Donald MacKay Deacon (April 24, 1920 – September 16, 2003) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1967 to 1975 who represented the riding of York Centre. Background Deacon was born and raised in a family of ten children in Toronto, Ontario and attended the University of Toronto Schools. In 1942, he volunteered to serve in the 3rd Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery during World War II, rising to the rank of captain. Deacon, a Forward Observation Officer, travelled with front line infantry in order to direct artillery fire via radio transmission. In later years, he often commented at how accurately George G. Blackburn had captured the role of a FOO in his book The Guns of Normandy. Deacon was mentioned in dispatches as his Battery of Nova Scotian gunners fought its way across France, Belgium, the Netherlands and into Germany. He was awarded the Military Cross for risking his life to save soldiers under fire when his radio failed. King George VI was to present Deacon with the Military Cross. After six months helping to re-build post-war life in Holland, instead of heading to England, Deacon chose to accept passage on the first ship home to Canada. His military service ended safely as he walked up to his parents' home on Christmas morning 1945. Following the war, Deacon married Florence Campbell, sister of his best friend John Campbell. They moved to Deacon's family farm outside of Unionville, Ontario where they raised a family of six (Campbell, David, Martha, Douglas, Richard and Colin Deacon). He was one of the founders of Markham Stouffville Hospital and also served as president of the Canadian Club of Toronto. Deacon spent most of his working career in business in the financial sector, serving as chair of F.H. Deacon Hodgson Ltd. Politics Deacon was first elected to serve on the town council of Markham, Ontario as the deputy reeve. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in the 1967 provincial election, and re-elected in the 1971 election, serving the Toronto area riding of York Centre until he resigned from the legislature in March 1975. In 1973, Deacon ran for the Ontario Liberal leadership when Robert Nixon indicated he was stepping aside. Nixon changed his mind, and was re-elected leader with Deacon finishing in third