and five grandchildren.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anna Marie MacKinley Obituary {{!}} 1948 - 2026 {{!}} The Guardian |url=https://theguardian.remembering.ca/obituary/anna-mackinley-1093544018 |access-date=2026-05-28 |website=theguardian.remembering.ca |language=en}}</ref>
MacKinley has served as vice-chair of the Elliot River CIC; as a director of the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture and of the P.E.I. Farm Centre. In addition to this, he is a former member of the Canadian Horticultural Council Labour Board and Uniform Legislation Board, as well as a former Queens County Chair for the P.E.I. Potato Producers' Association.
== Political career == MacKinley enjoyed a long political career. He was first elected to represent his riding in a 1985 by-election, and served continuously until 2015.
In the 2000 provincial election, MacKinley was the sole Liberal MLA elected, and also the only Opposition MLA. As a result of this, he served as Leader of the Opposition and ''de facto'' Liberal leader until 2003, when he was replaced in both capacities by Robert Ghiz. MacKinley has served as Opposition Critic for Transportation and Public Works, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture; he was the Chairman of the important Public Accounts Committee of the legislature, which must always be chaired by a member of the Opposition.
On 12 June 2007, MacKinley assumed office as Minister of Transportation and Public Works, serving under PEI Premier Robert Ghiz. His position was renamed to Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal during a government reorganization on 13 January 2010.
MacKinley announced his retirement from politics on 10 February 2015, choosing not to seek re-election in the 2015 provincial campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/ron-mackinley-announces-he-won-t-re-offer-in-next-election-1.2952747 |title=Ron MacKinley announces he won't reoffer in next election |access-date=22 February 2015 |archive-date=19 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219154818/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/ron-mackinley-announces-he-won-t-re-offer-in-next-election-1.2952747 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==References== *[http://www.gov.pe.ca/phone/makebio.php3?number=2440 Ron MacKinley's Prince Edward Island government biography] {{reflist}}
{{Prince Edward Island Liberal leaders}}
{{Robert Ghiz Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackinley, Ron}} Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Charlottetown Category:Prince Edward Island Liberal Party MLAs Category:Prince Edward Island Liberal Party leaders Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island Category:Members of the Executive Council of Prince Edward Island