William Lyon Mackenzie (1795-1861) was a Scottish-born Canadian journalist, politician, and rebel. He became the leader of the radical Reformers, and the refusal of the authorities to institute certain reforms finally led him to open rebellion.

William Lyon Mackenzie was born on March 12, 1795, at Springfield, Dundee. After completing his formal education at the parish school, he entered business, becoming in 1817 managing clerk of a canal company in Wiltshire.

In 1820 Mackenzie emigrated to British North America. In 1824 he began to publish the Colonial Advocate and before the year was out had moved its place of publication from Queenston to York (Toronto). Through his newspaper he attacked the men of privilege and power within the colony so vigorously that on June 8, 1826, a number of young Tories smashed his printing press. This was an error on the part of the ruling clique, known as the Family Compact, for it publicized Mackenzie...