View source for Kenzie MacNeil

{{Short description|Canadian politician (1952–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
'''Kenzie MacNeil''' {{postnominals|country=CAN|ONS}} (2 September 1952 – 24 July 2021) was a Canadian songwriter, performer, producer and director in television, film, radio and stage, and a former [[Conservative Party of Canada]] candidate.<ref name=cbp>{{Cite news |url= http://www.capebretonpost.com/Personal-finance/2007-09-17/article-778483/Film-tax-credit-wont-have-reel-impact-on-Cape-Breton/1 |title=Film tax credit wont have reel impact on Cape Breton  |work=The Cape Breton Post|date= 17 September 2007 |author=Laura Jean Grant |access-date=4 April 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002055116/http://www.capebretonpost.com/Personal-finance/2007-09-17/article-778483/Film-tax-credit-wont-have-reel-impact-on-Cape-Breton/1 |archivedate=2 October 2011}}</ref><ref name="isbn0-7748-1439-X"/> MacNeil completed a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from [[St. Francis Xavier University]]. He also studied at the [[University of Botswana]] in [[Lesotho]] and [[Swaziland]] while accompanying his parents on field work with CIDA in Africa for three years.<ref name=cbc2004>{{Cite web |url= http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes2004/riding/012/ |title=Candidate profiles-Canada Votes 2004 |work=CBC  |access-date=4 April 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301132428/http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes2004/riding/012/ |archivedate=1 March 2007}}</ref>

==Biography==
MacNeil was a major force behind ''The Rise and Follies of Cape Breton Island'', a satirical sketch review that ran from 1978 to 1982.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.whatsgoinon.ca/2010/05/cape-breton-summertime-revue-reunion-to-raise-money-for-savoy-theatre/  |title=Cape Breton Summertime Revue reunion to raise money for Savoy Theatre  |work=What's going on: Cape Breton's Entertainment Guide  |date=26 May 2010 |author=Tera Camus  |access-date=28 December 2010 |url-status=dead  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124174714/http://www.whatsgoinon.ca/2010/05/cape-breton-summertime-revue-reunion-to-raise-money-for-savoy-theatre/  |archive-date=24 January 2011 }}</ref> The revue included songs inspired by the coal and steel industry of Cape Breton and featured local musicians.<ref name="cjtm">{{Cite journal |url= http://cjtm.icaap.org/content/14/v14art6.html |title=Labour's Cultural Impact on the Community |journal=Canadian Journal for Traditional Music|author=John C. O'Donnell|year=1986 |access-date=28 December 2010
}}</ref> He also served as Artistic Director/Producer of  the Cape Breton Music and Theatre Company, and worked as Director of the UCCB Press.

Over the years he contributed to Peter Gzowski's ''This Country in the Morning'' and ''Morningside'' on CBC Radio, and on some of the most popular television shows of the time: ''Singalong Jubilee'', ''Ceilidh'', ''Tommy Hunter'', ''Ryan’s Fancy'', ''Ian Tyson'', and many others. Kenzie MacNeil also had an active theatrical career performing in productions like Tom Gallant's ''Step/Dance'' and with Gordon Pinsent in ''John and the Missus'', and was nominated for an ACTRA award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in ''Last Night in Town''. He was involved in the production of the National Film Board's ''Empty Harbours'', ''Empty Dreams'', ''12,000 Men'', and ''Scoggie''. As well, MacNeil worked as Chair of the Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation and helped with the creation of soundstages across the mainland and on the Island, and in particular, assisted with bringing the productions ''Pit Pony'' and ''New Waterford Girl'' to Cape Breton.

MacNeil is best known for his song “The Island,” an unofficial anthem of [[Cape Breton Island]]. The song is a tribute to coal industry workers in Nova Scotia.<ref name="isbn0-7748-1439-X">{{cite book |author=O'Brien, Robert |title=Solidarity first: Canadian workers and social cohesion |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |year=2008 |pages= 107–108 |isbn=978-0-7748-1439-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rZ39mYY6UtwC&pg=PA107 }}</ref>  According to [[Men of the Deeps]] musical director, John O'Donnell, "the words offer a vivid demonstration that labour in Cape Breton has indeed had a deep cultural impact on the community."<ref name="cjtm" />
He also worked as a development officer with the Nova Scotia Department of Economic Development,<ref name="cbc2004" />  and has been the editor and publisher of the ''Cape Bretoner'' magazine.<ref name="cbc2004" />

==Politics==
MacNeil ran as a [[Conservative Party of Canada]] in [[Cape Breton—Canso]] in the [[2004 Canadian federal election|2004]] and [[2006 Canadian federal election|2006]] federal elections, coming third and second respectively behind Liberal incumbent [[Rodger Cuzner]].<ref name="isbn0-7748-1439-X"/><ref name=cbc2004/><ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes2006/riding/012/ |title=Canada Votes 2006 - Candidates and Ridings |work=CBC |access-date=4 April 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108155755/http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes2006/riding/012/ |archivedate=8 November 2012}}</ref> In the [[2019 Canadian federal election|2019 federal election]], MacNeil ran as an independent candidate in [[Sydney—Victoria]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/michelle-dockrill-kenzie-macneil-cape-breton-federal-election-independents-1.5291619|title=Former MP, local songwriter running as Independents in Cape Breton|publisher=CBC News|date=20 September 2019|access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref> but finished in sixth place.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saltwire.com/cape-breton/news/local/video-jaime-battiste-becomes-first-mikmaw-mp-after-winning-riding-of-sydney-victoria-366447/|title=Jaime Battiste becomes first Mi'kmaw MP after winning riding of Sydney-Victoria|publisher=SaltWire Network|date=22 October 2019|access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref>

==Personal==
MacNeil died on 24 July 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/songwriter-behind-iconic-cape-breton-anthem-passes-away/|title=Songwriter behind iconic Cape Breton anthem passes away|publisher=CTV News|date=27 July 2021|access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saltwire.com/cape-breton/news/kenzie-macneil-known-for-cape-breton-anthem-the-island-dies-100616720/|title=Kenzie MacNeil, known for Cape Breton anthem 'The Island', dies|publisher=SaltWire Network|date=27 July 2021|access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref> He was posthumously awarded the [[Order of Nova Scotia]] in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://novascotia.ca/iga/2022recipients.asp|title=Order of Nova Scotia: 2022 Recipients|publisher=Government of Nova Scotia}}</ref>

==Electoral record==
{{2019 Canadian federal election/Sydney—Victoria}}
{{2006 Canadian federal election/Cape Breton—Canso}}
{{2004 Canadian federal election/Cape Breton—Canso}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Discogs artist|Kenzie MacNeil}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0534109}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macneil, Kenzie}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Canadian male songwriters]]
[[Category:Canadian male stage actors]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:Conservative Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons]]
[[Category:Nova Scotia candidates for Member of Parliament]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 2019 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Politicians from Sydney, Nova Scotia]]
[[Category:University of Botswana alumni]]
[[Category:St. Francis Xavier University alumni]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2019 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2006 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2004 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Nova Scotia]]