Dr. Frank MacKinnon is credited as the originator of the idea of a Fathers of Confederation Memorial. It was MacKinnon who persuaded every province in Canada and the federal government to contribute to the erection of the Memorial complex in Charlottetown. MacKinnon was Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Calgary, and former principal of Prince of Wales College, Charlottetown. A graduate of McGill University and the University of Toronto, he authored many articles and a number of books. He was an original member of the Canada Council, president of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, president of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-fiction, and the Stratford Award for Civic Design for his work on the Cenfederation Centre project. He received the order of Canada.