John Alexander Macdonald (1815-1891), known as Sir John A., was the first Prime Minister of Canada from 1867 to 1873 and 1878 to 1891. A dominant figure of Confederation his political career spanned almost fifty years. Much has been written and could be said of his achievements but the greatest might be his support for the construction of a railway across Canada which tied the country together turning communications and transportation east-west versus north-south.