1967, during Canada's Centennial Year, MacDonald was appointed acting president of the CLC in September, due to Claude Jodoin being incapacitated by illness. The position formally became his when he was elected president in a 1968 convention. He served three two year terms and resigned in 1974. During this period, he became the first non-European to be elected president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. He retired in 1974. Donald MacDonald was recognized for his contribution to Canada's business and political life. On December 22, 1972 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. His other honours include: the Canadian Centennial Medal; the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. After a long battle with cancer, MacDonald died in a hospital, in the nation's capital, Ottawa, on September 25, 1986. References 1909 births 1986 deaths Canadian trade unionists Canadian people of Scottish descent Nova Scotia New Democratic Party MLAs Leaders of the Nova Scotia CCF/NDP Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany St. Francis Xavier University alumni People from Halifax, Nova Scotia Presidents of the Canadian Labour Congress Nova Scotia Co-operative Commonwealth Federation MLAs 20th-century Canadian politicians Catholic socialists Canadian Christian socialists Canadian Roman Catholics