Lincoln MacCauley Alexander was a remarkable Hamiltonian whose life included serving in the Canadian Air Force during the Second World War and being called to the bar in 1953.

Alexander was also the first black Canadian elected to the House of Commons in 1968 and became minister of labour in the Joe Clark government before going on to be the 24th lieutenant governor of Ontario.

To celebrate his accomplishments, Jan. 21 is recognized as Lincoln Alexander Day in Canada.

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Linc, as he preferred to be called, dined with queens and heads of state but never forgot Hamilton, which he said was where his heart always resided.

Alexander was humble about his life, always saying he was “a lucky man.”

In his days serving in the House of Commons, Alexander was part of the infamous “fuddle duddle” controversy with then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, in which the prime minister is alleged to have uttered a dishonourable phrase in the House directed at the member from Hamilton West.

Alexander died Oct. 19, 2012, at the age of 90.

Jan. 21 was selected as Lincoln Alexander Day because it was his birthday.

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